Your brain and your ears work as a team to help you hear. While it’s important to protect your ears by listening to music at a safe volume and wearing hearing protection when around loud noises, it’s equally essential to exercise the parts of your brain that help you make meaning of sound. Below are some exercises to try alone or with a partner to keep your hearing sharp.
Hearing Exercises to Try with a Loved One
COVID-19 has many of us spending more time at home than ever before. Why not spend some of your free time trying out these hearing exercises with a loved one?
Overcome Background Noise
Situations with background noise are notoriously difficult for people with hearing loss, which is why it’s helpful to practice when the stakes are low. Turn on a TV or radio at normal volume and have a conversation with your partner, taking care to focus on the conversation while tuning out the background noise. Take breaks as needed.
Stationary Marco Polo
A less-real-world but more-fun exercise to try with a partner is reminiscent of the pool party game Marco Polo. Close your eyes or wear a blindfold and instruct your partner to move quietly to different parts of the room. Guess what objects they are standing next to in order to gauge the direction of their speech and how far away they are.
Hearing Exercises to Try Alone
If your live alone or your partner is at the office every day, you can try these exercises on your own.
Meditation
Meditation is not strictly a hearing-related exercise, but studies have shown it to be beneficial for people with hearing loss. This is because meditation not only improves attention and concentration, it also stimulates blood flow to the inner ears, all of which are essential for strong hearing and listening. There are apps available to guide you through meditation anywhere, including in your home or at Silverbell Lake.
Sound Isolation
Another type of mindfulness exercise, we recommend trying sound isolation exercises to help your brain practice recognizing sounds. Sit quiet and still and listen for all the sounds around you. As you identify each one, take a few seconds to think about where it’s coming from.
For more information about preserving your hearing health, call the experts at Arizona Hearing Specialists today.