Hearing loss can be a perplexing health outcome to experience for many. That’s because our hearing “apparatus” (so to speak) is a very complex system which is of course part of a wider system, our bodies. Moreover, our hearing is designed to be sensitive, which is why the rigours of modern life can sometimes wear down it. For most of our evolutionary history, we didn’t have to worry about standing too close to the speakers at an EDM concert or experiencing quite as many pollutants as we do today.

That being said, to frame hearing loss as something you only experience due to lifestyle factors would be incorrect. Eating an indulgent meal or enjoying a drink at the weekends doesn’t mean you should have known better if you wanted to protect your hearing. Moreover, it’s unclear if some of the most common contributors to hearing loss, such as aging, should be defined as “lifestyle factors,” as none of us really “opt-in” to the progress of aging; it just happens.

For this reason, you might ask, did lifestyle factors cause my hearing loss? And does that mean improving my well-being can help it? In this post, we’ll tackle that latter question:

Nutrition

It can seem a little odd to say the food you eat has much to do with your hearing, but good nutrition keeps your entire body healthy, including your ears. That means nutrient-rich diets help maintain blood flow to the inner ear, which is necessary for good hearing health. In fact, it’s even possible to focus on improving hearing health with good nutrition, as explained in the linked guide. Eating foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, is a good idea no matter what, but it can have more pervasive benefits than you had assumed.

Exercise & Sleep

Continual exercise can improve your circulation, which allows you to improve the blood flow we mentioned. Keeping a healthy weight can also assist with improving the symptoms of conditions like tinnitus. It can also help with sleep which is essential for your body to heal itself each night. While a lack of sleep doesn’t directly cause hearing loss, it can make you more vulnerable to stress and fatigue, which aren’t good for your health in general and can even exacerbate issues like the aforementioned tinnitus as well.

Avoiding Noise Pollution

Even with hearing loss, loud sounds can damage the inner ear, which isn’t good for you. That’s why it’s worth protecting yourself by avoiding unnecessary exposure to loud environments, such as still wearing hearing protection at work, wearing ear plugs at super loud concerts, or using white noise at night if you live in a loud area.

With this advice, we hope you can see how lifestyle factors within our control can help delay hearing loss or better manage this condition if you experience it. That in itself can inspire your future comfort.