Hearing: are you losing yours?

If you are already forty, you may have started to notice small changes. You take longer to recover from workouts. Your eyesight starts to blur.

What we rarely notice, though, is our hearing.

It declines silently, gradually, almost politely. Until one day you realise you missed what someone said.

Let me use my example. About seven years ago, on a routine visit to the eye doctor, I was told I needed reading glasses. I dismissed it as silly. My sight was perfect, I said to myself.

I have mentioned many times that the body renews itself constantly. But that does not mean you will not lose any capacity.

Hearing loss is not just about sound. When you cannot hear clearly, your brain works harder to fill in the gaps. This extra effort draws energy from memory, focus, and mental clarity.

Over time, the brain tires. Research from Johns Hopkins shows that untreated hearing loss is linked to faster cognitive decline and even dementia. You are not just missing words.

So what can you do?

Test yourself. Testing your hearing is simple. You can start with an online test that plays tones of different frequencies. If you notice any difficulties, see an audiologist.

They use an audiogram, a chart that maps how well you hear at different pitches. Like a blood test for your ears, it gives you a baseline.

From there, you can track changes over time.

If your results show early loss, don’t ignore it. Age-related hearing loss cannot be reversed. However, you may be suffering from other factors that are causing a reduction in capacity. Wax buildup or infections, for example.

If you find out that you have reduced capacity, consider a hearing aid. They are discreet. They restore not just hearing, but confidence.

Protect your ears from loud sounds. Limit headphone use. Keep your heart and blood vessels healthy.

Your inner ear depends on good circulation.

Your ability to hear is tied to your ability to connect, think, and feel. Health is not only what you can measure in the gym or on a lab report.

It is also how you listen.

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain