Happy new year! Now is the time that many of us make our New Year’s resolutions. Have you made yours? Do they involve being happier, reducing stress, and improving your health? Do they involve enjoying life to its fullest, improving your social relationships, expanding your social network, and getting out more?

If so, you might want to consider whether or not your hearing is up to the task. Hearing is vital to quality of life. It’s an important part of performing many daily activities. Hearing difficulties can have a negative impact on your health and happiness.

So, this new year, make getting a hearing test your top New Year’s resolution. Once you do, keeping the rest of your resolutions, like all of the ones described above, will be much easier. Getting your hearing tested, and treating unaddressed hearing loss, can lead to these benefits.

Stress reduction

Is stress reduction a goal you’ve set for the new year? Having a comprehensive hearing evaluation can help. People who have trouble hearing are often unduly stressed. They have trouble understanding what people are saying. They miss parts of important conversations. They constantly have to ask others to repeat themselves. And the stress they feel is compounded when they’re always trying to minimize or cover up their difficulties hearing. Others around you, too, can be more stressed by your hearing loss.

Wearing hearing aids, if recommended by your audiologist, can improve all of these issues. You’ll finally be able to clearly hear the conversations going on around you, which will be a big weight off your shoulders.

Improved personal connections

When people have trouble hearing their friends and family members, they often avoid having conversations altogether. They don’t keep in touch with their loved ones as much as they should. They avoid talking to people on the telephone because they can’t fill in their gaps in hearing with body language and lip reading. And they avoid many social situations that make hearing harder, like parties and get-togethers in noisy environments.

When you treat your hearing loss, your personal connections can significantly improve. Having conversations won’t be such a struggle anymore, so you’ll be less likely to withdraw from social situations or avoid communication.

More social engagement

If part of your New Year’s resolution is to get out more and become more social, then hearing aids can help. As we already mentioned, hearing loss can lead to withdrawal and social isolation. But there’s no reason to avoid going out with your friends to a busy restaurant or avoid that long-anticipated family reunion. With treatment, you will be able to participate in social activities again without stress, anxiety, or frustration.

Learn new skills, discover new experiences

Perhaps you’ve always wanted to take a pottery or woodworking class. Maybe you want to get healthier by taking a yoga class at your local gym. But if you have trouble hearing, you might be worried that you won’t be able to hear the instructor or take part in group discussions, so you give up on these New Year’s resolutions before you even try.

Wearing hearing aids can help make sure that you don’t miss out on opportunities to learn new skills or discover new experiences.

Earn more money

Are your New Year’s resolutions financially motivated? If so, getting a hearing test is a great first step to accomplishing your goals. Research shows that people with untreated hearing loss earn less money than their counterparts. Hearing aids can offset the negative effects of hearing loss in the workplace by 50 percent and allow you to earn more income.

When you make addressing your untreated hearing loss your top priority this new year, you can successfully improve your quality of life and achieve the rest of your New Year’s resolutions. Schedule an appointment for a hearing test with Associated Audiologists today.

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