The Ten Minutes Daily Exercises for Hearing Success
If you’ve recently invested in hearing aids, or are looking to do so, you’re probably also thinking about ways to get the most bang for your buck. Well, we have some insider tips. The key to getting the most out of your new hearing aids is combining them with good rehabilitation practices and daily exercises.
After a period of time with untreated hearing loss, your brain and ears need to learn to work effectively together again. It has been a while since your brain will have had to process certain sounds – as you weren’t hearing them well or at all. Your brain can in fact relearn how to interpret these sounds and discriminate speech, but there are some steps you can take to make this process go more smoothly.
In this article, we cover some effective aural rehabilitation techniques you can complete at home for just ten minutes a day. Follow our three step process during your hearing aid adjustment period, to speed your journey back to great hearing health.
Make time for reading aloud in your daily routine
Reading aloud for just ten minutes a day is a tried and true way to help improve your speech comprehension. The dual process of seeing the words on the page and speaking them helps the brain to relearn sounds faster. It’s also been proven to be good for long-term memory – and who doesn’t need help there!
The thing about reading out loud is that it can easily form part of almost anyone’s daily routine! It’s not only a relaxing habit, but one others can benefit from too.
Whether it’s your daily dose of news online, a novel, magazine, or bedtime stories for the kids or grandkids. It’s as simple as finding that ten-minute window, and sticking to it. Of course, if you want to do it for longer, that’s fine by us!
Add an additional challenge to the mix
Okay, so it’s been a few weeks since you’ve successfully integrating reading aloud into your daily routine. How about upping the ante a little to maximise your benefits? Add some soft background noise by playing music or having the TV at a low volume. You might have to focus a little bit harder on what you’re reading, but this is going to help you out in noisy social environments in future, like your favourite café or restaurant. We hear so often from our patients that during untreated hearing loss, these sort of outings can be challenging. Especially when you’re struggling to follow a conversation among the noise. Some people even begin to avoid social occasions altogether, which can lead to feelings of isolation. One of our goals is to help you get back to enjoying all the good things in life, without limitations.
Take your skills to the next level with active listening
Once you’ve practiced your reading aloud for a few more weeks among background noise, it’s time to try something new yet again. Hopefully at this stage you’ll also be seeing some real benefits in your listening prowess. This will give you the confidence to take your hearing rehabilitation to the next level.
Find a friend or family member to become your conversation partner for this challenge. In the same room, sit a couple of metres apart. Focus on being in the moment with your conversation. Concentrate on what’s being said and try to tune out background noise. This exercise is about dedicating your undivided attention to your partner, to help improve your active listening skills. Active listening is not simply about which words are being said, but about the complete message being sent. Start with just ten minutes at a time, and try to approach the exercise with a positive attitude. You can be honest with your partner if you need them to speak slower or if you’re having trouble following the conversation.
The key to success is integrating this practice into your daily routine. It will get easier over time! For more advice on hearing rehabilitation or hearing aid technology, visit your local ihear clinic. Our friendly audiology team would love to help you hear better.
