It might have taken you time to notice, but your hearing isn’t what it once used to be. Now, you have to be told the same thing twice or even thrice before you’re able to hear it correctly, and you’ve realized it’s becoming increasingly difficult to hear noises over long distances without having to strain yourself. Generally speaking, one’s hearing becomes gradually poor with old age, but in today’s time with the increased noise pollution that we constantly face, more and more younger people have begun experiencing hearing loss. In most such cases, the loss is temporary. And luckily there’re ways to naturally improve hearing.
How to Improve Hearing Naturally
1. Take a Chill Pill
Here’s the thing. The more stressed you re, the more negatively it will affect your hearing. How? Well, when you’re stressed your brain releases chemicals known as dynorphins, which incidentally trigger inflammations inside your ear. And if it sounds bad, that’s because it is bad. Not only does it negatively affect your capacity to hear, but it also opens doors to hearing issues like tinnitus.
2. Sleep Is Important
Well, this might come as a surprise to you but lack of sleep, or rather sleep apnea, has shown to have a direct link with hearing loss, making it harder for you to make out high pitched noises. Now scientists aren’t exactly sure what the link between the two is, but it has been theorized that sleep apnea is responsible for triggering a lesser flow of blood to one’s inner ear, which results in poor hearing abilities.
If you suffer from sleep apnea then it’s wise to talk to your doctor as your hearing problem might just yet be at a stage where it can be reversed permanently.
3. Exercise!
Exercising is one of those ways on how to improve hearing naturallythat also helps improve your body and mental health. The thing is, your auditory system never stops working, which means it never shuts down. And for something that’s working 24x7, it needs to be supplied regularly by nutrients and oxygen. And what better way to get your oxygen supply improving and blood pumping than exercising? Aerobics are the best bet for you, because apart from improving your hearing, it also improves your brain functioning.
Just make sure you’re exercising in an environment where the music isn’t excessively loud.
4. Quit Smoking
It’s true. The more you smoke, the more you experience vascular insufficiency and high blood pressure, both of which have directly been linked to hearing impairment.
5. Say No to Refined Carbohydrates
They’re high on fat and low on nutritional content. So apart from adding fat to your body, the fats from refined carbs also reduce supply of blood to your body parts, including ears. And when that happens, your ears don’t function properly. Speaking of food…
6. Keep an Eye Out on Your Diet
Certain foods are good for your hearing, while others are bad for it. Here’s a very concise list of what to eat and what to avoid:
Eat:
- Complex carbs
- Nuts, seeds
- Fresh fruits and veggies
- Grains
- Omega 3 fatty acids
- Scallions
- Baked tofu
- Soya bean
- Lentils
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
Avoid:
- Greasy/oily/fatty food
- Junk food
- Microwaved/ready to eat food
- Dairy products
- Processed meat
- Saturated fats
7. Do Yoga
You already know the wonders that yoga does for your mind, body and soul. But did you also know that it’s one of the best waysto improve hearing naturally.
Exercises like triangle pose, lotus pose, cobra pose and the tree pose are excellent to help increase the circulation of blood and nutrients to your inner ears as well as to your brain. This in turn improves not only your nerve functions but also effectively removes a higher quantity of toxins and waste from your body.
8. Herbal Options
Make sure you consult with a licensed practitioner or even your doctor before you use them.
Here are some herbal options on how to improve hearing naturally:
- Marjoram: Its anti-arteriosclerotic properties lower blood pressure, and are helpful if your hearing loss is due to poor circulation of blood in your ears.
- Ginkgo biloba improves capillary blood circulation. It also helps improve memory, attention span, ability to concentrate and helps get rid of vertigo tinnitus.
- Hawthorn berry improves supply of blood in your entire body, including your inner ears.
- Garlic helps improve your low cholesterol, blood circulation as well as blood sugar levels.
- Ginger: This natural antibiotic not only prevents infections from occurring in your ear, but also improves the functioning of the nerves responsible for relaying sound waves to your brain.
9. Take Out the Wax
Sometimes, all it takes to improve you hearing naturally is to get rid of all the buildup in your ear. If your build up has become difficult to remove, then all you have to do is pour a few drops of coconut or olive oil in your ears, and let it sit there overnight. The next morning you will find that the wax buildup has softened, making it easier for your Q-tip to break through it and get rid of it completely.
10. Talk to Your Doctor
It’s entirely possible that you’re suffering from reduced quality of hearing because of an ear infection, especially if you feel pain in your ear. Your doctor will be the best person to guide you in such a situation.
11. Practice Focusing on and Locating Sounds to Sharpen Your Hearing
Did you know you can work on how to improve hearing naturallyby simply exercising your hearing ability? Might sound strange, but it’s true. Just like physical activities improve our body and mental exercises sharpen our brain, there are certain exercises which improve the quality of our hearing.
Click on the link to view those exercises: