I am an Audiologist focusing on the connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline. This means that I am constantly looking for ways to help my patients keep their mind sharp.
Over the next few weeks and months we are being forced to completely change our lifestyle. Some of us are out of work. Others are forced inside, into complete isolation. But what can we be doing over this period to help prevent cognitive decline?
The number one message that I want to convey to all my patients and those out there who have a hearing aids – WEAR YOUR HEARING AIDS FULL TIME DURING THIS PERIOD.
That is from the moment you wake up in the morning until to you do to bed at night. (12 hours or more.)
It is easy to think that because you are not going out to see anyone, you don’t need to have them in. However, the main reason why we need to wear our devices full time is to enable adequate stimulation to the auditory areas of the brain. This process doesn’t change simply because we are in lock down.
So first things first – keep those devices in, keep that brain stimulation occurring, to help keep the mind sharp.
Sticking to my theme of making sure we come out the other side of the global health crisis with our health and wellbeing intact, here are some other ideas about how you can keep your mind sharp over this period.
A healthy amount of sleep is essential for Brain Plasticity – the brain’s ability to adapt, change and grow. A lot of the processes of storing memory of what we have learnt during the day occurs at night. If we don’t get enough sleep, our brain has a difficult time remembering that information into the future. Overnight sleep also reenergises the body’s cells and clears waste from the brain. The recommended minimum amount of sleep is 7 hours per night, with significant impacts to the brain and our ability to function occurring after only a few nights without that many hours.
If there was ever a time to pick up a new skill it would be during this Global Health Crisis. Research shows us that learning something new and/or stepping outside your comfort zone forces the brain to make new neural connections. It helps to strengthen the brain. Myelin is a substance that acts as an insulator around neural tissue. It allows for electrical messages to travel much faster from one place to the other through out the body, including the brain. Additional research is starting to show us that when we learn new skills and have new experiences we increase the amount of white matter, which get its name from the amount of myelin covered axons (nerve fibres) in our brain. This may help with brain plasticity and essentially helps strengthen the neural pathways of our brain.
If you’re having a sugar craving over the lock down period try switching to dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains zinc, iron and magnesium. The high levels of cocoa within dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which are antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals and prevent oxidative stress – which contribute to the natural processes of ageing.
Dig out the recipe books or head online to find some recipes to cook fish.Cold water, oily fish like sardines, salmon and trout are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for brain health. The Gourmet Traveller’s have a full list of Salmon Recipes to try. (Learn more) Not only are you helping strengthen your brain by trying something new, you are cooking delicious food that is great for brain health.
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For some of us, time is less of a limit over this period. Make a point to switch hands. Yes it may take you a little more time than normal to tasks like brushing your teeth, using the computer mouse with your other hand or opening the door. However, getting the brain to complete complex tasks like these with your other hand helps the brain learn new skills. ⠀
Not only is physical a great way to manage stress over this period but it can help improve your memory. Physical activity when performed regularly for 20mins have shown to increase the size of your hippocampus, the area of your brain associated with forming new memories. ⠀
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I have spoken alot about BrainHQ both in my seminars and in other blogs. Practicing recalling facts, using programs like brain HQ have been proven to sharpen the mind. Brain HQ has 100 research articles written about it. It help exercise your memory, improves you ability to pay attention, improve’s your brain’s processing speed and can even help you hear better in background noise. Over this period we have time. So just like you’d use a personal trainer to train your body, it’s time we start thinking about training our minds. Schedule in 3 x 20mins sessions into your week to start training your brain.
Over this period it is my intention to help my patients with hearing loss as much as I can to improve their ability to hear, share tips on how to improve your listening setting at home to make it easier to hear things like the TV. I am creating a webinar series with 10 modules that aim to give my people actionable tips as well as some more information on the connection between hearing and brain health. To register your interest please send an to katherine@neuaudio.com.au and Kat will put you on our growing list.
Finally – To all those out there with hearing loss, if there was one thing I wanted you to take away with you from this blog it is to wear your devices FULL TIME over this period. To ensure we maintain that brain stimulation and help prevent cognitive decline.
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Tinnitus or ringing in the ears affects approximately 18% of all Australian’s and studies show that 98% of people will experience tinnitus in a room that is quiet enough.
The 2020 World Health Crisis is placing extreme levels of stress and uncertainty on us. Over this period of time we have noticed many of our patients tinnitus symptoms have been exacerbated.
The research tells us that tinnitus is exacerbated by stress and worsen’s with sleep deprivation. We are most certainly living through a time that is both stressful and a potential cause for a lack of sleep.
Using products like white noise machines, a low fan or music can help to avoid quiet rooms, such as your bed room at night. We know that tinnitus is most prevalent when we are in quiet. Using low level sound to help cancel out the sound of tinnitus at night can help you get to sleep.
Scientists across the world have documented that a lack of sleep worsen’s tinnitus. Limit your screen time after a certain time at night. Restrict your caffeine intake after a certain time of day. Do some relaxation or deep breathing techniques, right before you go to bed to help to switch off the mind.
The exact link between tinnitus and stress isn’t know but they are undoubtably related. Try the Simply Being app, a guided meditation app, that’s isn’t too ‘left of centre’. Head Space is another great app and website that focuses on meditation, stress and anxiety management and sleep. The Waking Up app and website developed by Neuroscientist Sam Harris focused on mindfulness. I used this daily. Yoga is also a brilliant way focus on deep breathing and stress management, if you aren’t the type of person who wants to mediate. Check out the Down Dog app or Stretch Yoga’s online studio.
When the brain is not getting enough sensory input it steps in and generates it’s own. This is why treating hearing loss and giving the brain back that input can help with tinnitus. It is both astounding and satisfying to see how quickly tinnitus symptoms can be relieved for some people, when they treat their hearing loss. Feel free give us a call or book in online if you would like a complementary consultation over this period.
Amongst other impacts to your health, smoking is a known cause of tinnitus. High blood pressure or atherosclerosis also increase tinnitus risk. We are living through an unpredictable and tumultuous time. However, it is also a time where we have an opportunity to reset. Is it time to make some lifestyle changes towards living a healthier life, which can inadvertently help our tinnitus?
Tinnitus is one of those conditions that the more we focus on it the worse it usually is. Trying to draw your attention away from it onto something else, can help to decrease it’s impact on your quality of life. Set up strategies for those times when you know it is usually quite bad for example at night. The most understanding you get around how the condition works the easier it is to manage it symptoms.
Is a fun online program that has shown to improve tinnitus perception, memory, attention, and concentration of patients with tinnitus. Check out the link www.brainhq.com to learn more.
In terms of tinnitus the key is to understand the mechanism behind the condition. Unfortunately there is no cure. However that isn’t to say that we cannot manage its symptoms and live a full life, with the condition.
We want tinnitus to eventually be something that is there is the background but we only notice it, if we focus on it.
The key is to manage stress. Get enough sleep. Have strategies in place, like a white noise machine or music close by for those times when your tinnitus symptoms are exacerbated. Understand that it is very common and not something to spend a lot of time worrying about or focussing on – as this will only exacerbate it for you.
If you haven’t your hearing tested, tinnitus is a very common sign of hearing loss, for the reasons we spoke of above.
Right now is an opportunity to shift all aspects of our lifestyle towards leading a healthier life. As much as this is a stressful and uncertain time, there is opportunity to put strategies in place now that will help us in the long-term. This is particular true in the case of managing a condition like Tinnitus.
I offer a Tinnitus Evaluation. I test your hearing and provide additional strategies to help you manage your symptoms. Audiology is considered an essential service. This means I am still able to see you in clinic over this period.
Alternatively I am able to do phone consults, if you are unable to come into the clinic.
For more information give the clinic a call on 1300 418 852
Right now almost every country around the world is calling for mandatory social distancing We know it is the number one way we can slow the spread of the Coronavirus… Yet as humans we are fundamentally social creatures.
Why, as Audiologists are we concerned about social isolation? Preserving human connection essentially underpins everything we do.
Reduced social interaction poses a huge concern to psychologists who are thinking in terms of the long term psychological impact this period will have on our lives. There are also concerns amongst psychologists of social isolation being a risk factor for developing anxiety and depression.
The Australian Government is asking for us to think of this crisis in terms of months, not weeks. So how do we combat the emotional impact that social isolation and its best friend loneliness will have on ourselves, our family and friends over this period?
We know a great deal about the impact of social isolation, loneliness on mental and physical health.
In my Brain and Hearing Health Seminars I talk about how one of the main reasons why we want to treat hearing loss is to maintain social connection. This is because there is a growing body of evidence showing a correlation between social isolation and its impact on long term health and quality of life.
According to the ongoing, 75 year-long, Harvard University Grant and Glueck Study , the clearest conclusion researchers made was that quality relationships keep us happier and healthier, long term over and above any other factor that was measured. Without a doubt, great communication is central to quality relationships.
Studies have also shown strong links between social isolation, depression, anxiety and less physical activity. In fact one study showed that isolation has the equivalent adverse impact to physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and is a greater threat to our health than obesity.
(Pettite et al 2015)
How do we stay physically distant from others yet still connected?
There is a growing call for us to move past thinking in terms of social distancing and move towards the term physical distancing. This term recognises that although there is a great need for us to maintain actual physical distance between each other and less physical contact, that DOES NOT mean we should reduce our social connection.
We need to readjust the way we interact with one another over this period.
Let’s be honest, no amount of rebranding of the term social distancing will change the fact that we are living in a very different world to what we were at the start of 2020.
It is going to be crucial over the next few months that we adapt and help our loved ones to adapt. So we all come out the other side of this global health crisis as healthy and emotionally intact as possible.
Can you imagine if we’d had to go through this ordeal even 15 years ago? We are lucky we live a digital age, where staying socially connected, whilst maintaining physical distance is relatively easy.
Melbourne Based, registered Psychologist Ms Jill Searle recommends that ‘Preparation is key right now, as this could be our new norm for quite some time. Having a plan of how we manage our time. Literally getting a calendar or diary and scheduling activities every day is highly encouraged. There are so many free resources available right now. Even undertake an online course to upskill in some area, or learn something new.’
I was talking to an 84 year old recently, who purchased a keyboard so they can start learning to play for the first time. He is now taking online lessons because he recognised the need to keep himself occupied and connected over this time.
If he can do it, anyone of us can!
Psychologist Ms Jill Searle says that you can be physically distant from others yet still be connected, just like you can be alone but that doesn’t necessarily mean you are lonely.
There is no doubt that the world has changed and we need to adapt to thrive.
Focusing on the positive is going to be essential. Research shows that adopting a perspective of gratitude, despite the limitations currently being placed on us can help to maintain that level of positivity and prevent stress and anxiety from creeping in. (Remember that managing stress is a key to keeping tinnitus at bay)
It’s crucial to take a look at all of the normal weekly activities and social events you would be involved in and see if there is a way to continue to carry these out online or interject something similar, for the time being.
If you are feeling lonely or isolated reach out. Just like we need to look after those is our family and community who have a hearing loss, so therefore struggle to remain socially connected now we have to look after each other for exactly the same reasons.
We need to make sure that one of the things that makes us fundamentally human, our need for social connection is maintained over this period of time.
Read through My 2 Hour Hearing & Brain Health Seminar in 4 Minutes
