For Mental Agility, This is More Successful Than Brain Games

Because it's simple, soduku is a globally popular puzzle game. A pencil, some numbers, and a few grids are all you need. A very enjoyable way to pass some hours, for many, is a soduku puzzle book. That it’s a workout for your brain is an added bonus.

“Brain workouts” have become a popular way of addressing mental decline. But Sudoku isn’t the only method of delaying cognitive recession. Current research has revealed that hearing aids may be capable of providing your brain with a nice little boost in mental stimulation, slowing the progression of cognitive decline.

Cognitive Decline, What is it?

Your brain is a "use it or lose it" organ. Neural connections will fizzle out without appropriate stimulus. Your brain has to forge and strengthen neural pathways, that's why Sudoku works, it keeps you mentally active.

While a certain amount of mental decline is a natural part of aging, there are some things that can hasten or exacerbate that decline. Hearing loss, for example, can present a really potent danger for your cognitive health. Two things occur that really impact your brain when your hearing starts to go:

• You can't hear as well: With less sound input, your auditory cortex (the region of your brain responsible for all things related to hearing) gets reduced stimulation. Your brain may end up changing in a way that causes it to prioritize other senses like sight. Increased danger of mental decline has been associated with these changes.
• You don't go out as much: Neglected hearing loss can cause some people to self-isolate in a detrimental way. Staying in to escape conversations may seem easier than going out and feeling self-conscious (particularly as your untreated hearing loss progresses). This can deprive your brain of even more input.

Put together, these two factors can result in a major change in your brain. Loss of memory, difficulty concentrating, and ultimately a higher danger of dementia have been linked to this sort of mental decline.

Is Cognitive Decline Reversable With Hearing Aids?

So, this cognitive decline happens because your hearing loss is being neglected. And it's pretty obvious what you need to do to reverse these declines: get your hearing impairment treated. In most cases, this means new hearing aids.

It's well corroborated and also unexpected the degree that hearing aids can delay mental decline. Approximately 100 people with hearing loss from the age of 62 to age 82 were surveyed by the University of Melbourne. Among those adults who wore their hearing aids for at least 18 months, over 97% reported that their cognitive decline either stopped or reversed.

Just using hearing aids brought about an almost universal improvement. We can learn a couple of things from this:

• Finding ways to keep your auditory cortex active would be helpful because stimulation is essential to mental well being. This area of your brain will continue to be vital and healthy as long as you keep hearing ( with help from hearing aids).
• One of the primary functions of hearing aids is to keep you in your social circle. And your brain remains more engaged when you are social. It’s easier (and more enjoyable) to talk with your friends when you can follow the conversation!

Sudoko is Still a Smart Idea

The University of Melbourne study isn't an outlier. If you have neglected hearing loss, many studies have revealed that wearing hearing aids can help decrease cognitive decline. The problem is that not everybody knows that they have hearing loss. The symptoms can sneak up on you. So if you’re feeling forgetful, strained, or even a bit spacier than normal, it might be worth talking with your hearing specialist.

That hearing aids are so effective doesn’t automatically mean you should give up on your Sudoku or other brain games. They keep your brain fresh and pliable and give you better general cognitive function. Both hearing aids and Sudoku can help you exercise your brain and keep yourself cognitively fit.