An estimated one in eight people in the United States is affected by hearing loss, a problem that becomes increasingly common with age. This is one of the many reasons why as you go about resolving to shed some unwanted pounds or get in more gym time, it's also important to be mindful of your hearing health. To point you in the right direction, we present seven hearing-related New Year's resolutions to consider for 2022.

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

If you're already noticing some issues with your hearing, don't settle for making adjustments to compensate or deciding to simply live with it. Instead, make it a resolution to step out of your comfort zone and ask for help from a hearing specialist. The good news is many instances of hearing loss can be successfully managed with hearing aids.

Take Good Care of Your Health

Your hearing is linked in one way or another to the many other things going on within your body that could affect you health-wise. Resolve to get more exercise and get down to or maintain a healthy weight in 2022. Also, take steps to keep stress in check and enjoy a balanced diet that includes:

• Green, leafy veggies
• Healthy fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and mackerel
• Low-fat dairy products and lean proteins
• Quit Smoking Cigarettes

It's no secret smoking isn't good for your health. However, it's still something nearly 35 million Americans do on a regular basis. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found smokers are 70 percent more likely to have issues with hearing loss than non-smokers. If you're a smoker, this is one more reason to ditch this habit in 2022.

Be Aware of Noise Levels in Your Surroundings

Exposure to loud noise levels is a common contributing factor to hearing loss. Therefore, another hearing health resolution to make in 2022 is to be more aware of noise levels around you in various situations. Even a simple plane ride could expose you to decibel levels ranging from 60 to 80 dBAs.

Protect your ears when exposed to loud sounds with noise-canceling headphones, earplugs, and similar devices. With music listened to through headphones, follow the 60/60 rule. It states you should keep the volume at no higher than 60% and not listen to music through headphones for more than 60 minutes each day.

Get Your Hearing Tested

If you're already a regular hearing aid user, resolve to get your hearing tested in 2022. It's important to do this periodically so adjustments can be made based on any changes that may have occurred with your hearing or devices. The general recommendation is to have hearing aids tested at least every two years. However, do this more often if you have older hearing aids.

Wear Your Hearing Aids More Often

Once you receive hearing aids, you'll be given a wearing schedule or guidance about when to wear them. But these recommendations will only be helpful if you make an effort to get into the habit of regularly wearing your hearing aids. Ultimately, you'll be rewarded with noticeable improvements to your daily quality of life.

Explore New Hearing Aid Technologies

Beltone offers many newer and advanced hearing aid options that address a wide range of common concerns. For instance, if you prefer more discrete hearing aids, there are smaller in-the-ear (ITE) models that are practically unnoticeable. Belton offers award-winning hearing aid technology as well that allows for:

• Bluetooth connectivity
• Speech clarity even with wind noise
• The ability to process multiple sounds at once in social settings
• Adjustments for each wearer's unique ear shape with the all-new M&RIE feature

Schedule a Free Hearing Exam Today!

In addition to what's already been mentioned, also resolve to visit Beltone South during the new year if you have concerns about your hearing health or hearing aids. We'll let you know if there are solutions that could benefit you once you come in for a free hearing exam.

Call today to schedule your free hearing exam with one of our hearing care specialists.