Are you protecting your hearing?

It may seem overly cautious to always turn down your music or wear earplugs to concerts, but failing to protect your hearing can have serious consequences for your mental and physical well-being.

Untreated hearing loss can take a toll on job performance and personal relationships and may lead to experiencing shame, isolation and low self-esteem. It also makes you less alert to dangers around you and impairs your ability to remember and learn new tasks. What’s more, hearing loss has been linked to serious conditions like depression and dementia.

In most cases, hearing loss happens gradually, so make sure to have your hearing checked by a health professional about once a year. Keep in mind that while most hearing loss is age related, excessive noise exposure can permanently damage your hearing at any age.