What’s worse? Not being able to hear. Or, wearing hearing aids. Unfortunately, people who wear hearing aids are often self-conscious about them. Because of their embarrassment, they refuse to wear them. If you liken wearing hearing aids to wearing glasses, the reality of the issue becomes clear: if you need them, wear them. 

When people choose not to wear their hearing aids, they aren’t doing themselves any favors. Instead of wearing inexpensive hearing aids just for you, you are forced to ask your friends, family, and coworkers to repeat themselves or talk louder. This can be even more embarrassing than not wearing hearing aids. 

Not wearing hearing aids can create more serious problems. Having hearing loss and not wearing hearing aids creates a risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease; this alone should be a reason to put on your hearing aids every day. If the risk of change in brain function isn’t enough, these are three other things you can do to convince yourself to wear your hearing aids every day:

1. Talk about how great it is to hear with them.

If someone notices your hearing aids, don’t try to hide them. Show them off with pride. Talk about how great it is to hear and how comfortable they are to wear. Share your experience with the world around you so that people begin to see that hearing loss is not something that should be stigmatized. 

The number of people with irreversible hearing damage is expected to increase. As more people listen to music loudly through their earbuds, the number of people diagnosed with hearing loss is expected to increase. Studies show that the numbers are already increasing which means that the median age of people needing hearing aids will drop. This gives you a talking point if someone asks you about your hearing aids. 

2. Realize that your balance will improve

Another good reason to wear your hearing aids and not worry about how they look is that your balance improves. The vestibular system, which controls balance, is located in the ears. Studies show that wearing hearing aids helps older adults lower their risk of falls. The sound coming into the ears helps the body regulate itself and maintain an upright position. 

3. Your quality of life is better when you can hear

Being able to hear increases the quality of life. Consider all of the wonderful sounds around you - birds chirping, babies giggling, and friends talking. When you do not wear your hearing aids, you are missing out on all of those sounds. We only have five senses, so why would you not want to use a device that helps you improve the quality of one of them? Without hearing, you are unable to know if someone or something is approaching you from behind. With your hearing aids, you can hear smoke detectors, emergency sirens, and other important noises that can alert you to danger. Hearing is a necessary part of life, and it only takes two small devices to strengthen the sense.