As soon as Thanksgiving has come and gone, folks start hanging lights on their houses and putting up their Christmas trees. Those holiday get-togethers start becoming all the more frequent, and the gift-giving begins. But that’s not all: the sounds of the season arrive as well!
From the all too popular Christmas carols to your grandchildren excitedly running around the house on Christmas Eve, there are a variety of sounds to look forward to this holiday season. That is, of course, unless you suffer from hearing loss.
If things aren’t sounding quite like they used to, check out our post on 12 Signs You Might Need Hearing Aids.
As we age, we are more likely to acquire hearing loss. As such, it becomes increasingly difficult to hear the sounds of the season, not to mention the loved ones we enjoy spending time with over the holidays.
Fortunately, most common forms of hearing loss are treatable, and there are certain measures you can take to better hear the sounds of the season this year. Let’s talk about a few of them.
5 Tips for Hearing Better this Holiday Season
1. Plan your holiday activities ahead of time.
One of the most important steps you can take to hear better this holiday season is to be proactive and participate in the planning of the holiday gatherings you attend, especially if they take place in public places.
When helping to plan these events, ensure that they take place in well-lit locations with minimal background noise. This will ensure that you have the optimum listening environments for communicating with those around you.
2. Keep things quiet by leaving the TV and radio off.
Just like your location can create competing noise that can impair your ability to hear, certain activities can too. For example, watching a TV show with your family is not advised: You may have to turn it up too loud to hear it, and you probably won’t be able to hear anyone’s voice over it.
Turning on the radio can create similar issues. Hearing loss can make it difficult to separate one sound from another, and if the radio’s on, you may have a hard time separating the words your friend is saying from the Christmas music playing in the background.
3. Face your friends and family when speaking to them.
With or without hearing loss, it’s most always easier to communicate with someone face-to-face. Not only can you better interpret what they are trying to say based on the tone of their voice, but you can also observe their facial expressions and hand gestures.
Travelling over the holidays? Read our post on 4 Useful Holiday Travel Tips for Hearing Aid Wearers.
4. Find a friend to be your second pair of ears.
The reality is that, with hearing loss, you are going to be a lot less likely to hear everything that’s being said at the dinner table or during a Christmas present unwrapping session. There’s simply too much competing noise, and some folks may be sitting too far away.
Before your next favorite holiday festivity ensues, consider asking a friend to be prepared to fill you in on any information you may miss. That way, if you yourself can’t hear that person at the far end of the dinner table, you can still be a part of the conversation.
5. Get your hands on a pair of hearing aids.
The best way to hear better this holiday season is to purchase a pair of hearing aids. Whether you or your loved one are struggling to hear, hearing aids can help you to hear the Christmas cheer once again.
How Can You Receive the Gift of Hearing?
At Advanced Affordable Hearing, we offer hearing aids preprogrammed to the most common hearing losses, so you can starting hearing better at a price you can afford. In fact, you won't even need to leave the comfort of your own home: We ship our hearing aids directly to your door.
Here’s how to get started: Visit our Online Hearing Check, or give us a call at 1 (800) 804-0434, to gain a better understanding of your level of hearing loss. After you know that, you can order hearing aids suited to your hearing loss, and you’ll be enjoying the holidays in no time.