You hear a song on the radio, and immediately flashback to the first time you heard it. It could’ve been 20 years ago, but the memory is strong enough to make it feel like it was yesterday. This is because music helps us recall memories more vividly than if we are just trying to remember on our own.
A 2016 study looked at how music-evoked memories compared to memories brought back by famous faces. Participants listened to 30 songs and viewed 30 images of famous faces and reported on the memories that were brought up by both. The memories evoked by music were more vivid and contained greater detail than those that were evoked by seeing faces.
Learning an instrument can also be good for your memory. A study published in 2011 found that:
- Playing an instrument improves short-term or working memory, which is important for reasoning and decision-making.
- Musicians tested better than non-musicians on memory tests.
Protect Your Hearing to Enjoy the Music
If you have untreated hearing loss, you might not be able to appreciate music as much as you once did. In fact, loved ones might comment on the volume when you listen to music or TV. In addition, you may have noticed these other signs:
- Family or friends have remarked on your hearing.
- People seem to mumble, or you need them to repeat themselves often.
- You have trouble following conversations in groups, especially with background noise.
- Telephone conversations are difficult to follow.
If you’ve noticed any of these early signs, call an audiologist today to make an appointment to get your hearing tested. Like with all chronic conditions, the earlier hearing loss is diagnosed the better your prognosis is. Your audiologist will work with you to come up with a treatment plan that meets your unique hearing needs. Many times, this means they will recommend hearing aids.
Hearing Aids and Memory
Not only do hearing aids help you hear better and stay connected to the world, but they can also benefit your memory.
Hearing aids help your memory by making it easier on your brain to comprehend and process sounds. When you have untreated hearing loss, you must work harder just to hear what is being said. This leaves your brain without enough energy to also store and recall information. This is why people with untreated hearing loss can sometimes experience memory loss as well.
By using hearing aids you’ll not only get to continue to enjoy music at the Broken Spoke, but you’ll also be helping your memory in more ways than one.