Protect your hearing

According to the National Institute on Aging, a third of people between ages 65 and 74 have hearing loss; nearly half of people 75 and older do. This can have a negative impact on your brain: Recent research reveals that hearing loss increases your risk for cognitive impairment by 24 percent. Doctors don’t know exactly why, but it could have something to do with hearing keeping your brain active; social isolation (a risk factor for Alzheimer’s) caused by hearing loss could also be a factor. But the good news is that those who are treated for hearing loss, such as with hearing aids, may be able to improve their cognitive abilities, as recent studies have found. Find out more ways your brain changes as you get older.