Autumn Qi Chats | Week 4
Can you hear me now?
This week’s Neuro-Qi Chat highlights the importance of hearing protection as you train for better balance!
Hearing check in…
There’s too many people who don’t realize the importance of your hearing and the role it can play in your daily function. The vestibulocochlear nerve or auditory vestibular nerve (CN 8) is a cranial nerve that transmits sound and equilibrium (balance) information from the inner ear to the brain.
How you perceive your surroundings has a large affect on how you REACT to your surroundings! Yet many of us don’t have any proactive plan to protect our hearing and even TRAIN our hearing for better balance.
HEARING TRAINING
Hearing training is going to be rather surprising when I lay out the methods because the main takeaway for hearing is LESS IS MORE. In fact, improving your hearing through protection, silence, and hearing drills can help maintain the health of your auditory system and the vestibulocochlear cranial nerve. Here are four ways to achieve this:
Use Hearing Protection:
Earplugs and Ear Muffs: When exposed to loud noises, such as at concerts, construction sites, restaurants, movie theaters or while using power tools or a blow dryer (yes… a blow dryer can be SUPER loud) - but when exposed - WEAR EARPLUGS or earmuffs to reduce the impact of loud sounds on your ears. These protect your hearing by reducing the intensity of the sound reaching your inner ear.
Maintain a Quiet Environment:
Limit Exposure to Loud Environments: Whenever possible, minimize your exposure to loud noises, especially for prolonged periods. This includes turning down the volume on headphones and avoiding noisy places.
Design Quiet Spaces: Create a quiet and relaxing environment at home where you can escape from noise pollution. Use soft materials like curtains and carpets to absorb sound, and consider noise-cancelling headphones for times when you need silence.
Practice Hearing Drills:
Auditory Training: Engage in auditory training exercises designed to improve your ability to distinguish and interpret various sounds. These drills can help sharpen your hearing skills and improve your overall auditory processing.
Finger Tap Test
Tonotopic Mapping
Listening to Music: Listen to a wide variety of music to expose your ears to different frequencies and tones. Pay attention to the details in the music, such as instruments, vocals, and spatial arrangements, which can help enhance your auditory perception.
General Health and Well-being:
Exercise and Diet: Regular exercise and a balanced diet contribute to overall health, which in turn can support the health of your auditory system. Proper blood circulation and a well-nourished body can positively impact your vestibulocochlear cranial nerve.
Stay Hydrated: Adequate hydration helps maintain the fluid balance in your inner ear, which is essential for proper hearing function.
Neuro-Qi Tip o’the day!
Shhhhh……
Let’s first analyze your home environment. What’s the degree of noise pollution that you’ve become accustomed to? How can you mute it, what can you turn off, what measures can you take to create more quiet in your home?
Burn your Airpods or any other in-the-ear device that is going to direct sound into your ear canal.
Learn this Qigong ear exercise to help your hearing and calm the nervous system.
*Video posts every Friday by 11:30am Mountain Time
Resources:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(03)15044-1/fulltext#back-bib1
