Staying physically active is an important part of staying healthy and connected. If you live an active lifestyle and are a new hearing aid user, you may be wondering how exercising and engaging in physical activities and hobbies will work with your hearing aids. This is a common concern among new hearing aid users, so let’s discuss staying active with hearing aids.
Is It Safe to Wear My Hearing Aids During Exercise?
Yes, it is! In fact, it’s safer to wear them than it is to take them out. Hearing aids help you maintain situational awareness, increase safety, and allow communication with your teammates and friends while working out. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice the ability to hear clearly to maintain an active lifestyle.
That said, there are some things you need to keep in mind when exercising with hearing aids to ensure no damage occurs. Take care of these, and you’re in for a fulfilling workout.
Sweat
Like most electronics, hearing aids can sustain significant damage if they get wet. As sweat drips down your temples and on your neck, you run the risk of sweat coming in contact with your hearing aids. Also, you may not realize that the insides of your ears contain sweat glands, which can become active if you sweat during an intense workout.
While there’s not much you can do about sweat inside the ear, you can mitigate the amount of sweat outside your ear that can contact your hearing aids by wearing a headband or hearing aid sleeve to shield the hearing aid from moisture. The sweat inside your ear should be slight enough to not cause too much harm, but be sure to take your hearing aids out and wipe the moisture off once your workout is completed.
High-Impact Movement
Being concerned about your hearing aids falling out in the middle of a game is valid. High-impact movements, like jumping jacks or jogging, can dislodge your hearing aids in your ear canal, causing them to shift position or even fall out. You can manage this risk with a safety clip or lanyard to protect them from getting lost. Also, ensure you’re inserting them correctly; if they fit properly—snugly and comfortably—the chance of them falling out decreases.
Background Noise
Background noise can be tricky during a workout, especially in public places like a crowded gym. Sounds around you—such as people talking around you, the clattering of weights or the humming of a treadmill—can distract you from your own workout, which can be a safety issue if you lose focus. The good news is that modern hearing aids come with background noise suppression capabilities. Use these to your advantage while working out, and talk to your audiologist about making a custom program specifically to handle background noise levels at the gym.
Additionally, using Bluetooth technology, you can stream audio—like music or your favorite podcast—directly to your hearing aids. This can help you keep focused and tune out the background noise around you.
What About Swimming?
As discussed before, water and hearing aids don’t mix. If swimming or water sports of any kind are a part of your fitness routine, remove your hearing aids before getting in the water. Store them in a safe, dry place where they’re not in danger of getting splashed. When you’re done in the water, dry your ears thoroughly before putting your hearing aids back in.
If you have any questions about keeping up with active hobbies while wearing hearing aids, call our audiologists at Rancho Santa Fe Audiology for more information. We’re happy to discuss more.
