Hearing loss has long since affected the aging population, but sadly hearing loss is on the rise among younger people with the advent of the widespread use of ear buds and headphones. Tinnitus affects 15-20 % of the American population. While most of this demographic are elderly, this is not always the case. Hearing loss in general affects roughly 1.5 billion people globally and this rate is rapidly increasing. The loss of any sensory perception can be frightening, and sometimes preventable with some lifestyle changes; the same is also true of hearing loss.
No one is expected to put their ear buds away and stop listening to music on the subway, or while exercising, for example. However it should be noted that if the person sitting next to you can hear your music your ability to hear is likely being damaged. (1) Furthermore, there appears to be a correlation between early onset hearing loss and the development of dementia. While it may seem trivial to those who still have excellent hearing, the reality is that everyone should be concerned with preserving their ability to hear, not just in the present but also for the future.
Besides being mindful of the volume that music is listened to, and choosing to listen to music in the room on speakers instead of on the headphones, there are some other lifestyle adjustments that may help to improve the quality of your ear health. One of these changes may include incorporating sauna use into your regular weekly routine.
Find out some of the causes of hearing loss, how the use of specific saunas can improve hearing, as well as the crucial link between hearing loss, dementia, and sauna bathing. This evidence based exploration into the relationship between thermal therapy and hearing loss will help you unlock your ability to hear for many more years to come.
Hearing Loss, Ear Health, and Tinnitus
- Exposure to Loud Music at a Concert
- Middle Ear Infection
- Tinnitus
- Long Term Nerve Damage
Hearing loss can occur for a variety of reasons, some of which are short term while others have long lasting effects. Examples of short term causes of hearing loss may be exposure to a single episode of loud noise, for instance at a concert. Hearing loss may be experienced for the hours following the concert, but will quickly return to normal once a few hours have passed. A second example of short term hearing loss is an infection in the middle ear. While this does not typically cause structural or nerve damage it may impact hearing for the duration of the illness.
Long term hearing loss may occur as a result of prolonged exposure to loud noises, or due to age related degeneration of the inner ear and nerve damage associated with the perceptual ability to hear.
For example, someone who works in a very loud profession, such as construction jobs or a musician, may be more likely to develop hearing loss than those who live a quieter life. Even without external factors playing a significant role, hearing loss may occur as a part of the aging process as the integrity of the inner ear is lost.
Tinnitus, a widely experienced hearing phenomenon, is not always associated with hearing loss but may accompany hearing loss for some individuals.
According to the reputable peer reviewed journal, The Lancet, in their publication of the paper entitled ‘Tinnitus prevalence, associated characteristics, and related healthcare use in the United States: a population-level analysis’ (2) tinnitus is efficiently defined in this way.
“Tinnitus is the perception of phantom sound without an acoustic stimulus, often experienced as buzzing or ringing.The symptoms of tinnitus can range in severity from mild to disabling.Bothersome tinnitus negatively impacts sleep quality, concentration, and conversational speech, and has been associated with a higher risk of anxiety and depression.” (2)
While tinnitus may not be life threatening it can be debilitating, and may even be an early sign of dementia. This study mentioned previously found that those individuals who had worked in loud occupations throughout their life were more likely to develop tinnitus. So, limiting loud noise as much as possible throughout life may help to prevent the development of tinnitus.
The unfortunate and deeply saddening aspect of hearing loss is that it may lead to dementia, or at least increase risk factors for developing dementia. If it is possible to avoid a profession that is very loud, or avoid listening to music directly in the ears perhaps both of these actions may help to protect against hearing loss. Even if it is impossible to avoid loud living situations or loud work environments there are a few things that an individual can do to protect their ears.
If you know that you will be around loud noise, for example at a concert, it has been documented that taking magnesium before the concert can actually help prevent long term negative effects on the middle and inner ear’s structural integrity. (3)
Additionally, as a lifestyle change, consider using saunas regularly to improve all aspects of ear health and potentially avoid hearing loss.
Middle Ear Health and Sauna Bathing
Hearing loss can occur due to a lingering infection of the middle ear. Sometimes infections can last a long time without an individual even being aware of the additional build up of fluid in this region of the ear. Maintaining healthy middle ears is typically something that begins with larger systems of the immune system, circulatory system, as well as the lymphatic system.
Some ear infections may be cleared up quickly and efficiently with antibiotics, while others will return over and over again! Given how close to the brain the ears are, it is critical to maintain excellent ear health at all times.
Exposure to toxic substances such as mold can worsen lingering ear infections, as well as pollution, second hand cigarette smoke, or even long term stress. Taking a sauna several times per week to help mitigate these factors may actually improve ear health quickly.
While saunas have not been documented to directly impact middle ear health, there are many correlative benefits to overall health that will inevitably cross over into middle ear health.
Passive heat therapy as seen in an infrared sauna, traditional Finnish sauna, or steam room have elaborate health benefits. Some of these benefits will positively affect middle ear health including, boosting the immune system with increased heat shock proteins, reduced inflammation, improving lymphatic drainage, calming the nervous system to activate the immune system to heal lingering infections, and through the process of detoxification. (4)
So, if you are experiencing hearing loss due to ongoing middle ear infections, consider using a sauna 3-7 times per week to eliminate this ongoing infection. Your ears, nose, and throat doctor (Otolaryngologist), may not prescribe a sauna to you, but if you are interested in taking your ear health seriously beyond pharmaceutical treatments, consider turning to sauna therapy.
Hearing Loss, Dementia, and Long Term Sauna Bathing
Sadly, hearing loss is on the rise among the younger demographic. Even more unfortunate is that hearing loss is directly related to the onset of both dementia as well as Alzheimer’s disease. Hearing loss should be taken seriously and addressed as early as it is detected. This can be difficult as it often develops incrementally and can go unnoticed.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society’s publication titled ‘Hearing loss and the risk of dementia’ (5) hearing loss can be separated into two categories, and both of which can lead to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease:
“There are two types of hearing loss: peripheral hearing loss and central hearing loss.
- Peripheral hearing loss is the reduced abilities of the ears to detect sounds. This does increase a person’s risk of developing dementia.
- Central hearing loss involves problems with processing sounds in the brain that are not able to be corrected with hearing aids. This may be a very early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease, as sound processing parts of the brain are affected by the disease.” (5)
It may not be possible to completely avoid hearing loss, but it is possible to reduce the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s with something as simple as a long-term sauna protocol.
It has been discovered through a variety of studies and well documented research that as sauna use goes up in frequency and years incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are inversely present. In a very popular and reputable study that involved over 2000 Finnish men over the course of many years, it was found that as sauna use increased to 4-7 days per week that there was a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia for these men. (6)
Published by the National Institute of Health, the paper entitled ‘Sauna bathing is inversely associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in middle-aged Finnish men’ (6) provides this conclusion about sauna use and the development of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
“…in this male population, moderate to high frequency of sauna bathing was associated with lowered risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.” (6)
In another distinguished paper entitled ‘Does sauna bathing protect against dementia?’ (7) published by the National Institute of Health it was observed that the risks of developing dementia went down significantly with the increased use of a sauna. The authors reiterate the positive results from sauna use on the reduced risk of developing dementia when they write this.
“The results of our study suggest that frequent sauna bathing may reduce the risk of dementia in men and women…Of the different features of sauna bathing habits considered, the frequency of sauna bathing was the most important predictor of dementia. During the first 20 years of follow-up, the dementia risk of those reporting 9–12 sauna baths per month (i.e., approximately three per week) was less than a half of the risk of those who had sauna baths only 0–4 times per month.” (7)
It has been observed that as long as the brain does not overheat, the more an individual saunas (within reason) the less likely they are to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The exact reasons for this are still largely unknown as the authors state here.
“Passive body heating elicits several physiological, metabolic, and cellular changes which may affect brain function. The importance of these mechanisms in the dementia development however remains to be ascertained” (7)
The researchers speculated that some of the reasons for risk reduction of Alzheimer’s or dementia from frequent sauna use may be due to the following factors:
- Increased heat shock protein production which helps to maintain the integrity of the proteins in the brain as proteins are the essential building blocks for healthy brain tissue.
- Reduced inflammation of the brain. Saunas induce the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines which reduces inflammation of the brain.
- Improved sleep over many years as a result of regular sauna bathing. (7)
Still other research examines how phototherapy as seen with the use of infrared and red light frequency may positively affect the reduction of risk factors for developing dementia.
How does this relate to overall ear health? The answer is still unknown, but it is possible that the continued use of a sauna maintains overall ear health and may protect against hearing loss which is a known precursor to the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Sauna Bathing, Your Healthspan and Your Hearing: A Collaborative Confluence of Factors
Without a doubt it is clear that maintaining healthy ears and optimal hearing throughout an individual’s life is important, not only for the sake of hearing, but also for the prevention of dementia. When possible avoid loud noises and listening to music at a loud volume with headphones or ear buds. If you know that you are going to be exposed to loud noises for a single event or episode consider taking magnesium ahead of time.
For ongoing ear health, consider using a sauna to maintain the health of both your middle and inner ear. In doing so you may help to prevent hearing loss and therefore reduce the risk of the development of dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Improving healthspan is simply the ability to increase the quantity of time spent in a well functioning healthy body, as opposed to lifespan which is simply the measurement of time alive on earth. The study published by the National Library of Medicine entitled ‘The multifaceted benefits of passive heat therapies for extending the healthspan: A comprehensive review with a focus on Finnish sauna’ (3) describes health span well in this statement.
“The objective of extending healthspan is to prolong the period of vitality and productivity while minimizing the years spent in ill health or disability. Strategies to enhance healthspan commonly involve adopting a wholesome lifestyle, encompassing regular physical exercise, a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, stress management, recovery and relaxation, and avoiding detrimental habits like smoking or excessive alcohol consumption.” (3)
It is unclear all of the specific ways that regular sauna use can improve ear health and reduce the risk of hearing loss, but it is clear that increased sauna use will likely reduce the risk of developing some form of dementia.
Ultimately avoiding loud noises as much as possible will widely increase the span of your years as a hearing-abled person, but saunas may serve as an additional aid.
So, whether you use a sauna for your ears, or your brain, it is clear that using a sauna 4-7 times per week will likely improve your health span, more than if you use your sauna just once per week, or less. As you do this you may just be able to extend the quality of your hearing as well!
Contraindications
If you do choose to sauna as often as discussed in this article (4-7 times per week) please be sure to maintain excellent hydration at all times. This means consuming fluids rich in electrolytes and minerals, as well as maintaining a healthy, nutrient rich diet.
If you are unsure if the sauna is for you, please consult with your medical care professional.
Sources Cited:
- https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/protect-improve-your-hearing-brain-health-konstantina-stankovic
- https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanam/article/PIIS2667-193X(23)00233-8/fulltext
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0196070994900361?via%3Dihub
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10989710/
- https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia/hearing-loss
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27932366/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7560162/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33935090/