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Distractions are all around us. Each day is filled with noise from tv, radio, phones, and audio devices. When you combine this with the noise that makes up everyday life (kitchen appliances, traffic, noise on the job, or the sounds of a busy restaurant), it’s easy to see how all this noise can overwhelm us.
While there are some noises that can’t be eliminated or lowered, there are some distractions we can control. We’d love to share with you the idea of taking one day a week to unplug from as many “noises” as possible, and how doing so can benefit your hearing health and overall well-being.
Unplug for Your Mental Health:
Take a moment and think about how much noise you hear each day: the TV sharing the morning news, the radio in the car while you drive to work, the telephone ringing (repeatedly) while you are at work, the vibration of a text message, the ding of an email you need to answer. Over time, the pressure of all the noises and distractions that demand our attention can become overwhelming and stressful. The pressure is increased when you consider the fact that many of these noises make us feel as if we need to respond immediately. We answer the phone as soon as it rings, we feel we must respond to an email as soon as it hits our inbox, or we feel pressure to answer the question just texted to us.
Now imagine what it do for you mentally and emotionally if you took one day to unplug? Try a drive without the radio on, avoid turning the TV on just for background noise, and ignore the ding of an email notification for one day. Chances are the mental peace and relaxation you would feel would allow you to be more productive in your work and daily activities.
Unplug for Your Hearing Health:
It makes sense that all of the different “noises” in our world can have a negative affect on our hearing. Have you ever thought about how loud your life can be at times? We turn the TV or the radio up repeatedly throughout the day in order to hear it over kids playing, the dishwasher running, and mom cooking in the kitchen. We listen to music through the headphones of our personal audio devices, and turn it up in order to help us finish a workout.
Over time, these noises can wear on our hearing. Some may be so loud that they can cause hearing loss. It would be a great relief to your ears to have one day a week that consisted of fewer loud sounds.
Unplug for Your Physical Health:
While it’s no surprise to hear that unplugging from a noisy lifestyle is good for your hearing health, it might be surprising to hear that unplugging can benefit physical health. One of the main ways that disconnecting from daily distractions and noises helps your physical health is that we are more likely to be active and spend time outdoors when we have turned off our TV, iPad, phone, and other audio devices.
What Do We Mean by “Unplug”?
What does it look like to unplug from the noise around you? It means to disconnect from some of the unnecessary noise around you. Here are some ideas for accomplishing this one day each week:
- Turn your phone on vibrate, and ignore the pressure of feeling you need to respond right away
- Turn off notifications for social media and emails
- Avoid using personal audio devices for 24 hours
- Keep the TV off for one day
- Choose to wash dishes instead of running the dishwasher
- Go for a walk or run without listening to music
- Take a drive and avoid turning on the radio
- Spend time outside with loved ones
- Read the newspaper instead of watching the news on TV
- Limit use of louder appliances, such as the vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, and blender
Do you make a point to unplug from technology, audio devices, and loud noises on a regular basis? We would love to hear from you the benefits you have found when you unplug for your hearing health!
