Hearing Loss, Tinnitus and the Benefits of Yoga
Your first question may be how do yoga, tinnitus and hearing loss relate? Yoga has deep historical roots in healing the mind and body. You will find it’s health benefits are endless, but the primary benefits include developing stronger muscles, better balance, and increased flexibility. These three elements combined are imperative to continue living a healthy and active lifestyle.
Yoga combined with meditation has been said to help minimize the symptoms of tinnitus. While it doesn’t seem like the two should correlate, the benefits are hard to pass up. Yoga combines stretching and holding poses which help increase blood flow to the targeted areas. Pairing your yoga practice with Sound Therapy programs from either Widex’s Zen App or ReSound’s Relief App** would encourage a peaceful tinnitus management practice.
Hearing the Instructor
While some individuals may think following a yoga class with hearing loss would be difficult, you can let the instructor know ahead of time. Yoga is about knowing your limitations and working within them. Your instructor will be able to show you that there are several modifications available for every pose. They will be sure to provide these alternative poses to help you feel comfortable while still benefiting from the stretch in the adapted pose.
Tips for getting started:
If you are hesitant about attending your first yoga class, there are hundreds of online free yoga classes available for you to practice in your own home.
Step 1: Identify what kind of yoga you’d like to be doing. There are several styles and different intensities to the practice of yoga. If you are looking to start out, a gentle beginners class may be best for you.
Step 2: Determine where you’ll be doing yoga. Home-based practises, in-class, in the park with friends, wherever you decide to practice yoga ensure that you’ll be in a relaxing space where you feel comfortable.
Step 3: Find what feels good! And most importantly, enjoy the endless benefits of yoga.
You can even find excellent and free yoga classes in Ottawa as well as community centres throughout the Ottawa and Valley area. Inquire with your local community centre or online to find out the nearest free yoga classes.
**Widex Zen and ReSound Relief applications are downloadable to your smartphone. You don’t even need hearing aids to use these Sound Therapy apps with your smartphones.
(Adapted from The Hearing Journal: June 2018 – Volume 71 – Issue 6) You can click here to read their full article.
