Pexels - CC0 Licence While we know that it's important to look after our mental health and our faculties we can sometimes forget about ...

Have Some Common “Scents”: Looking After Your Deteriorating Senses

By August 05, 2020

Pexels - CC0 Licence


While we know that it's important to look after our mental health and our faculties we can sometimes forget about looking after our senses. After all, it can be something that we think that we don't really have to look after as we get older, especially because there's hearing aids and support out there. But there are things that we need to do to look after our deteriorating senses. But what are the best ways to look after each one?



For your eyes, do eye exercises

As we get older it is likely we will have to get glasses and there are varying strengths of glasses from bifocals to progressive lenses (which you can read about here). But what we can do to ensure that we are giving our eyes a little bit more strength is to do some eye exercises to help our vision and improve reading speeds. Eye exercises are amazingly straightforward. All you need to do is warm up your eyes, roll them, do some focusing exercises, and massage your temples.



For your ears, listen to music

As we get older our hearing might deteriorate somewhat. But science shows that listening to music can sharpen our sense of hearing. While you need to have the music at a respectable volume, using different genres like dance music or jazz can help train our ears. But if you have problems with your hearing and are exhibiting signs of tinnitus it's important to go to a specialist.



For your nose, inhale strong scents

You can engage the receptors in your nose which can improve your sense of smell over time by using a strong sense like grounded coffee beans or essential oils. If you have issues with your sense of smell you may want to try hayfever medication if you haven't done so already. A good quality nasal spray with menthol can help you you to engage your sense of smell again.



For your taste, have a diverse diet

One of the main concerns associated with COVID-19 is the lack of taste and smell afterwards. It could take months for some people to regain their sense of taste again. But you can stimulate your taste buds by adding variety to your diet through incorporating new recipes and spices. It's important to eat fresh ingredients and avoid processed foods because they contain a lot of artificial ingredients that can affect your taste buds.



To improve your sense of touch, focus on mindfulness

You might not think of being able to improve your sense of touch but engaging with what you are touching can help to stimulate a part of your brain associated with sensory recognition. But it's all about being conscious of the thought of touch in everyday circumstances. By focusing on the things you are touching, even though you do these things every day, you are helping to stimulate the brain.



As we get older we may find our senses deteriorating slightly or significantly. But there are things that we can do, not just to minimise damage, but to improve our lives as a result.


*Disclosure: this is a collaborative post*

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