If the human body came with Care & Maintenance instructions, today’s recommendation from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) would certainly be on them.

It’d be right in there to have your teeth cleaned and checked annually; visit your general practitioner for physicals and blood work; get vaccinated from diseases; exercise; eat fruits and vegetables; drink plenty of water and, of course, “do not dry clean.”

The recommendation makes sense. Our hearing is tightly tied to our quality of life — from little things that impact each and every day (like enjoying music or missing a punchline) to bigger issues that can affect our long-term physical and mental health (like falls, social isolation, and dementia, just to name a few). Why wouldn’t we want to keep it as healthy as possible and stay ahead of any hearing problems?

And rather than taking it for granted until it’s too late (which, let’s be honest, most of us do), regular hearing care and maintenance is the smarter way to go. It’s also really easy, 100 percent worth it, and a great way to wrap up your end-of-the-year goals.

Find out what noises you may be missing! Schedule an appointment today for a hearing consultation.