As human beings, we have five senses – sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. Although most people are born with these sense in place (this isn’t always the case, of course), sometimes the way we live or the things that happen to us in life can mean that one or more sense becomes damaged and doesn’t work as well as it once did. In some situations, there is nothing that can be done to prevent the problem, but in others, there are definitely some things we can all put in place to ensure we protect our senses as much as possible. It’s these things that we’ll discuss in this blog post, and you can learn what to do to keep your five senses working well.
Sight
Although there is an argument to be made for each of the senses and how important it is, many people would say that sight is the sense they would least like to lose. When you have your sight, you can see the world around you and move through that world without too many issues.
One thing to do that will definitely help you keep your eyesight in good condition is to schedule a full eye exam with an optician at least once every two years or, if you feel you would benefit, once a year. You need to do this even if you don’t think there is a problem with your eyesight, as an optician will be able to spot even the smallest issues before they become worse – prevention is better than cure.
You should also reduce the amount of screen time you have and protect your eyes using sunglasses when you go outside on a sunny day. It’s also vital to have the right lighting in your home to prevent eyestrain.
Hearing
Your hearing is a crucial part of your overall health; it’s what connects you to others a lot of the time, and therefore it’s what prevents isolation which can be bad for your mental health. It’s essential that you avoid as many loud noises as possible, and if you can’t avoid them (perhaps because you work in a noisy environment), wear ear protection to limit the damage that might be caused.
Another good idea is to give your ears a rest from time to time. If you listen to headphones or earphones a lot, for example, make sure you have regular breaks so that your hearing isn’t permanently damaged. Plus, when you’re listening to music, podcasts, or anything else in this way, make sure you keep the volume as low as possible, and definitely under sixty percent.
Again, if you notice anything wrong with your hearing, it’s wise to get expert advice and have it checked out. Not only can an expert audiologist work out if there really is a problem with your hearing or ear health, but they’ll also be able to offer tips for better hearing health and help you with any treatment you might need.
Taste
Your sense of taste might not feel as important as sight and hearing, but imagine if you couldn’t taste your favourite foods anymore – it wouldn’t be much fun. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to eat a variety of different food as this will keep your taste buds sensitive to different tastes, ensuring they don’t get dull. It’s also a great idea to limit the amount of sugar and salt you eat, as these can mask those varied flavours and cause problems over time.
Drinking plenty of water is a good idea for all kinds of health reasons, but since it will help to keep your mouth lubricated, it can help your sense of taste too – if your mouth is too dry, this can mean that you’re unable to taste things properly.
Smell
Your sense of smell is closely linked to memory and emotion, but as well as this, it can help keep you safe – if something smells off, you’ll know not to eat it, for example. This is why it’s important to avoid irritants like strong chemicals and pollutants that can damage your sense of smell.
Another thing that can help is to enjoy aromatherapy and make sure you use natural scents like lavender and eucalyptus. Going out in nature can also work wonders.
Touch
Even if you don’t realise it at first, there are a number of different things you can do to enhance it or at least keep it protected. The first thing is to moisturise your skin, and this will help to maintain its sensitivity. You can also treat yourself to a massage once in a while – this can relax your muscles and heighten your sense of touch.
Wearing gloves when it’s cold and sunscreen when the sun is out will also protect your skin and therefore ensure your sense of touch is not diminished.