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Our five senses help us to take in the world around us. As some of us get older, these senses often deteriorate. This can be a natural side effect of aging, however certain damage to our senses could be down to bad habits that can be corrected. Here are just a few ways to keep your five senses sharp.

Sight

Our sight is often the most noticeable sense to go. This can often be the result of straining our eyes too much. Staring at intense light without eye protection can often cause damage – a good example of this is not wearing shades in the sun. Using insufficient lighting when reading can also harm your eyes – you should make sure the area is well lit when reading so that you are not having to squint. Wearing prescription glasses or contact lenses once your vision starts to fade is also important as it could prevent your vision deteriorating further. It could be worth booking an eye test if you think your vision is deteriorating.

Hearing

Hearing loss is also common as we get older. There are a few different types of hearing loss, each with their different causes. Noise exposure is a common cause of hearing loss – repeated sounds over 85 decibels can be enough to cause permanent damage. Wearing ear protection in noisy environments and not listening to music too loudly are important for preventing this damage. You can also cause damage by using cotton swabs – it’s best to avoid poking anything in your ear canal and to use other ear cleaning methods such as using ear drops. Once you notice your hearing fading, it could be worth getting a hearing check.

Touch

Our sense of touch can also go as the result of nerve damage. This is often the result of injuries to our hands and feet. Protective equipment can often be used to prevent these injuries such as using oven gloves when handling hot food and wearing steel capped boots when handling heavy loads. Numbness can also occur from RSIs involving power tools that vibrate – taking regular breaks from using these power tools when your arms start to hurt could prevent these RSIs.

Taste and smell

Taste and smell are both linked and are negatively affected by many of the same causes. Smoking can often cause damage to tastebuds and smell receptors – quitting this bad habit could make a big impact. Heavy drinking can also affect our smell and taste – if you drink a lot, it could be worth cutting down. Taste and smell receptors do have the ability to repair themselves, providing the damage isn’t too severe.