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Our five senses help us to interact with the world. By looking after your senses, you can keep them sharp long into old age. Here are just a few ways to look after each of your senses.

Sight

Our eye sight can naturally start to wear as we get older. Usually this can be easily fixed with prescription lenses that you can order online. However, there may be other more serious conditions to look out for such as glaucoma and cataracts that may require further treatment (if left untreated, such conditions could lead to blindness).

Both cataracts and glaucoma may result in patchy vision which may include dark blotches or streaks of light. Catching them early can increase the likeliness of successful treatment. A doctor will be able to recommend the best procedure for your condition.

To prevent such conditions and keep your eyes healthy, make sure to always wear shades in the sun, to exercise regularly and to maintain a well-balanced diet.

Hearing

Our sense of hearing may also start to dull naturally as we get older. A hearing aid could help you to hear more clearly – there are many types of hearing aid out there for all types of hearing loss.

Loud noise exposure can commonly lead to more progressive hearing loss. If you work in a loud environment, make sure that you are wearing ear protection. You should also be careful of listening to music loudly, as this could lead to hearing loss.

It’s worth also keeping an eye out for any pain or discharge coming from your ear, as this could be a sign of an infection. You should also avoid using cotton buds in your ears as this can damage your ear canal and may lead to impacted earwax, which can result in hearing loss.

Touch

Many conditions can lead to a loss of touch, usually as a result of nerve damage. Loss of touch cannot always be treated, however it can usually be prevented.

Injuries such as cuts and burns can often lead to nerve damage in the hands and feet, so be careful when handling sharp and hot objects (always wear gloves when handling hot objects). Smoking can also damage our sense of touch and is a habit you may want to kick.

Taste

Our sense of taste can also be reduced as we get older. Like loss of touch, this cannot always be treated, but can be prevented.

Smoking is the worst habit for causing loss of taste – if you’re a smoker, this could be another reason to give up. Bad dental hygiene can also lead to gum disease and issues that can lead to loss of taste, so make sure you’re regularly brushing your teeth and flossing.

Smell

Smell and taste are strongly linked. Loss of smell may often occur alongside loss of taste – and for the same reasons.

Yet again, smoking is the big cause of loss of smell. Breathing in chemical fumes could also lead to loss of smell, so always wear a mask when dealing with burning chemicals.