You might associate hearing loss solely with ageing or prolonged exposure to loud noises. However, new research suggests that your wider lifestyle and metabolic health could also play a role.
A 2026 study involving 441,884 UK participants tracked people for a median of more than 14 years. It found that those following the healthiest lifestyles had a 14% lower risk of developing hearing impairment than those with the poorest lifestyles, News Medical reports.
These findings don’t necessarily prove that changing your lifestyle will always prevent hearing loss, but they do show how closely different aspects of your health can be connected.
So, continue reading to learn what “metabolic health” means and discover five everyday habits that could protect you as you age.
Metabolic health describes how effectively your body processes and uses energy
Your metabolism involves the processes your body uses to turn food into energy and keep important systems functioning.
Good metabolic health broadly means factors such as your blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and body composition remain within healthy ranges.
Conversely, problems in several of these areas can occur together as “metabolic syndrome”, which can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and conditions affecting your heart and blood vessels.
Thankfully, many of the factors affecting your metabolic health are influenced by everyday habits. Read on to learn how you can protect your metabolism.
1. Stay physically active
Regular exercise can support several aspects of your metabolic health, including your:
- Weight
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol
- Body’s ability to regulate blood sugar.
You don’t need to spend hours in the gym to benefit, either. It’s worth aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, spread across several days.
This could include a brisk walk, swimming, gardening, or any other activity that increases your heart rate.
Finding something you genuinely enjoy can make it easier to stay active consistently, rather than viewing exercise as a short-term health kick.
2. Break up long periods of sitting
Exercise is important, but what you do during the rest of the day also matters. Indeed, the study mentioned above considered sedentary time as one of the lifestyle factors.
If you spend much of your day working at a desk, driving, or watching TV, you could try breaking up these periods with regular movement.
This might mean walking while on a phone call, getting up every hour, or taking a short walk after lunch.
These seemingly insignificant changes can make a considerable difference in your metabolic health without requiring too much of an overhaul to your routine.
3. Make sufficient sleep a priority
Sleep can be easy to sacrifice when life gets busy, but getting enough rest consistently is another vital part of maintaining metabolic health.
Most healthy adults require between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, though individual needs can vary.
Going to bed and waking up around the same time each day can help you establish a routine.
You might also find it useful to reduce caffeine later in the day, avoid large meals before bed, and give yourself time to wind down away from screens.
4. Avoid smoking
Not smoking is another way to support your metabolism and wider health. The NHS lists smoking among the factors associated with a greater risk of metabolic syndrome.
If you already smoke, stopping can understandably be difficult, especially if it has been part of your routine for many years.
However, you don’t have to deal with it alone. Your GP or local smoking cessation service may be able to offer advice and ongoing support.
5. Keep an eye on your weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar
Several important aspects of metabolic health aren’t always noticeable. For instance, high cholesterol and blood pressure often cause no obvious symptoms.
This makes regular health checks valuable, especially as you get older.
If you live in England and are aged between 40 and 73 and don’t have certain pre-existing conditions, you may be eligible for an NHS Health Check.
This can include measurements of your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol, alongside an assessment of your diabetes risk.
Knowing these figures could help you spot potential problems early and discuss appropriate lifestyle changes with a professional.
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