The cost of silence: Why hearing is a performance metric

For a sporting legend like Wally Lewis, the roar of a State of Origin crowd isn’t just noise. It’s a sensory time machine. “You hear that roar and you can almost smell the Deep Heat and the damp grass,” Wally says, his eyes lighting up as he rewatches a classic try on his tablet. “I don’t just hear the crowd; I hear the individual whistles, the boots hitting the turf, the calls from my teammates.”

In the world of elite sport, sound is as vital as peripheral vision. It’s the data stream that tells an athlete where the danger is coming from and where the opportunity lies. But as Wally explains, when your hearing begins to lose its “edge”, the world doesn’t necessarily go silent — it just goes out of focus. “It’s like looking at a photo that’s slightly blurry,” he says. “You know who’s in the picture, but you miss the look in their eyes.”

The ‘muddled noise’ trap

Many Australians mistakenly believe that hearing loss is a binary — you either hear or you don’t. In reality, it is often a wall of muddled noise. This makes it incredibly taxing to stay in the game during social situations. According to recent YouGov research commissioned by Specsavers, this exhaustion leads to a dangerous trend: social withdrawal.

The survey found that among Australians who struggle to hear in conversations, 61 per cent resort to passive or withdrawal strategies, such as avoiding noisy places (33 per cent) or simply pretending to hear (31 per cent).

Wally recognises this pattern all too well. “The danger is that you start to ‘edit’ yourself out of conversations,” he warns. “When the effort to filter out background noise becomes exhausting, it’s easier to just go quiet. It’s not that people lose interest in their families; they’re just losing the tools to keep up.”

A life well lived

We often treat hearing loss as a sign of decline, but Specsavers and Wally Lewis are championing a different perspective: it’s a sign of a life well lived.

The YouGov data reveals that more than half (52 per cent) of older Australians frequently listened to loud or live music in their younger years. Whether it was the thundering cheers at Lang Park or a rock concert in the ’80s, those sounds are the soundtrack to our best memories. However, while we cherish the memories, we often neglect the maintenance. Nearly half of Australians (45 per cent) admit it has been longer than a year since their last hearing check, and one in six Australians over 55 have never had one at all.

“You don’t wait until you can’t walk to see a physio,” Wally says. “You get it checked early so you can stay in the game.”

Adds Specsavers senior audiologist Melissa Chandler: “Addressing hearing concerns can ensure everyone can keep living their best life — including going to that loud concert or noisy restaurant!”

Why it matters: Beyond the whistle

Prioritising hearing health is about more than just catching the referee’s whistle — it’s a critical “performance metric” for healthy ageing. Chandler notes that good hearing keeps the brain active, enhances memory and promotes healthy brain ageing.

“Hearing health plays a crucial role in our overall wellbeing, social connection and quality of life,” Chandler explains. When hearing loss goes untreated, it doesn’t just affect your ears; it gradually chips away at your confidence and your relationships.

For Wally, the motivation is simple: “Ignoring a decline in your hearing isn’t just stubborn — it’s a choice to miss out on the people you love.” Whether it’s the high-octane atmosphere of a stadium or the “small sounds” like the wind in the trees or a kettle boiling, staying “tuned in” ensures you never have to edit yourself out of your own life.

Staying “in the game” isn’t just for athletes — it’s for anyone who wants to remain connected to the people and passions that define them. Specsavers’ hearing experts are ready to support you throughout your journey to better hearing. Visit specsavers.com.au/hearing to book an appointment.