There are numerous potential causes of tiredness, everything from the inability to sleep at night to respiratory issues like sleep apnea. But many people are surprised to learn that persistent tiredness and exhaustion can also be due to something relatively common: hearing loss.
That’s at least partly because of the fact that hearing loss usually develops slowly over time. You might find yourself constantly fatigued for no apparent reason because you failed to detect the symptoms of early hearing loss. This can be a frustrating experience. In addition, this exhaustion can frequently lead to irritability and, eventually, social isolation. Fortunately, your energy levels will normally increase once you get your hearing loss treated.
Your brain will compensate for slowly developing hearing loss
For most individuals, hearing loss is a very slow-moving condition that grows worse over time. In its early phases, you likely won’t even notice that you’re developing hearing loss. Even common symptoms, like cranking the volume up on your TV and smartphone, can be easy to miss if you’re not looking for them.
Exhaustion is one of the most obvious symptoms of hearing loss. In spite of how much sleep you get, you could still feel exhausted. Regrettably, many people don’t instinctively associate this symptom with hearing loss.
That’s because the cause occurs in your brain. When your ears aren’t receiving as much information, your brain works overtime to make sense of it all. This continual extra work is exhausting in the same way that long periods of concentration can take a toll. Your ability to execute daily tasks and your general quality of life can be considerably affected over time as your untreated hearing loss grows worse.
The role of stigma
So when people start to feel fatigue, why wouldn’t they just go see a hearing specialist? There are several explanations: frequently people are busy or thinking about other things. But the notion of stigma is another reason which can be even more detrimental. There’s a feeling that hearing loss is terrible or ruins your life or that there’s nothing that can be done about it. People will frequently avoid pursuing treatment because of these mistaken ideas.
However, as more individuals are open about their hearing loss experience, the stigma has started to fade. Many individuals understand that hearing loss isn’t some kind of social failing, and the very small construction of modern hearing aids makes them easy to hide around people who unfortunately will not let go of this stigma.
It’s unfortunate that this social stigma can make it harder for individuals to find the care they need because this frequently leads to hearing loss that grows worse over time when it might not have to.
How to deal with hearing loss-associated fatigue
The earliest stages of hearing loss might not have any evident symptoms. That’s why hearing specialists prefer to take a preventative strategy rather than the far more challenging and less effective reactive approach. For example, scheduling routine screenings with a hearing specialist before you detect symptoms can help establish a baseline of what your healthy hearing looks like. Once this baseline is achieved, early intervention is frequently a lot more effective.
You can lessen hearing loss related exhaustion by taking a few proactive measures. Here are a few of the most prevalent and simplest steps:
- Make sure you wear your hearing aids as frequently as you can: One of the chief functions of hearing aids is to clarify human speech, making understanding conversations much easier. This means you won’t be as tired because your brain won’t have to work so hard.
- Take breaks from conversations: In between conversation, take a quiet break somewhere. This can help your brain recover from all the work it’s doing and make everyday communication a little more sustainable.
- Try to locate more quiet, secluded areas for conversations: When there is a lot of background noise, it can be difficult to sort out voices, even with hearing aids in some instances. Moving conversations to an area with less background noise can make it easier for your brain to focus on the voice you’re attempting to hear, reducing fatigue in the process.
- Schedule an assessment with a hearing specialist: It’s important to keep tabs on your hearing health. Consulting a hearing specialist can help you identify hearing loss in its early stages when it’s less of an issue and your brain doesn’t need to work as hard to compensate.
It’s probably time to schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist if you’re experiencing fatigue with no evident cause. Treating hearing loss can help you reduce your exhaustion and boost your energy. Don’t let stigma cause your hearing loss to continue to be neglected.