There are a number of possible causes of exhaustion, everything from not being able to sleep at night to respiratory problems like sleep apnea. But there is something more common that can also be the cause of fatigue and that’s hearing loss.
That’s at least partially because of the fact that hearing loss normally progresses slowly over time. You might not immediately recognize the symptoms and, as a result, you may feel as if you’re constantly tired for no reason. 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.
Hearing loss progresses slowly (and your brain compensates)
Hearing loss is normally a slowly progressing condition that gets worse over time. In its early phases, you likely won’t even detect that you’re developing hearing loss. Even prevalent symptoms, like cranking up the volume on your TV and smartphone, can be easy to miss if you aren’t watching for them.
One of the harder to miss symptoms of hearing loss is often fatigue. Regardless of how much rest you get, you could still feel fatigued. Regrettably, many individuals don’t intuitively link this symptom with hearing loss.
Because the cause takes place in your brain, the symptoms aren’t usually considered an ear issue. Your brain has to work extra hard to process sound because of the loss of your ability to hear, which can leave you fatigued. In the same way as sustained periods of intense concentration can leave you fatigued, the extra brain power needed to hear what individuals are saying can be exhausting. Your ability to complete daily tasks and your general quality of life can be substantially affected over time as your neglected hearing loss gets worse.
Stigma plays a role
So when individuals start to feel tired, why wouldn’t they simply go see a hearing specialist? One partial explanation is that individuals just don’t connect fatigue with hearing loss. But there’s another reason that might inevitably be more damaging: stigma. There’s an impression that hearing loss is terrible or ruins your life or that there’s nothing you can do about it. All of these things are untrue, and they prevent many people from finding treatment.
However, as more individuals are open about their hearing loss experience, the stigma has started to disappear. It’s becoming a more common understanding that hearing loss can happen to people of all ages and modern hearing aids are small enough that the few people who can’t let go of this stigma won’t even see them.
Unfortunately, this perception of social stigma can cause individuals in the early stages of hearing loss to avoid getting the treatment they need leading to more serious permanent hearing loss.
Solutions for hearing loss-related fatigue
There are frequently no apparent symptoms of early stage hearing loss. That makes it difficult to effectively take a reactive approach, and it’s why many hearing specialists favor preventative approaches. For instance, scheduling regular screenings with a hearing specialist before you notice symptoms can help create a baseline of what your healthy hearing looks like. Early treatment will be a lot more effective after we have determined that baseline.
You can minimize hearing loss related exhaustion by taking a few proactive steps. A few of the simplest and most common steps include the following:
- Try to have conversations in quieter places: When there is a lot of background noise, it can be challenging 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, minimizing fatigue in the process.
- Take breaks from conversations: Give yourself some quiet time to rest and refresh in between conversations. Your brain is working extra hard to take part in conversation and brief rests will make that more sustainable.
- If you use hearing aids, wear them as often as you can: One of the primary functions of hearing aids is to clarify human speech, making understanding conversations much easier. This means you won’t be as fatigued because your brain won’t need to work so hard.
- Schedule an assessment with a hearing specialist: Keeping an eye on the status of your hearing is important. Consulting a hearing specialist can help you identify hearing loss in its early stages when it’s less of a problem and your brain doesn’t need to work as hard to compensate.
So if you’re feeling an abnormal amount of fatigue and tiredness, with no evident cause, it may be time to plan a visit to your hearing specialist. You can minimize your fatigue and boost your energy by treating your hearing loss. Don’t let stigma cause your hearing loss to continue to be untreated.