There are lots of potential causes of fatigue, everything from the inability to sleep at night to respiratory issues 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 partly because of the fact that hearing loss usually develops gradually over time. You may find yourself constantly fatigued for no apparent reason because you failed to recognize the symptoms of early hearing loss. This can be a frustrating experience. In addition, this exhaustion can frequently lead to irritability and, ultimately, social isolation. The good news is that treating your hearing loss will frequently boost your energy levels, mitigating fatigue and exhaustion.
Hearing loss progresses gradually (and your brain compensates)
For most individuals, hearing loss is a very slow-moving condition that grows worse over time. In its early phases, you probably won’t even notice that you’re developing hearing loss. Even prevalent symptoms, like turning the volume up on your TV and smartphone, can be easy to miss if you’re not watching for them.
Exhaustion is one of the most noticeable symptoms of hearing loss. In spite of how much sleep you get, you could still feel fatigued. Unfortunately, many people don’t instinctively connect this symptom with hearing loss.
Because the cause happens in your brain, the symptoms aren’t generally considered an ear problem. When your ears aren’t receiving as much information, your brain works harder to make sense of it all. Just as prolonged periods of intense concentration can leave you fatigued, the extra brain power needed to hear what people are saying can be exhausting. Left neglected, this fatigue can grow worse over time, affecting your quality of life and your ability to perform daily routine tasks.
Stigma plays a role
So why don’t more people just visit a hearing specialist when they start feeling tired? One partial explanation is that people just don’t associate tiredness with hearing loss. But there’s another reason that may ultimately be more damaging: stigma. There’s a feeling that hearing loss is bad or ruins your life or that there’s nothing you can do about it. All of these things are untrue, and they prevent many individuals from seeking treatment.
However, as more individuals are open about their hearing loss experience, the stigma has begun to fade. It’s becoming a more prevalent understanding that hearing loss can happen to individuals of all ages and modern hearing aids are small enough that the few people who can’t get over this stigma won’t even see them.
Regrettably, this perception of social stigma can cause people in the early stages of hearing loss to put off on getting the treatment they need leading to more severe permanent hearing loss.
How to deal with hearing loss-associated fatigue
There are frequently no apparent symptoms of early stage hearing loss. That makes it difficult to effectively take a reactive strategy, and it’s why many hearing specialists favor preventative techniques. For example, scheduling routine screenings with a hearing specialist before you detect symptoms can help create a baseline of what your healthy hearing looks like. Early treatment will be much more effective once we have determined that baseline.
You can lessen hearing loss related exhaustion by taking a few proactive measures. Here are several of the most common and easiest steps:
- If you use hearing aids, wear them as frequently 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 have to work so hard.
- Schedule an assessment with a hearing specialist: It’s important to monitor your hearing health. 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 have to work as hard to compensate.
- Try to find more quiet, isolated areas for conversations: Sorting out voices from background noise can be challenging when you have hearing loss (often whether you’re wearing hearing aids or not). It will be easier, and less tiring, to understand conversations if you move them to a quieter area.
- Give yourself a break in between conversations: Give yourself some quiet time to rest and recharge in between conversations. Your brain is working extra hard to engage in conversation and brief rests will make that more sustainable.
It’s most likely time to schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist if you’re experiencing exhaustion with no apparent 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.