There are lots of potential causes of exhaustion, everything from the inability to sleep at night to respiratory problems like sleep apnea. But there is something more common that can also be the cause of tiredness and that’s hearing loss.
That’s at least partially due to the fact that hearing loss usually progresses slowly over time. You might not immediately distinguish the symptoms and, as a result, you might feel as if you’re constantly tired for no reason. This experience can be really frustrating. In addition, this exhaustion can frequently lead to irritability and, eventually, social isolation. The good news is that treating your hearing loss will often improve your energy levels, mitigating fatigue and exhaustion.
Hearing loss moves slowly (and your brain compensates)
Hearing loss is normally a slowly progressing condition that gets worse over time. You might not even recognize that you have a hearing loss at first. Even common symptoms, like cranking up the volume on your TV and smartphone, can be easy to miss if you aren’t looking for them.
Fatigue is one of the most noticeable symptoms of hearing loss. You might feel tired no matter how much sleep you got the night before. This symptom, regrettably, isn’t usually associated with hearing loss.
Because the cause happens in your brain, the symptoms aren’t usually considered an ear issue. Your brain has to work overtime to process sound due to the loss of your ability to hear, which can leave you fatigued. This continual extra work is exhausting in the same way that long periods of concentration can take a toll. Your ability to complete daily tasks and your overall quality of life can be considerably affected over time as your neglected hearing loss gets worse.
Stigma plays a role
So why don’t more people just consult a hearing specialist when they start feeling tired? One partial explanation is that people just don’t connect fatigue with hearing loss. But the notion of stigma is another cause which can be even more detrimental. Individuals frequently feel like others will think they’re old if they have hearing loss and that acknowledging it will ruin their lives. All of these things are untrue, and they stop many people from seeking treatment.
However, this stigma is beginning to fade away as more individuals become open to their hearing loss. 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 notice them.
Unfortunately, this perception of social stigma can cause individuals in the early stages of hearing loss to put off on getting the treatment they need leading to more serious permanent hearing loss.
How to manage hearing loss-associated fatigue
There are often no noticeable symptoms of early stage hearing loss. That makes it difficult to effectively take a reactive strategy, and it’s why many hearing specialists prefer preventative approaches. Hearing specialists recommend routine screenings in order to establish a baseline of your healthy hearing, that way they will be able to identify changes to your hearing in later screenings. Early treatment will be much more effective after we have determined that baseline.
If your hearing loss is causing fatigue, there are a few steps you can take to lessen that exhaustion as much as possible. A few of the simplest and most common measures include the following:
- Take breaks from conversations: In between conversation, take a quiet rest somewhere. Your brain is working extra hard to participate in conversation and brief rests will make that more sustainable.
- Be certain you wear your hearing aids as often as you can: One of the primary functions of hearing aids is to clarify human speech, making understanding conversations a lot easier. This means your brain won’t need to work as hard and you won’t experience the same level of fatigue.
- Try to have conversations in quieter spots: Sorting out voices from background noise can be challenging when you have hearing loss (often whether you’re wearing hearing aids or not). Moving conversations to an area with less background noise can make it easier for your brain to focus on the voice you’re trying to hear, reducing fatigue in the process.
- Schedule a consultation 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 an issue and your brain doesn’t have to work as hard to compensate.
So if you’re feeling an unusual amount of exhaustion and tiredness, with no evident cause, it might be time to schedule a visit to your hearing specialist. Treating hearing loss can help you minimize your exhaustion and boost your energy. Don’t neglect your hearing loss because you’re afraid of the stigma.