There are a number of possible causes of tiredness, 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 tiredness and that’s hearing loss.
That’s at least partially due to the fact that hearing loss usually progresses slowly over time. You may find yourself constantly fatigued for no apparent reason because you failed to recognize the symptoms of early hearing loss. This experience can be very frustrating. In addition, this exhaustion can frequently result in 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 gradually advancing condition that gets worse over time. In its early phases, you likely won’t even notice that you’re developing hearing loss. If you’re not specifically watching for them, even conspicuous symptoms, like turning the volume on your audio devices way up, can be easy to overlook.
Fatigue is one of the most noticeable symptoms of hearing loss. You may feel depleted no matter how much rest you got the night before. Unfortunately, many individuals don’t instinctively link this symptom with hearing loss.
Because the cause takes place in your brain, the symptoms aren’t usually considered an ear problem. Your brain needs to work extra hard to process sound due to the loss of your ability to hear, which can leave you exhausted. In the same way as prolonged periods of intense concentration can leave you fatigued, the additional brain power needed to hear what people are saying can be exhausting. Left neglected, this exhaustion can get worse over time, impacting your quality of life and your ability to perform daily routine activities.
The role of stigma
So why don’t more individuals just consult a hearing specialist when they start feeling tired? There are several explanations: frequently individuals are busy or thinking about other things. But the perception of stigma is another cause which can be even more damaging. There’s an impression that hearing loss is terrible or ruins your life or that there’s nothing that can be done about it. All of these things are untrue, and they prevent many people from finding treatment.
However, this stigma is beginning to fade away as more people become open to their hearing loss. It’s becoming a more common understanding that hearing loss can happen to individuals of all ages and today’s hearing aids are discreet enough that the few people who can’t get over this stigma won’t even notice them.
Unfortunately, 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 phase hearing loss. That makes it difficult to effectively take a reactive strategy, and it’s why many hearing specialists prefer preventative approaches. For instance, scheduling regular screenings with a hearing specialist before you notice symptoms can help establish a baseline of what your healthy hearing looks like. Once this baseline is established, early intervention is frequently much more effective.
If your hearing loss is causing fatigue, there are a few steps you can take to lessen that exhaustion as much as possible. Some of the simplest and most common steps include the following:
- Schedule a consultation with a hearing specialist: It’s important to keep tabs on your hearing health. When hearing loss is in its early stages, your brain doesn’t have to work as hard as it does when the condition worsens, and a hearing specialist can diagnose hearing loss when it first begins to develop.
- 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 breaks will make that more sustainable.
- Be certain you use your hearing aids as often as you can: Hearing aids are manufactured to help you focus on the sounds of human speech, meaning conversation will be significantly easier to make out when you are hearing them. This means you won’t be as tired because your brain won’t have to work so hard.
- Try to find more quiet, isolated places 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. It will be easier, and less exhausting, to understand conversations if you move them to a quieter place.
It’s most likely time to schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist if you’re experiencing fatigue with no evident cause. 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 neglected.
