There are a number of possible causes of exhaustion, everything from being unable to sleep at night to respiratory problems like sleep apnea. But many people are surprised to find out that persistent fatigue and exhaustion can also be a result of something fairly common: hearing loss.
That’s at least partially because of the fact that hearing loss usually develops gradually over time. You might not immediately distinguish the symptoms and, as a result, you may feel as if you are constantly tired for no reason. This can be a frustrating experience. This exhaustion can often turn into irritability which could cause you to socially seclude yourself. Fortunately, your energy levels will normally increase once you get your hearing loss treated.
Your brain will compensate for gradually developing hearing loss
Hearing loss is normally a slowly progressing condition that grows worse over time. In its early stages, you likely won’t even detect that you’re developing hearing loss. If you’re not specifically watching for them, even conspicuous symptoms, like cranking the volume on your audio devices way up, can be easy to overlook.
Exhaustion is one of the most noticeable symptoms of hearing loss. Regardless of how much sleep you get, you could still feel fatigued. This symptom, regrettably, isn’t usually associated 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 sustained periods of intense concentration can leave you tired, the additional brain power needed to hear what people are saying can be exhausting. Left neglected, this fatigue can grow 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? One partial reason is that individuals just don’t associate tiredness with hearing loss. But the perception of stigma is another cause which can be even more detrimental. People often feel as if others will think they’re old if they have hearing loss and that admitting it will ruin their lives. All of these things are untrue, and they prevent many people from seeking treatment.
However, as more individuals are open about their hearing loss experience, the stigma has started to disappear. 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 let go of this stigma won’t even notice them.
Unfortunately, this perception of social stigma can cause people in the early stages of hearing loss to avoid getting the treatment they need resulting in more severe permanent hearing loss.
Treatment options for hearing loss-related fatigue
The earliest phases of hearing loss might not have any noticeable symptoms. That makes it difficult to effectively take a reactive approach, and it’s why many hearing specialists favor preventative approaches. Hearing specialists recommend regular screenings in order to establish a baseline of your healthy hearing, that way they will be capable of identifying changes to your hearing in subsequent screenings. Once this baseline is achieved, early intervention is often far more effective.
You can minimize hearing loss related exhaustion by taking a few proactive steps. Here are several of the most prevalent and simplest steps:
- Be certain you use your hearing aids as frequently as you can: Hearing aids are manufactured to help you focus on the sounds of human speech, meaning conversation will be considerably easier to make out when you are hearing them. This means you won’t be as fatigued because your brain won’t have to work so hard.
- Give yourself a break in between conversations: Give yourself some quiet time to rest and refresh in between conversations. Your brain is working extra hard to participate in conversation and brief rests will make that more sustainable.
- Try to have conversations in quieter places: When there is a lot of background noise, it can be difficult to sort out voices, even with hearing aids in some circumstances. 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, lessening fatigue in the process.
- See 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 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 discernible cause, it might be time to plan a visit to your hearing specialist. You can reduce your fatigue and boost your energy by treating your hearing loss. Don’t let stigma cause your hearing loss to continue to be untreated.