There are lots of possible causes of tiredness, everything from being unable 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 normally develops slowly over time. You might not immediately distinguish the symptoms and, as a result, you might feel as if you are constantly tired for no reason. This experience can be really frustrating. This fatigue can frequently turn into irritability which could cause you to socially seclude yourself. Luckily, your energy levels will typically improve once you get your hearing loss treated.
Your brain will compensate for slowly developing hearing loss
For the majority of individuals, hearing loss is a very slow-moving condition that gets worse over time. You might not even recognize that you have a hearing loss at first. Even common symptoms, like turning up the volume on your TV and smartphone, can be easy to miss if you aren’t watching for them.
Exhaustion is one of the most obvious symptoms of hearing loss. You may feel depleted no matter how much rest you got the night before. This symptom, regrettably, isn’t usually associated with hearing loss.
That’s because the cause happens in your brain. Your brain needs to work extra hard to process sound because of the loss of your ability to hear, which can leave you exhausted. This continual extra work is exhausting in the same way that long periods of concentration can take a toll. Left untreated, this fatigue can grow worse over time, affecting your quality of life and your ability to perform daily routine activities.
The role of stigma
So why don’t more people just go see a hearing specialist when they start feeling tired? There are several explanations: often individuals are busy or thinking about other things. But the notion of stigma is another cause which can be even more detrimental. Individuals often feel as if others will think they’re old if they have hearing loss and that admitting it will ruin their lives. Individuals will frequently avoid seeking treatment because of these false ideas.
However, this stigma is starting to disappear as more individuals become open to their hearing loss. Many individuals understand that hearing loss isn’t some type of social failing, and the very small nature of modern hearing aids makes them easy to hide around people who sadly will not let go of this stigma.
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.
How to manage hearing loss-associated fatigue
There are frequently no apparent symptoms of early phase hearing loss. That makes it challenging to effectively take a reactive approach, 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. Early treatment will be much more effective after we have determined that baseline.
If your hearing loss is causing fatigue, there are some steps you can take to lessen that exhaustion as much as possible. Here are a few of the most common and simplest steps:
- Schedule a consultation with a hearing specialist: It’s important to monitor your hearing health. Visiting a hearing specialist can help you detect hearing loss in its early stages when it’s less of an issue and your brain doesn’t need to work as hard to compensate.
- Try to have conversations in quieter places: Distinguishing voices from background noise can be challenging when you have hearing loss (often whether you’re using hearing aids or not). It will be easier, and less tiring, to understand conversations if you move them to a quieter location.
- If you have hearing aids, wear them as frequently as possible: One of the chief functions of hearing aids is to clarify human speech, making understanding conversations much easier. This means you won’t be as tired because your brain won’t need to work so hard.
- Give yourself a rest 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 breaks will make that more sustainable.
So if you’re feeling an unusual amount of fatigue and tiredness, with no evident cause, it might be time to plan a visit to your hearing specialist. Treating hearing loss can help you lessen your exhaustion and boost your energy. Don’t let stigma cause your hearing loss to continue to be neglected.