There are lots of possible causes of tiredness, everything from the inability to sleep at night to respiratory problems like sleep apnea. But many people are surprised to learn that persistent fatigue and exhaustion can also be due to something relatively common: hearing loss.
In part, that’s because hearing loss can be a gradually-moving, subtle condition. You may not immediately distinguish the symptoms and, as a result, you might feel as if you are constantly tired for no reason. This can be a frustrating experience. This exhaustion can frequently turn into irritability which could cause you to socially isolate yourself. The good news is that treating your hearing loss will often improve your energy levels, mitigating fatigue and exhaustion.
Hearing loss progresses gradually (and your brain compensates)
For the majority of people, hearing loss is a very gradually-progressing condition that grows worse over time. In its early phases, you likely won’t even detect 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 looking for them.
Exhaustion 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, unfortunately, isn’t usually associated with hearing loss.
That’s because the cause takes place in your brain. Your brain has to work extra hard to process sound because of the loss of your ability to hear, which can leave you fatigued. Just as extended periods of intense concentration can leave you worn out, the extra brain power required to hear what individuals are saying can be exhausting. Left neglected, this exhaustion can get worse over time, impacting your quality of life and your ability to complete daily routine tasks.
The role of stigma
So why don’t more people just visit 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 frequently feel like 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 stop many people from finding treatment.
However, as more people are open about their hearing loss experience, the stigma has started to fade. It’s becoming a more prevalent 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 get over this stigma won’t even notice them.
It’s a shame that this social stigma can make it more difficult for individuals to find the care they need because this frequently results in hearing loss that grows worse over time when it might not need to.
Solutions for hearing loss-related fatigue
The earliest stages of hearing loss might not have any apparent symptoms. That’s why hearing specialists favor taking a preventative strategy rather than the far more difficult and less effective reactive approach. Hearing specialists advocate for regular screenings in order to create a baseline of your healthy hearing, that way they will be able to identify changes to your hearing in subsequent 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. Some of the simplest and most common steps include the following:
- If you use hearing aids, wear them as often as possible: One of the chief 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 will not experience the same level of fatigue.
- Give yourself a rest in between conversations: Give yourself some quiet time to rest and recharge in between conversations. Your brain is working overtime to take part in conversation and brief breaks will make that more sustainable.
- See a hearing specialist: It’s important to keep tabs on your hearing health. When hearing loss is in its early phases, your brain doesn’t need 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.
- 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.
It’s most likely time to make an appointment with a hearing specialist if you’re experiencing fatigue with no evident cause. You can reduce your fatigue and boost your energy by treating your hearing loss. Don’t neglect your hearing loss because you’re concerned about the stigma.