There are lots of possible causes of exhaustion, 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 tiredness and that’s hearing loss.
In part, that’s because hearing loss can be a gradually-moving, subtle condition. You might find yourself continuously exhausted for no apparent reason because you failed to recognize the symptoms of early hearing loss. This can be a frustrating experience. This exhaustion can frequently turn into irritability which could cause you to socially seclude yourself. The good news is that treating your hearing loss will frequently improve your energy levels, reducing fatigue and exhaustion.
Hearing loss progresses gradually (and your brain compensates)
Hearing loss is usually 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. Even prevalent symptoms, like cranking the volume up on your TV and smartphone, can be easy to miss if you aren’t looking for them.
Exhaustion is one of the most noticeable symptoms of hearing loss. You may feel depleted no matter how much sleep you got the night before. This symptom, regrettably, isn’t typically associated with hearing loss.
That’s because the cause occurs in your brain. Your brain needs to work extra hard to process sound due to the loss of your ability to hear, which can leave you fatigued. Just as extended periods of intense concentration can leave you tired, the extra brain power needed to hear what individuals are saying can be exhausting. Left untreated, this fatigue can get worse over time, impacting your quality of life and your ability to perform daily routine tasks.
The role of stigma
So why don’t more individuals just visit a hearing specialist when they start feeling tired? One partial reason is that individuals just don’t associate tiredness with hearing loss. But there’s another reason that may inevitably be more detrimental: stigma. Individuals often feel like others will think they’re old if they have hearing loss and that admitting it will ruin their lives. People will often avoid seeking treatment because of these false ideas.
However, as more people are open about their hearing loss experience, the stigma has started to disappear. Many individuals understand that hearing loss is not some kind of social failing, and the very small construction of modern hearing aids makes them easy to hide around people who sadly will not let go of this stigma.
It’s a shame that this social stigma can make it more difficult for people to find the care they need because this often results in hearing loss that gets worse over time when it may not need to.
Treatment options for hearing loss-related fatigue
The earliest stages of hearing loss may not have any apparent symptoms. That makes it challenging to effectively take a reactive strategy, and it’s why many hearing specialists favor preventative approaches. For example, scheduling routine screenings with a hearing specialist before you detect symptoms can help establish a baseline of what your healthy hearing looks like. Once this baseline is established, early intervention is often a lot more effective.
You can lessen hearing loss related exhaustion by taking a few proactive steps. Here are several of the most prevalent and simplest steps:
- Try to locate more quiet, secluded areas for conversations: Sorting out voices from background noise can be difficult when you have hearing loss (often whether you’re using hearing aids or not). It will be easier, and less exhausting, to understand conversations if you move them to a quieter place.
- If you use hearing aids, wear them as often as possible: One of the main functions of hearing aids is to clarify human speech, making understanding conversations much easier. This means you won’t be as fatigued because your brain won’t have to work so hard.
- Consult a hearing specialist: Keeping an eye on the status of your hearing is important. When hearing loss is in its early stages, your brain doesn’t need to work as hard as it does when the condition worsens, and a hearing specialist can identify hearing loss when it first begins to develop.
- Give yourself a rest in between conversations: In between conversation, take a quiet break somewhere. This can help your brain recover from all the work it’s doing and make day-to-day communication a bit more sustainable.
So if you’re experiencing an abnormal amount of exhaustion 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 untreated.
