Hearing loss can affect your life in many ways. The condition may make it harder to have phone conversations, watch TV with your family or enjoy a night out in Santa Fe with friends dining at La Boca. However, you may be surprised to learn that hearing loss can also make you feel more tired.
Hearing Loss Linked to Mental Fatigue
One study examined records from thousands of patients over a three-year span. Researchers had participants rate their fatigue over a two-week period and compared this with the results of their hearing exams.
They discovered that participants with hearing loss were more likely to experience fatigue over half the days during the two-week period compared to those with normal hearing. Additional findings included:
- People with hearing loss were more likely to experience fatigue every day.
- Those with more severe hearing loss were more likely to report daily fatigue.
An additional study looking at hearing loss and fatigue in the workplace found that participants with hearing loss experienced more stress and fatigue at work than those with normal hearing.
The reason hearing loss increases feelings of fatigue likely has to do with the extra energy your brain has to use in order to process sounds. It can be especially draining in situations where you find yourself needing to socialize, like a work convention or a friend’s birthday party.
Hearing Loss Fatigue Can Negatively Impact Your Quality of Life
The fatigue brought on by hearing loss may cause you to start to avoid social interactions because of how tiring they are. Many people with hearing loss start to isolate themselves from others. In addition to causing loneliness, this isolation may also lead to issues like reduced physical activity and contribute to other health problems like anxiety, depression and even cognitive decline.
How Hearing Aids Help
Though mental fatigue from hearing loss can be taxing, hearing aids can help ease the burden. Hearing aids can amplify sound, suppress distracting background noise and make it easier for you to focus on the sounds you need to hear. Since your brain doesn’t have to work as hard, you have more mental energy to spend on the activities you want and need to do without feeling depleted.
If you feel like hearing loss is contributing to your fatigue, schedule an appointment for a hearing test and take the first step toward finding the right pair of hearing aids for you.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call the experts at Southwestern Hearing & Balance today.