Adjusting to hearing loss isn’t easy. The added difficulty in understanding speech and communication actually makes us vulnerable to other health risks and at a fundamental level exhausts our energy. If you’ve felt drained after a long day, take a minute to evaluate what activities you engaged in. If you live with significant hearing loss you may find that days filled with conversation and sound seem to fatigue you the quickest and most deeply.
Just as hearing loss requires us to adapt other areas of our life, it also can change the way we recharge our energy. For many people this means making quiet space in our life for rest, meditation and exercise.
Where Does Hearing Loss Fatigue Come From?
Hearing loss fatigue is caused by the strain hearing loss puts on our brain’s cognitive functions to process and interpret sound. When hearing loss is present, incomplete sound information is delivered to the ear. Like a puzzle with missing pieces, we are asking our brain to fill in the “blanks” of what we hear.
In order to interpret bits and pieces of sound, our brain re-organizes how it processes incoming auditory information. To fill in the gaps, the brain has to pull together extra cognitive resources, often taking away cognitive functioning from other jobs. This redistribution of cognitive effort is responsible for the higher incidence of falling injuries in people with hearing loss –the extra effort required to hear detracts from the brain space we usually have to handle balance and coordination.
Brain Drain
When you have hearing loss, comprehending sound, especially speech, requires a much greater effort from your body and brain. As your cognitive resources become strained towards hearing comprehension, other parts of your brains processing get shortchanged. The end result is strain and fatigue that can feel mysterious if you don’t understand how hard your brain is working to compensate for hearing gaps.
When we have hearing loss, it also increases our stress level and can keep us constantly cycling on adrenaline rushes. Anticipation of hearing challenges can place our mind in a state where it is hyper-alert. This constant vigilance also depletes our physical energy if we don’t know how to take a break from it.
Even without intense physical exertion in your day, hearing loss fatigue can feel deeply physical and unrelenting. If you experience such bouts of exhaustion, it’s important to give yourself the time and space to re-energize yourself. Try out strategies to see what works best for you and then regularly incorporate your chosen techniques into your routine, especially on days where you know you will be using your hearing a lot.
Napping
For simple ways to combat hearing loss fatigue, scheduling quick power naps throughout your day may be the easiest way to take a break. Schedule one or two 20-minute nap sessions at the midpoints of your day, or specifically after you complete an activity that requires intense listening.
Napping is different from slipping into hours of slumber. To avoid exhaustion, you should prioritize getting a full night’s sleep –seven and a half to eight and a half hours- so you don’t add your sleep deficit onto the stress of cognitive strain.
Meditation
Meditation and mindfulness practices can also help relieve hearing loss fatigue. A basic meditation practice is especially useful to incorporate into a busy workday where napping may not be an option. Be sure to find somewhere quiet and peaceful to practice your meditation and release yourself from the pressures of hearing.
There are many, many techniques for meditating, so do a little research to find something that feels right for you. A simple way to start meditating is with a body scan. Sit or lie down somewhere comfortable and slowly do a check in with your physical body, from head to toe, relaxing each area as you go.
Exercise
It may not be intuitive to counteract fatigue with physical exertion, but exercise releases endorphins and helps balance and stabilize your body’s chemistry. Choose an exercise routine that you can do alone, and quietly so you don’t have to worry about your hearing while you are taking this time out to rejuvenate. Yoga, Pilates, running and even weightlifting can offer you a physical solution to exhaustion while giving your auditory system a much-deserved break.
Visit Us at Hearing Wellness Solutions
Treating hearing loss is an important part of your overall health and well-being. At Hearing Wellness Solutions, we provide comprehensive hearing tests and hearing aid fittings. To schedule an appointment, contact our team today.
