Do you ever have those days when even simple things like a conversation with your coworker or dinner with your family at La Fia Bistro leaves you feeling more tired than usual? It happens to all of us. But for individuals with hearing loss, there’s an additional factor that contributes to this exhaustion: listening fatigue. Listening fatigue can manifest in two ways: fatigue from listening effort and fatigue from new hearing aids.
How Common Is Listening Fatigue?
One study analyzing the severity of fatigue in individuals with and without hearing loss found that all groups with hearing loss reported significantly increased effort and fatigue compared to the control group.
What Factors Contribute To Listening Fatigue?
Despite seeming contradictory, both types of listening fatigue can leave you feeling tired or burned out by the end of the day. Understanding the causes behind this fatigue and finding ways to improve your energy levels are crucial for improving your energy levels. Let’s delve into each type and explore strategies to combat them:
Fatigue From Listening Effort
Fatigue from listening effort is mentally and physically draining. Individuals with hearing loss often need to exert more effort to understand speech, communicate effectively and stay aware of their surroundings. Hearing aids offer an excellent solution to alleviate this type of fatigue. They collect and amplify speech sounds while suppressing background noise, improving communication clarity and reducing the effort required to comprehend conversations. If you suspect hearing loss is causing burnout or exhaustion in your daily activities, scheduling a hearing test and treatment consultation with an audiologist may be beneficial.
New Hearing Aid Fatigue
On the other side of the listening fatigue spectrum is fatigue from exposure to new sounds. While hearing aids greatly enhance the quality of life and minimize the effort needed for daily communication, the initial adjustment period can be tiring. When you first start using hearing aids, previously muted sounds may become overwhelming and exhausting. These minor noises, once unnoticed due to hearing loss, can suddenly feel like annoyances with the amplification provided by hearing aids.
If you find that your hearing aids are causing fatigue, taking short breaks to allow your ears to rest can be helpful. While consistency of wear is important, your comfort should also be prioritized.
By embracing the benefits of hearing aids and incorporating short breaks during the acclimation period, you can effectively combat listening fatigue and regain the energy you’ve been lacking. Don’t let exhaustion hinder your ability to engage with the world around you. To schedule a hearing test and treatment consultation, contact Wilmington Audiology Services today.