Everybody feels tired sometimes. Maybe you stayed up too late watching your favorite scary movie, or you had to get up early for a work event. One possible source of energy drain you might not have expected is hearing loss.
Let’s examine how hearing loss can zap your energy and what you can do to get it back.
Understanding Auditory Fatigue
Auditory fatigue, sometimes called listening fatigue, refers to a feeling of mental exhaustion from processing sound. When you have hearing loss, every sound feels a little more out of reach. Think of it like running or walking the trails around Stebner Park. The trails may feel easy or doable to navigate now, but if they suddenly get longer and go uphill both ways, you’ll find them more tiring.
Auditory fatigue for people with hearing loss works the same way. When you have to expend more energy to understand speech, you’ll feel more tired at the end of the day—especially if you have a lot of work meetings or social events.
How Can I Regain My Energy?
The best way to regain energy from hearing loss is to start treatment with hearing aids. These tiny but technologically advanced devices collect and amplify speech sounds to make everyday conversations easier to understand. Many modern devices even offer advanced AI processing and directional microphones that analyze your environment and separate important speech while suppressing irrelevant sounds.
In addition to getting hearing aids, you can employ a few communication tips to reduce mental effort, including:
- Look at the person you’re speaking with
- Ask people to rephrase missed words and sentences, rather than repeat
- Choose a round or square table away from the kitchen and entrance when eating at a restaurant
- Use captioning in virtual meetings
- Use subtitles when watching TV
- Adjust your hearing aid settings based on the environment you’re in, i.e., your home, work or a busy restaurant
By wearing hearing aids consistently and practicing these communication techniques, you can preserve your energy for things you enjoy. For more information on the benefits of hearing aids or to schedule a treatment consultation, contact Hearing Wellness Center today.