Sleep is valuable. There’s a disagreeable feeling to getting up groggy because you slept less than seven to eight hours that even several cups of coffee can’t change. So you were aghast when your hearing loss started making you lose sleep.
And that’s understandable. But there’s a little something that can be of assistance, luckily: a hearing aid. It’s feasible that these little devices can help you get a sounder night sleep, according to recent surveys.
How Does Hearing Loss Affect Sleep?
Despite the fact that you feel fatigued all day and are completely drained by bedtime, you still toss and turn and have a hard time falling asleep. All of these problems began around the same time you also started to notice that your mobile phone, radio, and television were becoming hard to hear.
Come to find out, you’re not imagining it. It’s well documented that people who have hearing loss often have a difficult time falling asleep, but exactly why is not well understood. There are, naturally, a couple of theories:
- Tinnitus can make you hear ringing, thumping, and humming and that noise can keep you awake at night. (Lack of sleep can also cause your tinnitus to get worse, which then can cause stronger insomnia, it’s a vicious cycle).
- As you develop hearing loss, your brain begins straining, it’s looking for inputs from your ears where none exists. Your entire cycle could be disrupted if your brain is working overtime trying to hear (It’s the common problem of not being able to get your brain to turn off).
- Loss of hearing is related to depression, and your sleep cycle can be interrupted by chemical imbalances caused by depression. This makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Can Your Sleep be Improved by Wearing Hearing Aids?
According to one study, 44% of people with hearing loss who don’t wear hearing aids documented being satisfied with their sleep in comparison to 59% sleep satisfaction among those who did wear a hearing aid. So does that imply it’s safe to assume hearing assistance devices are also a type of sleep aid?
well, not quite. If your hearing is completely normal, wearing hearing aids won’t cure your insomnia.
But if you have hearing loss related insomnia, hearing aids could help in numerous crucial ways:
- Isolation: Your not so likely to feel isolated and depressed if you can hook up with people in your social group when you’re out and about. Hearing aids make building relationships easier (this can also reduce “cabin fever”-related sleep cycle troubles).
- Strain: The strain on your brain will essentially diminished by using hearing aids. And when your brain isn’t constantly straining to hear everything around you, it’ll be less likely to continue that practice while you’re trying to sleep.
- Tinnitus: Depending on the nature and cause of your tinnitus, hearing aids may provide a practical method of managing that buzzing and ringing. This can help stop that vicious cycle and help you get some sleep.
Achieving a Better Quality Sleep Using Hearing Aids
In terms of sleep, the amount of hours is not the only thing to consider. In order for your sleep to be really rejuvenating, you need to achieve a certain degree to your z’s. Loss of hearing can work against that deep sleep, and hearing aids, as a result, can enhance your ability to get restful sleep.
Wearing your hearing aids on the suggested daytime schedule will benefit your sleep but it’s worthwhile to mention that hearing aids aren’t normally meant to be used while you sleep. When you’re sleeping they won’t help you hear better (for example, you won’t hear your alarm clock better). And, after a while, wearing your hearing aids at night can diminish their effectiveness. You get deeper sleep if you wear them during the day.
Go to Bed!
Sleep is valuable. Your immune system, your stress levels, and your ability to think clearly will all be helped by ample sleep. Proper sleep habits have even been connected to reduced risks for heart disease and diabetes.
When your loss of hearing begins to affect your sleep schedule, it’s not only a small irritation, insomnia can often cause serious health concerns. Thankfully, people document having better quality sleep when they use hearing aids.