Do you find yourself low on energy, exhausted after a day of busy interactions, whether at a social or work setting? Hearing loss may be to blame! Hearing loss and fatigue may seem unrelated, but in reality, they are much more connected than you realize. Fatigue is defined as \u201cextreme tiredness, typically resulting from mental or physical exertion.\u201d Mental fatigue results from effortful listening and is often an unfortunate side effect of hearing loss. Let me explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Could you read that sentence effortlessly? Now, multiply that one sentence by everyone you hear all day long. Imagine you had to put that effort into filling in the blanks for every conversation. As you worked to fill in those blanks, you gain an understanding of the listening demands placed on someone with a hearing loss to do the same in conversation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cognitive load may be causing your fatigue<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This effort to process and make sense of the auditory bits and pieces you hear is an example of \u201ccognitive load.\u201d With cognitive load, the brain is preoccupied with filling in the blanks, leaving little energy to store and process what has been heard into working memory. The additional effort your brain spends making sense of speech, particularly when background noise is present, puts additional stress and anxiety on the listener. Stress or anxiety often result in a rush of adrenaline and muscle tension which can add to that sensation of being \u201cdrained\u201d or physically tired at the end of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These implications are important for anyone with a hearing loss, but particularly for the hearing impaired \u2014 in their personal lives or the workforce. It makes sense that if you don\u2019t have to spend so much effort filling in those auditory blanks, there would be more cognitive energy left to listen and understand more effortlessly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can reduce cognitive load<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a busy, noisy world, and fatigue associated to listening effort can be an unfortunate side effect. Yet hearing loss doesn\u2019t have to get in the way. Here are some ways to limit the impact of hearing loss and the associated mental fatigue that may accompany it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re already working harder than your normal hearing colleagues and friends to pay attention and be the best listener you can be. So give yourself a break! Make it easier on yourself by investing in a solution to reduce listening effort and you will be richly rewarded. Whether it\u2019s hearing aids, assistive listening technology or strategies to take a break and de-stress, the benefits can greatly enhance your life experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n