Not getting enough sleep can have a detrimental impact on your health and well being. If you don’t get a full, restful seven to eight hours of sleep, you wake up cranky and groggy, an unpleasant feeling that only three cups of coffee can keep at bay. So you were aghast when your hearing loss started to make you lose sleep.
And that’s justifiable. The good news is, there’s a little something that can help: a hearing aid. It’s possible that these small devices can help you get a better night sleep, according to the latest surveys.
How is Sleep Affected by Hearing Loss?
In recent days, you’ve noticed yourself counting sheep more than normal, fighting fatigue all day no matter how much sleep you get, and then having a hard time falling asleep at night (even though you’re exhausted). All of these problems started about the same time you also started to notice that your radio, television, and mobile phone were becoming difficult to hear.
It’s not your imagination come to find. There is a well-documented connection between hearing loss and insomnia, even if the exact sources aren’t precisely clear. Some theories have been put forward:
- You can lose sleep because of tinnitus which can cause humming, ringing, or thumping noises in your ears. (It can become a vicious cycle because loss of sleep can make your tinnitus symptoms worse).
- As you develop hearing loss, your brain begins straining, it’s looking for stimulus from your ears where there isn’t. If your brain is in high gear attempting to hear while you’re trying to sleep, your whole cycle could be disrupted (It’s the common problem of not being able to get the brain to turn off).
- Loss of hearing is connected to depression, and your sleep cycle can be disturbed by chemical imbalances caused by depression. This makes it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Can Hearing Aids Improve Your Sleep?
According to one study, 44% of individuals with hearing loss who don’t use hearing aids documented being satisfied with their sleep in comparison to 59% sleep satisfaction from those who did wear a hearing aid. So does that mean it’s safe to presume hearing aids are also a kind of sleep aid?
Not really. If your hearing is completely healthy, using hearing aids isn’t going to cure your insomnia.
But if you suffer from hearing loss related insomnia, hearing aids could help in several crucial ways:
- Strain: The burden on your brain will effectively decreased by wearing hearing aids. And when your brain isn’t continuously struggling to hear everything around you, it won’t be as likely to keep straining while you’re attempting to sleep.
- Isolation: If you’re out on the town, connecting with the people in your social sphere, you’re not so likely to feel isolated and depressed. Hearing aids make building relationships smoother (this can also reduce “cabin fever”-associated sleep cycle troubles).
- Tinnitus: Dependent on the nature and cause of your tinnitus, hearing aids might provide a practical way of managing that buzzing and ringing. This can assist you to get to sleep by stopping that vicious cycle.
Wearing Hearing Aids to Get a Better Night Sleep
With regards to sleep, the amount of hours is not the only factor to consider. In order for your sleep to be truly refreshing, you need to reach a targeted degree to your z’s. Hearing aids can increase your ability to get a restful nights sleep because loss of hearing without hearing aids can prevent deep sleep.
It’s worthwhile to note that even though they’ll help better your sleep, most hearing aids are not designated to be worn at night. When you’re sleeping they aren’t going to help you hear better (for instance, you won’t hear your alarm clock more clearly). And your hearing aids can definitely wear out faster if you wear them at night. It’s using them during the day that helps you achieve better sleep.
Go to Bed!
Getting a restful night’s sleep is a valuable thing. Adequate sleep can keep your immune system in fighting shape, lessen stress levels, and help you think more clearly. A decreased risk of heart disease and diabetes have also been linked to balanced sleep habits.
When your sleep schedule is disrupted by your hearing loss, the issue becomes more than annoying, insomnia can often become a real health concern. Fortunately, most surveys report that people who use hearing aids have better quality of sleep.