Sleep is precious. There’s an unpleasant feeling to getting up groggy because you got less than seven to eight hours sleep that even several cups of coffee can’t help. So when your hearing loss began causing you to have insomnia, you were aghast.
And that’s justifiable. Luckily, there’s a little something that can help: 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?
Recently, you’ve noticed yourself tossing and turning more than normal, dealing with fatigue all day regardless of how much sleep you get, and then having a hard time falling asleep at night (despite your exhaustion). All of these issues started around the same time you also started to notice that your mobile phone, radio, and television were becoming hard to hear.
It’s not your imagination come to find. It’s well documented that people who have loss of hearing frequently have a difficult time falling asleep, but precisely why is not really recognized. Some theories have been put forward:
- Tinnitus can cause you to hear ringing, thumping, and humming and that noise can keep you awake at night. (Lack of sleep can also make your tinnitus worse, which then can cause stronger insomnia, it’s a vicious cycle).
- Your brain, when you have hearing loss, strains to get stimulus where there isn’t any. Your whole cycle could be disrupted if your brain is working overtime attempting to hear (It’s the typical issue of not being able to get your brain to turn off).
- Hearing loss is linked to depression, and depression can cause chemical imbalances in the brain that disrupt your sleep cycle. Because of this, falling asleep and staying asleep becomes harder.
Can Hearing Aids Help 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 among those who did use a hearing aid. So are hearing aids a sleep aid or what?
Not really. If you don’t suffer from loss of hearing, a hearing aid can’t cure insomnia.
But if you are suffering from hearing loss, your hearing aids can manage a number of problems that might be worsening your insomnia:
- Isolation: Your not so likely to feel isolated and depressed if you can hook up with people in your social network when you’re out and about. Hearing aids make retaining relationships less difficult (sleep cycle problems that cause “cabin fever” can also be reduced).
- Tinnitus: Hearing aids may be an effective treatment for that buzzing or ringing, depending on the nature of your tinnitus. This can help you get some sleep by stopping that vicious cycle.
- Strain: The burden on your brain will essentially reduced by using hearing aids. And when your brain isn’t continuously straining to hear everything around you, it won’t be as likely to keep straining when you’re attempting to sleep.
Achieving a Better Night Sleep Using Hearing Aids
It’s not just how many hours you sleep that’s relevant here. To be sure that your sleep can be really refreshing, it’s important that you obtain a targeted degree to your z’s. Hearing aids can enhance your ability to get a restful nights sleep because hearing loss without hearing aids can prevent deep sleep.
Using your hearing aids on the recommended daytime schedule will improve your sleep but it’s worthwhile to note that hearing aids are not normally designed to be worn at night. When you’re sleeping they won’t help you hear better (for instance, you won’t hear your alarm clock better). And, after a while, wearing your hearing aids at night can decrease their effectiveness. You get deeper sleep if you wear them during the day.
Go to Bed!
Getting a good night’s sleep is a valuable thing. Your stress level, your immune system, and your ability to think clearly will all be enhanced by sufficient sleep. Healthy sleep habits have even been connected to lower risks for heart disease and diabetes.
When your sleep schedule is disrupted by your loss of hearing, the problem becomes more than aggravating, insomnia can often become a real health issue. Fortunately, most surveys report that people with hearing aids have better quality of sleep.