Sleep is critical. If you don’t get a complete, relaxing seven to eight hours of sleep, you get up groggy and cranky, an undesirable feeling that only three cups of coffee can keep at bay. So when your loss of hearing began causing insomnia, you were aghast.
And that’s justifiable. But there’s a little something that can be of assistance, fortunately: a hearing aid. Based on recent surveys and research, these little devices can most likely help you sleep better.
How Does Hearing Loss Affect Sleep?
Even though you feel fatigued all day and are exhausted by bedtime, you still toss and turn and have a difficult time falling asleep. All of these problems started about the same time you also began to notice that your radio, television, and mobile phone were becoming difficult to hear.
It’s not your imagination as it turns out. It’s well documented that individuals who have hearing loss often have a hard time falling asleep, but precisely why is not well understood. There are, of course, a handful of theories:
- Your brain, when you have loss of hearing, strains to get stimulus where there isn’t any. If your brain is in overdrive attempting to hear while you’re trying to sleep, your whole cycle could be thrown off (It’s the common issue of not being able to get the brain to shut off).
- Tinnitus can make you hear ringing, thumping, and humming and that noise can cause you to lose sleep. (Lack of sleep can also cause your tinnitus to get worse, which then can cause stronger insomnia, it’s a vicious cycle).
- Hearing loss is connected to depression, and depression can cause chemical imbalances in the brain that disrupt your sleep cycle. As a result of this, falling asleep and staying asleep becomes more difficult.
Can Hearing Aids Help Your Sleep?
According to one study, 44% of people with hearing loss who don’t use hearing aids reported being satisfied with their sleep in comparison to 59% sleep satisfaction from those who did use a hearing aid. So does that guarantee it’s safe to assume hearing aids are also a type of sleep aid?
Not exactly. If your hearing is totally normal, using hearing aids isn’t going to cure your insomnia.
But if you have hearing loss related insomnia, hearing aids could help in numerous crucial ways:
- Strain: Your hearing aids will effectively lessen the burden on your brain. And when your brain isn’t always straining to hear everything around you, it won’t be as likely to keep straining when you’re trying 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 depressed and isolated. Hearing aids make maintaining relationships easier (this can also decrease “cabin fever”-associated sleep cycle problems).
- Tinnitus: Depending on the nature and cause of your tinnitus, hearing aids could provide a reliable method of treating that buzzing and ringing. This can help short circuit that vicious cycle and help you get to sleep.
Achieving a Better Night Sleep With Hearing Aids
With regards to sleep, how many hours isn’t the only consideration. How deep you sleep is as relevant as how many hours you sleep. Hearing aids can increase your ability to get a restful nights sleep because hearing loss without hearing aids can reduce deep sleep.
it should be pointed out that while they’ll help better your sleep, most hearing aids are not intended to be worn at night. They aren’t going to help you hear better when you’re in bed (you won’t be capable of hearing your alarm clock better, for instance). And your hearing aids can definitely wear out faster if you use them at night. You get better sleep if you use them during the day.
Go to Bed!
Sleep is precious. Ample sleep can keep your immune system in good condition, reduce stress levels, and help you think more clearly. Proper sleep habits have even been linked to lower risks for heart disease and diabetes.
When your sleep schedule is disrupted by your hearing loss, the problem becomes more than irritating, insomnia can frequently become a serious health problem. Luckily, people document having better quality sleep when they use hearing aids.