Not having enough sleep can have a negative effect on your health and well being. If you don’t get a full, restful seven to eight hours of sleep, you get up groggy and cranky, an unpleasant 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, luckily: a hearing aid. Based upon the newest surveys and research, these small devices can likely help you sleep better.
How is Sleep Affected by Hearing Loss?
Even though 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 issues started around the same time you also began to notice that your mobile phone, radio, and television were becoming hard to hear.
Turns out, you’re not imagining things. It’s well documented that individuals who have loss of hearing often have a hard time falling asleep, but precisely why is not really recognized. Some theories have been put forward:
- Hearing loss is connected to depression, and your sleep cycle can be disturbed by chemical imbalances as a result of depression. Because of this, falling asleep and staying asleep becomes harder.
- Your brain, when you have hearing loss, strains to get stimulus that isn’t there. If your brain is in overdrive attempting to hear while you’re trying to sleep, your overall cycle could be thrown off (it’s that “my brain won’t shut off” issue).
- Tinnitus can make you hear ringing, thumping, and humming and that noise can keep you awake at night. (It can become a vicious cycle because loss of sleep can worsen your tinnitus symptoms).
Can Hearing Aids Improve Your Sleep?
According to one study, 44% of individuals with hearing loss who don’t use hearing aids reported being satisfied with their sleep compared to 59% sleep satisfaction from those who did wear a hearing aid. So are hearing aids a sleep aid or what?
well, not really. If your hearing is totally healthy, using hearing aids won’t cure your insomnia.
But if you are suffering from loss of hearing, your hearing aids can address numerous problems that could be worsening your insomnia:
- Isolation: Your less likely to feel isolated and depressed if you can hook up with people in your social circle when you’re out on the town. Relationships are easier when you use hearing aids (this can also decrease “cabin fever”-associated sleep cycle troubles).
- Tinnitus: Hearing aids may be an effective treatment for that ringing or buzzing, depending on the nature of your tinnitus. This can help you get to sleep by stopping that vicious cycle.
- Strain: The burden on your brain will essentially diminished by using hearing aids. And your brain will be less likely to strain while sleeping if it isn’t straining all of the rest of the time.
Getting Better Quality Sleep Using Hearing Aids
With regards to sleep, the amount of hours isn’t the only consideration. In order for your sleep to be really refreshing, you need to obtain a targeted degree to your z’s. Loss of hearing can prevent that deep sleep, and hearing aids, therefore, can improve your ability to get restful sleep.
Using your hearing aids on the recommended daytime schedule will benefit your sleep but it’s worthwhile to mention that hearing aids are not normally intended to be used while you sleep. They aren’t going to help you hear better when you’re sleeping (you won’t be capable of hearing your alarm clock more clearly, for instance). And, as time passes, wearing your hearing aids at night can decrease their efficiency. It’s using them during the day that helps you get better sleep.
Go to Bed!
Sleep is precious. Your immune system, your stress levels, and your ability to think clearly will all be helped by ample sleep. Healthy sleep habits have even been linked to reduced risks for heart disease and diabetes.
When your sleep schedule is disrupted by your loss of hearing, it’s not just a small irritation, insomnia can frequently lead to serious health concerns. Luckily, most surveys document that people who use hearing aids have improved quality of sleep.