Not having enough sleep can have a damaging effect on your health and vitality. If you don’t get a complete, restful seven to eight hours of sleep, you wake up cranky and groggy, an uncomfortable 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 something that can be of assistance, thankfully: a hearing aid. It’s possible that these small devices can help you get a sounder night sleep, according to the latest surveys.
How is Sleep Impacted by Loss of Hearing?
Even though you feel tired all day and are exhausted by bedtime, you still toss and turn and have a difficult time falling asleep. All of these problems began about the same time you also started to notice that your mobile phone, radio, and television were becoming difficult to hear.
It’s not your imagination as it turns out. There is a well-documented connection between hearing loss and insomnia, even if the precise sources aren’t precisely clear. There are, naturally, a few theories:
- Your brain, when you have hearing loss, 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 entire cycle could be disrupted (It’s the common issue of not being able to get your brain to shut off).
- Tinnitus can cause you to hear thumping, humming, and ringing and that noise can keep you awake at night. (Lack of sleep can also cause your tinnitus to get worse, which then can cause stronger insomnia, it’s a vicious cycle).
- Loss of hearing is connected to depression, and depression can result in chemical imbalances in the brain that interrupt your sleep cycle. This makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Can Your Sleep be Helped by Using Hearing Aids?
According to one study, 59% of people who were hearing aid wearers noted feeling content with their sleep, compared to a 44% satisfaction rate in people who don’t use hearing aids. So does that guarantee it’s safe to suppose hearing aids are also a type of sleep aid?
well, not really. If your hearing is perfectly healthy, wearing hearing aids won’t cure your insomnia.
But if you suffer from hearing loss related insomnia, hearing aids may help in multiple crucial ways:
- Isolation: If you’re out and about, hooking up with the people in your social group, you’re not as likely to feel depressed and isolated. Relationships are less difficult with hearing aids (this can also decrease “cabin fever”-related sleep cycle issues).
- Tinnitus: Hearing aids might be an effective treatment for that ringing or buzzing, depending on the nature of your tinnitus. This can help stop that vicious cycle and help you get to sleep.
- Strain: The strain on your brain will essentially diminished by wearing hearing aids. And your brain won’t be as likely to strain while sleeping if it isn’t straining all of the rest of the time.
Wearing Hearing Aids to Achieve a Better Quality Sleep
It isn’t just the number of hours that’s significant here. In order for your sleep to be truly rejuvenating, you need to achieve a certain degree to your z’s. Hearing aids can enhance your ability to attain a restful nights sleep because hearing loss without hearing aids can reduce deep sleep.
Wearing your hearing aids on the suggested daytime schedule will enhance your sleep but it’s worthwhile to mention that hearing aids aren’t ordinarily meant to be worn at night. They don’t help you hear better when you’re in bed (you won’t be able to hear your alarm clock more clearly, for example). And your hearing aids can definitely wear out quicker if you use them at night. It’s wearing them during the day that helps you achieve better sleep.
Go to Bed!
Sleep is precious. Ample sleep can keep your immune system in fighting shape, lessen stress levels, and help you think more clearly. A reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease have also been linked to healthy sleep habits.
When your hearing loss begins to interrupt your sleep schedule, it’s not only a small irritation, insomnia can often lead to serious health concerns. Fortunately, people document having better quality sleep when they use hearing aids.