January 24, 2025

Fatigue & Hearing Loss

Audiology
Fatigue and Hearing Loss Audiology Blog

Hearing loss has been linked to several health conditions, including dementia, diabetes, anxiety and depression. One of its lesser-known side effects is fatigue.

A study published in July 2023 found people with hearing loss were more likely to experience fatigue than those with normal hearing.1 During a three-week period, these individuals reported feeling tired or having low energy over half of the days or every day. In addition, a higher degree of hearing loss was associated with a greater probability of experiencing fatigue almost daily.

What’s the Connection?

The correlation between hearing loss and fatigue may be due to your brain having to expend extra effort to hear better, which can result in listening fatigue.

Your brain receives sensory input from the inner ear and is responsible for processing sounds and translating them into recognizable speech. Damage to the hair cells of your inner ear—a common cause of hearing loss—limits your ability to hear properly; when this occurs, your brain is forced to pick up the slack and work extra hard to understand speech. Doing so is taxing and often leads to exhaustion and decreased energy levels.

Wearing hearing devices should significantly reduce these feelings of exhaustion. Because they amplify speech, your brain does not have to work as hard to convert sensory input into sound, reducing listening fatigue and boosting energy.

Other tips for reducing listening fatigue include:
  • Take a short break from noise, even if only for a few minutes every hour.
  • Breathe deeply to relax and give your brain a break.
  • Eliminate background noise to help you hear effectively.
  • Take a brief 20-to-30-minute nap to recharge.

How We Can Help

Struggling with fatigue due to hearing loss? Schedule an appointment with Fort HealthCare Audiology at 920.563.6667 in Fort Atkinson or 262.473.8920 in Whitewater to explore your options.

1 Smith, Tim. (2023). Hearing loss linked to higher frequency of fatigue for older adults. HCP Live. https://www.hcplive.com/view/hearing-loss-linked-higher-frequency-fatigue-for-older-adults