Auditory fatigue is a common experience for people of all ages with hearing loss. Take Ruth. She meets a colleague for coffee to catch up, but after an hour, she's ready to escape to a quiet place. Then there's Harry. At a family gathering, he struggles later in the day to understand what is being said and starts to daydream.
People experience auditory fatigue in several ways, including —
- Difficulty focusing
- Feeling tired or unable to listen after a long spell of listening
- Eager to find a quiet place
- Low performance at work or school at the end of the day
Why it matters
Auditory fatigue provokes physical and mental changes such as headaches, increased stress, and difficulties with concentration and performance
- In children, auditory fatigue reduces academic performance and disturbs sleep.
- In adults, it increases sick days and health complaints.
The cause
Hearing loss forces the brain to work harder to decode sounds and speech, resulting in auditory fatigue.
The answer
People with hearing loss can enjoy social activities and improve their well-being by acknowledging, identifying, preventing, and managing auditory fatigue.
Wearing hearing aids is the most effective way to prevent and manage auditory fatigue if you have hearing loss.
The following are helpful too:
- Use captions
- Sit where you don't have to strain to hear
- Take listening breaks
Are you feeling auditory fatigue?
Call to schedule a free, 15-minute hearing screening with an audiologist. Don't guess or delay knowing about your hearing health. Find out. If you have hearing loss, your audiologist will explain —
- How much hearing you've lost
- Whether your hearing needs treatment
- The hearing-aid options available to treat your hearing loss
Don't let untreated hearing loss take away your quality of life.
