Sleepless nights are no fun. Particularly when it occurs regularly. You toss and turn and maybe stare at the clock (or your phone) and worry about just how fatigued you’ll be the next day. When these kinds of sleepless nights routinely occur, medical professionals tend to use the label “insomnia”. With insomnia, the negatives of not sleeping will then begin to add up and can, after a while, have a negative influence on your overall health.
And the health of your hearing, not unexpectedly, is part of your overall health. That’s correct, insomnia can have an impact on your ability to hear. Though the relationship between hearing loss and insomnia may not be a cause-and-effect situation, there’s still a link there.
Can your hearing be impacted by lack of sleep?
What could the relationship between hearing loss and sleep be? According to substantial research, your cardiovascular system can be affected by insomnia over a long period of time. Without the nightly renewing power of sleep, it’s harder for your blood to get everywhere it needs to be.
Anxiety and stress also increase when you have insomnia. Being stressed and anxious aren’t only states of mind, they’re physiological states, as well.
So, how does hearing loss play into that? Your ears work because they’re filled with fragile little hairs called stereocilia. When waves of sound vibrate these little hairs, signals are transmitted to your brain which translates these signals into sound.
When your circulatory system is not functioning correctly, these hairs have a hard time remaining healthy. These hairs can, in some instances, be permanently damaged. Damage of this type is permanent. This can cause permanent hearing loss, especially the longer it continues.
Does it also work the other way around?
Is it possible for hearing loss to make you lose sleep? Yes, it can! Many people favor a little background noise when they try to sleep and hearing loss can make your environment very quiet. This means that the quiet of hearing loss can sometimes prevent normal sleeping. Another way that hearing loss might cost you some sleep is if you find yourself stressed about losing your hearing.
If you have hearing loss, what can you do to get a quality night’s sleep? Wearing your hearing aids during the day can help minimize stress on your brain at night (when you aren’t wearing them). Following other sleep-health tips can also help.
How to get a quality night’s sleep
- Avoid using alcohol before you go to bed: This will simply interrupt your natural sleep cycle.
- Get some exercise regularly: You might go to bed with some extra energy if you don’t get enough exercise. Getting enough exercise daily can be really helpful.
- For at least an hour, abstain from looking at screens: (Even longer if possible!) Your brain tends to be stimulated by looking at screens.
- Try to avoid drinking a couple of hours before bed: Needing to get up and go to the bathroom can begin the “wake up” process in your brain. So, sleeping through the night is much better.
- Try not to use your bedroom for other activities besides sleeping: Try to minimize the amount of things you utilize your bedroom for. For example, don’t work in your bedroom.
- Find ways to reduce stress: Get away from work and do something soothing before bed.
- Quit drinking caffeine after midday: Even decaf coffee has enough caffeine in it to keep you awake at night if you drink it late enough. Soda also falls into this category.
Pay attention to the health of your hearing
You can still manage your symptoms even if you have hearing loss along with some insomnia.
If you’re concerned about your hearing, make an appointment with us today.
