It’s no fun when you’re unable to sleep at night. And when it occurs on a regular basis, it’s especially vexing. You lie awake tossing and turning, looking at the time again and again, and stressing about how tired you will be tomorrow. When these types of sleepless nights persistently occur, medical professionals tend to use the term “insomnia”. Over time, the effects of chronic insomnia will compound, negatively impacting your general health.
And the health of your hearing, not unexpectedly, is part of your general health. Yup, your hearing can be negatively affected by insomnia! This isn’t necessarily a cause-and-effect relationship, but that doesn’t mean there’s no link between hearing loss and insomnia.
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 influenced by insomnia over a long time period. Without the nightly regenerative power of sleep, it’s more difficult for your blood to get everywhere it needs to be.
Stress and anxiety also increase with insomnia. Being stressed and anxious are not only mental states, they’re physiological states, as well.
So, how does hearing loss play into that? Your ears work because they’re filled with delicate little hairs known as stereocilia. These fragile hairs vibrate when sound happens and the information gets transmitted to your brain, which then converts those vibrations into sounds.
These tiny hairs have a difficult time remaining healthy when there are circulatory problems. These hairs can, in some cases, be permanently damaged. And once that takes place, your hearing will be irrevocably damaged. Permanent hearing loss can be the consequences, and the longer the circulation problems persist, the more significant the damage will be.
Is the opposite true?
Is it possible for hearing loss to cause you to lose sleep? It’s certainly possible. Hearing loss can make the world very quiet, and some people like a little bit of noise when they sleep. For individuals in this group, that amount of silence can make it really hard to get a quality night’s sleep. Another way that hearing loss could 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? Stress on your brain can be decreased by wearing your hearing aids every day because you won’t be wearing them while you sleep. Adhering to other sleep-health tips can also be helpful.
How to get a good night’s sleep
- Try to avoid drinking 2 hours before you go to 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 better.
- For at least 1 hour, avoid looking at screens: (Even longer if you can!) Your brain has a tendency to be activated by looking at screens.
- Don’t drink caffeine after lunch.: Even if you drink decaf, it still has enough caffeine to give you trouble sleeping. Soda also falls into this category.
- Exercise regularly: Your body needs to move, and if you aren’t moving, you might end up going to bed with some extra energy. Getting enough exercise every day will really be helpful.
- Refrain from drinking alcohol before you go to bed: This will simply disrupt your natural sleep cycle.
- Find ways to reduce stress: It may not be possible to eliminate every stressor from your life, but giving yourself time to de-stress is critical. Do something relaxing before you go to bed.
- Maintain your bedroom for sleeping (mostly): Try to limit the amount of things you utilize your bedroom for. Working in your bedroom isn’t a great plan.
Be aware of the health of your hearing
You can still control 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.