December 1, 2017

C n ou re d his s t ce eff tl sly?

Topic: Benefits

Tired more than usual? It may be hearing loss.

Do you find yourself low on energy, exhausted after a day of busy interactions, whether at a social or work setting? Hearing loss may be to blame! Hearing loss and fatigue may seem unrelated, but in reality, they are much more connected than you realize. Mental fatigue results from effortful listening and is often an unfortunate side effect of hearing loss. Try reading the sentence below:

C n ou re d his s t ce eff tl sly?

(It reads, “Can you read this sentence effortlessly?”) Now, multiply that one sentence by everyone you hear all day long.

Imagine you had to put that effort into filling in the blanks for every conversation. As you worked to fill in those blanks, you gain an understanding of the listening demands placed on someone with a hearing loss to do the same in conversation!

This effort to process and make sense of the auditory bits and pieces you hear is an example of “cognitive load.” With cognitive load, the brain is preoccupied with filling in the blanks, leaving little energy to store and process what has been heard into working memory. The additional effort your brain spends making sense of speech, particularly when background noise is present, puts additional stress and anxiety on the listener. Stress or anxiety often result in a rush of adrenaline and muscle tension which can add to that sensation of being “drained” or physically tired at the end of the day.

As an NDFB member, you will receive a 10% discount on services and products. Professional Hearing Services has three main offices: Minot, Williston and Bismarck. (The Bismarck PHS office is located in the NDFB building.)

More on the PHS benefit here.