Fatigue can be defined as extreme tiredness resulting from physical or mental exertion. If you have hearing loss, you know how fatiguing it can be to carry on conversations, especially in big groups or when background noise is present. If you’ve been feeling worn out, it may be due to your hearing loss.
Hearing Loss and Cognitive Load
Cognitive load describes the effort you make to process auditory input. When you cannot hear well, your brain has to fill in the blanks, which leaves little energy to store what you’re hearing in your memory. This additional effort can lead to stress and anxiety, especially when background noise is present. Stress and anxiety, in turn, create a flood of adrenaline and cause muscle tension, leading to mental and even physical fatigue.
Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load
If you experience fatigue related to hearing loss, fortunately there are ways to limit its impact and help you feel more energized during daily interactions. Follow our tips below.
Take Breaks
If you feel yourself becoming tired or strained, it’s important to take a break and give your mind some time to rest. Step away from your stressful listening environment, put on some noise cancelling headphones or take a cat nap to reduce overstimulation.
Meditate
Meditation has gained popularity as a tool promoting mental and physical wellness. Meditation can be practiced anywhere, is 100 percent free and takes just a few minutes to benefit you. Try sitting or lying perfectly still, closing your eyes and focusing only on your breath flowing in and out of your body. Aim for three to five minutes at first, but aim to go longer each time.
Record & Transcribe Interactions
Struggling to keep up on conversation so you don’t miss out on anything is incredibly stressful, especially in environments like conference meetings or doctor’s appointments. To ease some of this burden, try recording meetings on your smartphone. You can also download transcription apps so you have a written record of what is said that you can revisit later.
For more information about cognitive load or to talk to an audiologist about improving your communications skills and abilities, contact the experts at Blue Ridge ENT today.