Sleep is critical. If you don’t get a complete, relaxing seven to eight hours of sleep, you get up groggy and cranky, an unpleasant feeling that only three cups of coffee can keep at bay. So you were aghast when your hearing loss started to cause you to lose sleep.

Justifiably so. But there’s something that can be of assistance, fortunately: a hearing aid. It’s feasible that these small devices can help you get a better night sleep, according to the latest surveys.

How Does Hearing Loss Impact Sleep?

Recently, you’ve noticed yourself counting sheep more than usual, fighting fatigue all day regardless of how much sleep you get, and then having a hard time falling asleep at night (despite your exhaustion). All of these issues started about the same time you also began to notice that your mobile phone, radio, and television were becoming hard to hear.

It’s not your imagination come to find. There is a well-documented relationship between hearing loss and insomnia, even if the exact sources aren’t completely clear. Some theories have been put forward:

• Hearing loss is connected to depression, and your sleep cycle can be disturbed by chemical imbalances caused by depression. Because of this, falling asleep and staying asleep becomes more difficult.
• Tinnitus can cause you to hear thumping, humming, and ringing and that noise can cause you to lose sleep. (Lack of sleep can also cause your tinnitus to get worse, which can then cause stronger insomnia, it’s a vicious cycle).
• Your brain, when you have loss of hearing, strains to get input where there isn’t any. If your brain is in high gear attempting to hear while you’re trying to sleep, your entire cycle could be disrupted (It’s the typical issue of not being able to get your brain to turn off).

Can Your Sleep be Helped by Using Hearing Aids?

According to one study, 44% of people with loss of hearing who don’t use hearing aids reported being satisfied with their sleep compared to 59% sleep satisfaction among those who did use a hearing aid. So does that mean it’s safe to suppose hearing aids are also a kind of sleep aid?

Not really. If your hearing is completely healthy, using hearing aids isn’t going to cure your insomnia.

But if you suffer from hearing loss related insomnia, hearing aids could help in several critical ways:

• Isolation: Your not so likely to feel depressed and isolated if you can connect with people in your social circle when you’re out and about. Relationships become easier with hearing aids (this can also reduce “cabin fever”-associated sleep cycle troubles).
• Strain: The damage on your brain will essentially decreased by using hearing aids. And your brain won’t be as likely to strain while falling asleep if it isn’t straining all of the rest of the time.
• Tinnitus: Depending on the cause and nature of your tinnitus, hearing aids might provide a practical way of managing that buzzing and ringing. This can help short circuit that vicious cycle and help you get to sleep.

Achieving a Better Night Sleep Using Hearing Aids

It’s not just the number of hours that’s significant here. How deep you sleep is as important as how many hours you sleep. Loss of hearing can reduce that deep sleep, and hearing aids, as a result, can enhance your ability to enjoy restful sleep.

It’s important to note that even though they’ll help better your sleep, most hearing aids are not intended to be worn at night. They don’t help you hear better when you’re in bed (for instance, you won’t hear your alarm clock more clearly). And your hearing aids can actually wear out faster if you use them during the night. You get better sleep if you wear them during the day.

Go to Bed!

Getting a restful night’s sleep is a valuable thing. Your stress level, your immune system, and your ability to think clearly will all be enhanced by ample sleep. A reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease have also been connected to healthy sleep habits.

When your sleep schedule is disturbed by your hearing loss, it’s not only a small irritation, insomnia can often lead to serious health problems. Luckily, most surveys report that people with hearing aids have better quality of sleep.