HEARING AND SLEEP

Sleep and hearing are not often though about together, but their relationship may be more important than you think. It’s safe to assume that hearing loss or a hearing related problem can affect the amount of sleep one gets at night. But can the amount of sleep affect the way you hear?

“Research indicates people who are well rested have active temporal lobes, which is the area of the brain that processes sound and interprets it as language,” says a recent healthy hearing article. In other words, the more rested you are, the better your brain functions. This could have a direct affect on your hearing.

Specific disorders can also cause problems. Take, for example, a disorder like sleep apnea. Some researchers believe that sleep apnea can lead to hearing loss due to reduced blood vessel function. “Auditory hair cells of the inner ear depend upon good blood flow,” says that healthy hearing article. Slow blood flow may damage certain parts of the ear.

Sleep can also affect other hearing related problem, such as tinnitus. A sleepless night (in addition to maybe an overindulgence of alcohol or caffeine) can often temporarily increase tinnitus’s effects. Many sufferers often report more pronounced pulsing or whooshing after a poor rest.

Getting a good night’s rest is important, for both preventative and hearing maintenance reasons. It also never hurts to have a positive outlook.

Speak with a Specialist

Ready to start your journey to better hearing? Let our hearing care professionals find the right solution for you.

Schedule an Appointment

© 2024 REM Audiology. All right reserved. | Privacy Policy |

The purpose of this hearing assessment and/or demonstration is for hearing wellness and to determine if the consumer may benefit from using hearing aids, which may include selling and fitting hearing aids. Products demonstrated may differ from products sold. Assessment conclusion is not a medical diagnosis and further testing may be required to diagnose hearing loss. The use of any hearing aid may not fully restore normal hearing and does not prevent future hearing loss. Hearing instruments may not meet the needs of all hearing-impaired individuals.