- Do you have bouts of insomnia or have trouble falling and staying asleep?
- Have you been diagnosed with sleep apnea?
- Do you have problems with tinnitus (ringing or other noises in the ears) that keep you up at night?
If any of this sounds like you, you’re not alone. The World Health Organization estimates one in three people worldwide will have a sleep disorder at some point in their life.
There is a strong association between sleeplessness and hearing issues. Recent studies show that there is a bidirectional relationship between sleep disorders and hearing loss. A 2023 study of over 230,000 adults found that sleep complaints (snoring, daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating) were linked to a higher risk of hearing loss.
Why Losing Sleep May Mean Hearing Loss
Restful sleep nourishes every aspect of your body, including your ears and auditory components. Sleep deprivation can affect you in many ways.
A common problem that causes sleep deprivation is obstructive sleep apnea or OSA, which can cause repeated sleep awakenings, reducing oxygen and blood flow to the inner ear, and potentially damaging cochlear cells. OSA occurs when the throat tissues relax during sleep, blocking the upper airway and reducing or completely stopping airflow.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it’s important to work with your doctor to keep the condition under control, whether you use a CPAP machine, Inspire® implant, or other means. Long-term OSA can increase the risk for other medical problems besides hearing loss including high blood pressure and type two diabetes.
Poor sleep reduces blood circulation to the inner ear and may cause electrolyte imbalances and deterioration to the immune system, which can damage sensitive inner ear hair cells and impair hearing.
How Hearing Loss Can Affect Sleep
It might sound counterintuitive, but hearing loss can heighten sensitivity to certain background sounds (such as low-frequency hums), making it harder to sleep peacefully. Sometimes the stress of being hearing impaired may cause someone to isolate socially, which can add to anxiety and insomnia.
Experiencing tinnitus—hearing phantom sounds such as ringing or buzzing—is a common problem of hearing loss and a cause of sleep disturbance. Sounds from tinnitus may even sound louder at night than during the day, and that contributes to poor sleep.
Ways to Improve Sleep and Protect Hearing
It’s critical to have consistent, restful sleep. Here are some things you can do:
- Treat OSA with appropriate medicate devices, such as a CPAP machine or Inspire device. Work with your doctor to find the best tool for you.
- Get help with tinnitus such as sound therapy, relaxation techniques, and professional counseling.
- Practice meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or other relaxation techniques around bedtime to help reduce stress.
- Set up an optimal sleep environment that includes a dark room set at a cool, comfortable temperature, and use a white noise device if it helps drown out other sounds.
Not sleeping well can take its toll while experiencing hearing loss can be frustrating—if not devastating–for anyone. We can help. At Wilks Hearing Center, our team provides expert hearing aid services for the people of Lawrence and Cedarhurst.