Fatigue

People with hearing loss use a lot of energy on listening and making out what is being said. They are constantly at work “listening” and therefore tire out more easily and quickly than people with normal hearing.

What can you do to ease listening?

Look around in the room and position yourself where you hear best.

Take a rest a couple of times during the day. It doesn’t take much - brief recesses from the listening work give new energy.

Make sure to have a good rest after work.

Allow yourself intervals where you do not use energy on listening - don’t listen! Make it clear to the people around you that you are taking a break and also remember to say when you start listening again.

Practise some relaxation exercises.

At parties you should permit yourself to withdraw to a quiet room where you can relax.

Make use of other people’s experience. Establish a self-help group, where you and the other participants can exchange ideas on, for example, how to get some rest without having a bad conscience.

Make sure that your hearing aids are exactly right for your hearing loss.

If you feel abnormally tired or are worried about your low fatigue threshold, you should see a physician.

What can others do?

Help people with hearing loss create some oases for rest.

When you see that a person with hearing loss is tired, you could suggest that they take a break.

At parties you can help your hearing impaired companion find a quiet room, where he or she can rest when necessary.

Show understanding and acceptance if your hearing impaired companion wishes to leave a party before you do. Plan in advance what you will do in such a situation – so that the good atmosphere is not spoiled when your companion becomes tired.

Remember; it is easier to become annoyed and aggressive when you are tired. If a person with reduced hearing snaps at you or seems annoyed, it doesn’t have to have anything to do with you – it could be an indication of fatigue.