Skip to main content
Enjoy 100 Day Free Trial and Lifetime Hearing Support.
help@audicus.com855-971-0451

For Partners

Take Free Hearing Test
audicus-hearing-loss-and-stress
audicus-hearing-loss-and-stress

Stress and Hearing Loss

Kristen Knight, BC-HIS

December 13, 2021

Updated: September 16, 2026

High amounts of stress can be bad for your body, and did you know this can include your hearing? Find out ways to manage your stress while protecting your ears!

Audicus

Free Hearing Test

Monitor your hearing health from home. Designed by audiologists.

Start Free Hearing Test
High amounts of stress can be bad for your body, and did you know this can include your hearing? Find out ways to manage your stress while protecting your ears!

Can Hearing Loss Be Caused By Stress?

Stress is a very common part of day-to-day living but having increased amounts of stress can result in hearing loss, as well as headaches, irritability, and digestive problems. Steps you can take to help stay relaxed include:

How Lack of Sleep Can Cause Hearing Loss

Getting enough sleep is extremely important for a healthy body and mind. Sleep is the time during which the body repairs muscles and strengthens bones. Although children usually need more sleep than adults. It's essential at all stages of life. Fatigue weakens your ability to focus and think critically, which will eventually lead to stress in the workplace. A lack of sleep can also increase your risk for diabetes and obesity, diseases that also result in hearing loss. Get at least seven hours of sleep daily and increase the number of hours you sleep if you still find yourself waking up tired.

Avoiding Stress-Induced Hearing Loss

Be sure to take regular breaks during work. Many stress-inducing tasks that seem difficult or impossible to complete can be made less difficult if you take a short interlude and address them later on. Individuals that work in particularly noisy environments like construction sites or subway stations are at an increased risk for hearing loss, and taking 15-minute breaks can reduce your chances of sustaining hearing damage in these work settings. Take advantage of lunch breaks and bathroom breaks to clear your head and move to a quieter place.

Treating Hearing Loss Caused by Stress

Have you ever thought that doing multiple assignments at the same time would help you to complete tasks faster? Multitasking may actually be less efficient, making you less productive and increasing your stress levels. Try to complete tasks one by one, rather than doing them simultaneously. If you find that you aren’t getting work done quickly enough, ask for help in completing tasks or find other methods to lessen your workload.

Exercising Regularly to Improve Hearing and Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Exercise is one of the best methods for counteracting stress. Even walking for 30 minutes a day can better your mood and lower stress. Regular exercises like running and lifting weights can also help to maintain normal body weight. Interestingly enough, obesity and diabetes are associated with hearing loss, so exercise will not only protect against stress-induced hearing loss but could also reduce the risk of other hearing loss factors.

Communicating When You Have Hearing Loss Caused by Stress

Many factors that cause stress can be resolved by extending communication. Let your boss or coworkers know what they can do to create a more comfortable work environment. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; having extra clarity will often make assignments easier to complete. Communicating with friends, family and other loved ones can be a great stress reliever and also help to better relationships. Not only will these steps preserve your health and hearing, but they can also increase your workplace productivity and quality of life.  
by Aaron Rodriguez
Omni 2 in hand
Omni 2 in hand

Free Hearing Test

Monitor your hearing health from home. Designed by audiologists.

Start Free Hearing Test

More Like This

Health and Wellness

Man in a cap and hearing protection riding on a tractor

How Hearing Loss Increases Injury Risk and What Unions Can Do About It

September 26, 2025

8 min read

Hearing loss raises the risk of falls, traffic, and workplace injuries. Learn how unions can protect members through screening, PPE, and safety policies.

Health

3 Construction workers in Yellow vests

Making Training Accessible for Members with Hearing Loss

September 26, 2025

6 min read

Learn how unions and employers can make training accessible for workers with hearing loss through ADA compliance, assistive tech, and inclusive practices.

Hearing Loss Education

A pair of headphones hanging on a stand

When Is Hearing Loss OSHA-Recordable?

September 26, 2025

6 min read

Learn when hearing loss becomes OSHA-recordable, including STS thresholds, work-related criteria, and compliance rules for OSHA 300 log reporting.