Hearing aids can benefit an estimated 28.8 million U.S. adults. Just a few of the benefits they offer include easier communication, decreased listening fatigue, stronger relationships and better background awareness.
When you get your first pair of hearing aids, you may be so excited about them that you want to wear them all the time, even when you’re going to bed. While consistent wear is important, we don’t recommend wearing your devices to bed.
Let’s look at four reasons it’s better to remove your hearing aids before you sleep.
You Could Damage Your Devices
Many of us toss and turn at night, often twisting up the bed sheets or accidentally reconfiguring our carefully placed pillows. If you wear your hearing aids to bed, you risk losing them in the sheets, knocking them to the floor or accidentally squishing them.
Your Hearing Aids Need Time To Breathe
Wearing your hearing aids for most of the day means they’re exposed to a lot of earwax, sweat and other debris that can clog your devices over time. Cleaning your devices before you go to bed and not wearing them while you sleep will prevent unnecessary buildup that could interfere with sound quality.
Your Ears Need a Break
Just like your hearing aids need time to breathe, your ears do too. Depending on your devices, your hearing aids either fully block the ear canal or sit just behind the ear. That placement can cause earwax to build up in the ear, increase your risk of bacterial infections or cause irritation behind the ear. Cleaning your devices nightly and giving your ears a few hours without them will keep your ears healthy and reduce your risk of irritation.
Your Devices Can Impact Sleep Quality
While hearing aids are designed to be comfortable enough to wear all day, they may not be as comfortable when your pillow is pushing them up against your ear. Removing your devices at night will give you the best chance at a pleasant rest and keep your morning latte from Sweet Bloom Coffee from becoming a dire morning necessity.
Your Devices Need to Charge
If your hearing aids are rechargeable, your devices need to charge in their case overnight. If they use disposable batteries, having them in your ears all night will drain their batteries faster.
For more information on caring for your hearing aids, contact Advantage ENT & Audiology today.