Sorry, I Can't Hear You

 

Do you sometimes find yourself asking people to repeat what they’ve just said to you? 

“Sorry? What did you say?”

Yep, we all have moments like that. Busy parents, especially, are more likely to experience audio burnout when too much is happening at the same time. Any parent of young children is probably familiar with competing siblings fighting for attention. When that happens, kids can often try to speak louder than their siblings in an effort to capture your attention. Needless to say, it doesn’t always work. In the end, you can’t hear what any of them said! 

This is a collaborative post

But what are the other situations that can affect your hearing and how to tackle them? 

Is it a recurring problem?

Nobody likes to talk about hearing loss, but when you frequently ask your interlocutors to repeat themselves, it’s worth booking a hearing test. However, it’s not all bad news. Temporary hearing disturbances happen more often than audiologists care to remember. They are typically linked to a blockage inside the ear. Earwax is the most common culprit and can be easily removed by a specialist if you struggle at home. Temporary inflammations and infections can also affect your hearing without causing any lasting damage. And even if it isn’t a temporary phenomenon, it’s best to get it sorted as early as possible! 

I never hear you on the phone

If you have no problem talking to people except on the phone, this could be linked to either your device or your phone coverage. It can be a good idea to record phone issues to narrow down your options. For instance, coverage problems happen in specific locations. Perhaps switching providers could improve your coverage. 

When the device is the source of your issues, you may be struggling with partially blocked comm systems. You can remove particles and dirt from your smartphone earpiece using blue tack to pick up residues. Otherwise, it can be helpful to change or repair the phone. 

I zone out

If you’re having trouble sleeping, your hearing loss could be caused by sleep deprivation. Ultimately, it is something that happens when your brain is too tired to handle the information. It switches off momentarily. If you often zone out when you’re talking to people, it’s a sign that your brain can’t take the mental toll. Typically, the lack of sleep is the most common reason! However, if you’re going through a highly stressful situation, your mind can reduce the load by zoning out from time to time. It’s a natural process when the mind is overwhelmed. Relax, and things will get back to normal! 

I didn’t catch your accent

There are hundreds of different accents in the same language. Regional accents and foreign accents can vary greatly. Sometimes, it can be tricky to understand what people say when you are not used to their accents. This has to do with sound recognition. Your mind is used to identify sounds by their “shapes”, so if someone changes those even slightly, your mind can’t always interpret what has been said. It’s not that you didn’t hear; you couldn’t make sense of the sounds. 

Are your ears deceiving you? 

Sometimes, you’re not sure what people are saying. Whether your hearing needs testing or whether you’re not paying attention, it’s important to get to the bottom of the problem. In the meantime, it doesn’t hurt to ask them to repeat!