You have likely experienced that point in time during the evening when all is quiet within the household, however, the ‘noise’ inside your head continues to scream. The children are sleeping, the dishes are being washed, your phone is no longer “beeping,” yet you continue to feel exhausted from what is nothing more than noise. It’s not the job. It’s not the chores. It’s the noise. For mothers who lead very active lives, the act of listening has now taken on a form of labor as well.
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The Way Your Ears Work Each Day
As soon as someone says “Mom!” In the morning until the final “Mom?” In the evening, your ears never cease to sort through an assortment of different noises. You hear the baby monitor, the timer counting down on the stove, updates about your child’s school coming over your phone, your dog barking, the TV blaring softly in the background, and a small, subtle change in your child’s voice telling you they’re experiencing distress.
This type of listening isn’t passive. Your mind is filtering, evaluating, reacting, and remaining alert. Whether you are actively communicating or passively listening, either way, you are still mentally processing. Ultimately, after hours of this type of mental activity, many women describe feelings of exhaustion.
Background Noise Adds To Your Fatigue
It typically occurs in everyday environments, such as a crowded kitchen, a school pick-up line, a grocery store with soft music blasting overhead, or multiple simultaneous conversations at a birthday party.
You may begin to ask individuals to repeat themselves. You might start to get annoyed with the sounds that normally don’t disturb you. You might need to escape to be alone (i.e., silent) but feel guilty for doing so.
This doesn’t imply you are irritable or overly sensitive. It may merely signify your nervous system has worked overtime while trying to filter out all the different sounds around you.
When Buzzing Gets In The Way
Some women experience listening fatigue in addition to constant ringing, buzzing or hissing in their ears. This continuous internal sound can weigh heavily upon conversation(s), especially at the conclusion of each exhausting day.
If you’ve ever felt this same type of exhaustion, we would recommend discussing these issues with a hearing specialist to explore options for tinnitus treatment and ways to alleviate daily stress related to excessive listening.
There are also smaller adjustments that will assist. Try reducing the volume level of the background noise in your household. Try taking brief moments of silence in your vehicle before entering the next endeavor. Spend two minutes outside of your car and/or away from your phone. Provide your ears and brain with opportunities to relax and restore balance.
Quietness Is Not An Indulgence
Mothers are generally expected to absorb every aspect of their role. Questions. Noise. Needs. Emotions. However, when a mother requires quietness, she is not demonstrating her inability to be present. She may actually need quiet to recharge and come back softer, calmer, and more connected to others.
Therefore, if a Mom feels overwhelmed by noise throughout her day, she should acknowledge that feeling and allow herself to recognize whether her body is seeking to recover from fatigue by seeking out periods of quiet.