Stress Awareness Month and Hearing Loss

Stress and Hearing Loss: The Hidden Connection in Quiet Workplaces

April is Stress Awareness Month — a time to shine a light on the impact of stress on our health. While we often think about stress in terms of mental health, did you know that stress can also affect your hearing? Yes, even in quiet workplaces!

As an Audiologist and founder of Workplace Ear Care that provides hearing tests at work, I’ve seen first hand how overlooked hearing health can be — especially in the quiet workplaces without loud machinery or constant noise. The truth is, stress can play a major role in hearing issues, and early detection is key to protecting your hearing and overall wellbeing. Let’s explore how stress and hearing loss are connected and why it’s time to take hearing health seriously, no matter how quiet your office might be.

How does stress affect your hearing?

Stress triggers a series of physiological responses in your body. When you’re stressed, your body goes into “fight or flight” mode, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline (Emami, 2024). This increases your heart rate and blood pressure — and that’s where the trouble starts for your hearing.

1. Reduced Blood Flow to the Inner Ear

Your inner ear, the cochlea, relies on a steady blood supply to function properly. Stress can restrict this blood flow, depriving the sensitive outer hair cells in your cochlea of oxygen. Once these outer hair cells are damaged, these cells don’t regenerate which leads to a permanent hearing loss.

2. Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)

Some of you may have noticed a ringing or buzzing sound in your ears after a stressful day. That is tinnitus and stress can make it worse. Stress increases neural activity within the inner ear, which can heighten the perception of internal sounds like ringing or buzzing. Over time, chronic stress can make tinnitus harder to ignore.

3. Hyperacusis (Increased Sound Sensitivity)

Stress can also make you more sensitive to everyday sounds. If normal office noises — like typing or conversations — suddenly feel too loud or irritating, stress could be amplifying your body’s response to sound.

Why is Hearing Loss Overlooked in Quiet Workplaces?

In noisy environments like factories or construction sites, hearing tests are often mandatory. But in quiet workplaces — like offices, contact centres, and retail settings — hearing health is rarely on the radar. That’s a problem because:

• Noise isn’t the only cause of hearing loss — stress, age, and even certain medications can contribute.

• Hearing loss often develops gradually, making it easy to miss until communication problems or withdrawing from social situations appear.

• Untreated hearing loss can lead to mental fatigue, depression, and reduced job performance — all of which increase stress levels even further. RNID states that those with a hearing loss are twice as likely to experience mental health problems compared to those without a hearing loss.

Why Should Employers Offer Hearing Tests at Work?

If you want to reduce stress in the workplace, start with hearing health. Offering hearing tests at work is a simple yet powerful way to:

• Detect early signs of hearing loss — before it starts affecting performance and mental health.

• Reduce workplace stress — better hearing means fewer communication issues, less frustration, and improved team dynamics. A study from 2014 showed 41% of workers retired early as their hearing loss affected their communication at work (British Academy of Audiology).

• Support employee wellbeing — showing that you care about hearing health boosts morale and engagement.

Take Action: Book a Workplace Hearing Test Today!

Stress is unavoidable, but hearing loss doesn’t have to be. At Workplace Ear Care, we specialise in providing professional hearing tests for quiet workplaces. Our easy, on-site hearing test ensures that your team’s hearing health is in top shape — with minimal disruption to the workday.

Don’t wait for hearing issues to become a problem. This Stress Awareness Month, take a proactive step toward better hearing and a healthier, happier workforce. Contact us today to schedule your workplace hearing tests!

Investing in hearing health isn’t just good for your ears — it’s good for business.

Written by Nicola Miller BSc MSHAA, Director and Clinical Lead at Workplace Ear Care.

Nicola is an Audiologist with 15 years of experience working in both the NHS and private sectors