Some older adults feel overwhelmed by sound because of changes in how their ears and brain process noises as they age. One common cause is age-related hearing loss, known as presbycusis, which affects the inner ear and reduces the ability to hear high-frequency sounds clearly. This makes it harder for them to filter out background noise, so everyday sounds can become confusing or overwhelming.
Besides hearing loss, other factors contribute to this feeling. The brain’s auditory processing centers may deteriorate with conditions like dementia, causing increased sensitivity to certain sounds or even auditory hallucinations—hearing noises that aren’t there. This heightened sensitivity means that normal sounds such as ticking clocks or ringing phones might feel too loud or distressing.
There is also a condition called misophonia where individuals have a decreased tolerance for specific sounds like chewing or tapping. Although not fully understood, misophonia seems related more to how the brain interprets sound rather than problems with the ears themselves.
Health issues common in older adults—such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes—can worsen hearing problems and affect how sound is processed. Environmental factors like long-term exposure to loud noise also play a role in damaging hearing over time.
Together, these changes mean that what used to be simple background noise can become an overwhelming flood of sound for some older people, leading them to feel stressed or anxious in noisy environments.
