Have you every struggled in a dimly lit room? You are not alone. Most Acoustic Neuroma Warriors struggle with low lighting for a variety of reasons.

First off, with the balance nerve on one side compromised or literally removed, we rely on our eyes a lot for balance. That means that in situations with dim or poor lighting we all work a lot harder to orient ourselves in space and stay upright. This can lead to clumsiness as well as brain fatigue from working so hard on balance.

Also, with hearing loss, we rely more on speech reading clues like lip reading and facial/body language. When it is harder to see the other people you are talking to, it takes more focus and cognitive bandwidth to catch all of what someone else is communicating.

For these reasons, dim lighting is really fatiguing. In your home, I recommend keeping lighting on and on a brighter setting. Nightlights can be super beneficial for any nighttime trips you make about your home. Remember you have a flashlight on your phone for any evening excursions, especially over uneven surfaces like grass. Research restaurants and look at their images on Google to see if they are extra dim or not. Don’t be afraid to ask for brighter lighting in a situation where you can- such a friend’s home or even your yoga studio (my yoga instructor literally turns up the light over me to help me out). Also, know that when events are advertised as candlelit that they will cost you more energy and plan appropriately.

Also, be aware of situations that may have strobe lights: like haunted houses, concerts, plays, clubs, etc. I have found that strobe lights completely overwhelm my brain since my brain surgery, and I get extremely motion sick and ill. Watch out for warnings of strobes and be prepared for an exit strategy or to close your eyes and have a buddy lead you out of the strobing light.

Keep in mind that if you are working on challenging your balance, you can always dim the lights to increase the complexity of your exercises. You may, however, wish to try new or extra challenging things in a bright light situation. It all depends on what you hope to get out of it.