To realise it’s actually me.

[jaysrocks]

I met up with my mum recently, we don’t live very near but the whole time she kept asking me to repeat myself as she said she thought she must be losing her hearing.

Dh has kept asking me to repeat myself over the last few weeks too and started wondering if there’s something wrong with his hearing.

I made an important phone call today with a very apologetic lady who thought she must be losing her hearing.

My children keep asking me to repeat myself.

I called out to the usually friendly neighbour who didn’t respond.

Today my child’s teacher had a quick chat but kept asking me to repeat myself because she couldn’t hear very well.

Lastly we just popped into the pharmacy for my prescription and I had to say my very simple last name 3 times before being asked to spell it because the man behind the counter said he was a being a bit deaf.

It’s not a bad hearing epidemic is it?

Am I losing my hearing? Would that make my voice quieter ?To me I sound the same.

I’d say about a month now.

Surely if you were losing your hearing you’d be speaking loudly? Do you mumble or talk quickly maybe?

Yes, it probably is you, but I think it’s easily fixed. Do you mumble or talk softly? I work with someone who has hearing loss and they talk quietly. Specsavers do a good test which I think is free.

Not really, why would she suddenly start speaking quietly? It could easily be related to hearing.

OP ask your husband what he thinks and if he’s noticed any change in how you talk, then maybe seek a hearing test to rule any hearing issues out.

Can you hear everyone else perfectly well?

Also it’s possible that any change in hearing is actually a blockage - maybe wax?

Is it that you've only just started doing it? Or that you've only just started noticing that people keep asking you to repeat yourself.

Its easy to assume that you've only just started mumbling, but maybe your Mum really is starting to lose her hearing, and so asked you to repeat yourself more often, that its now drawn your attention to a pattern in other people as well.

I think it's more likely that you are mumbling more than usual for some reason. My XH had a soft accent and would speak very very quietly and lack of volume combined with accent meant that EVERYONE had to ask him to repeat himself. He also thought it was other people but really it was just the way he spoke.

Usually yes, not always which is why people have suggested it. Usually people don’t just suddenly start talking quietly/mumbling a lot out of nowhere either

Losing your hearing would not make you speak more quietly. (ime)

You are either mumbling or perhaps slurring your words.

Ask your husband.

Having blocked ears can make you talk more quietly because you can hear your own voice more loudly inside your own head. I'd make an appointment at Specsavers to get your hearing checked. They can also suction wax out of your ears if necessary to remove a blockage and restore your hearing.

If you know everything, why not tell OP what the issue is?

Specsavers is a good recommendation as a PP said.

I am the opposite- I find myself asking others to repeat themselves as I don’t catch key words. I probably should make an appointment tbh!

Dh keeps stopping me mid sentence and saying you’ll have to speak up I can’t hear you, exactly as my mum but thinking it must be them.
I have started to notice it in public now with staff or public leaning in closer or straining to hear suddenly.

Are you tired/stressed? I'm a naturally quiet person and have to actively remember to talk up. when I'm tired I revert to talking quietly as I haven't got the energy to think about talking more loudly

My friend is deaf (wears hearing aids) and she often speaks loudly because she can’t hear herself speak…I’ve recently had to have my ears syringed and I was temporarily really quite deaf!

You can do an online hearing test for free on the RNID website. That will let you know if it’s you and you’re somehow speaking more quietly.