Reigning Miss South Africa Mia le Roux has come forward to educate people on what deaf fatigue is.

On the eve of the Miss Universe pageant which took place this weekend, the 28-year-old who withdrew from the finale due to health concerns. Mia took to social media to share what it’s been like for her during the rehearsal period leading up to the finals.

“We deaf individuals suffer from something called deaf fatigue because we actually concentrate so much harder on listening and following what is happening,” explains Le Roux.

“So I moved through all of my duties very very quickly so I could afford to take a rest day and I think it was super important for me to do just that.”

She adds that as much as deaf fatigue is a thing, it’s also not something to be worried about or to be stressed about and that it’s just something that you have to be mindful of and just watch out for the signs.

She explains that signs would include experiencing vertigo or feeling very tired.

@missuniverseza “Deaf Fatigue” - a new concept for us all to learn and be mindful about. Mia explains her absence from social media this past sunday. #MissSouthAfrica #MissUniverse2024 #fyp #MissUniverse #MiaLeRoux #SouthAfrica #MissUniverseSouthAfrica #MissSA #satiktok🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 #tiktoksa #satiktok #fypシ゚ ♬ Lights Are On - Instrumental - Edith Whiskers

“Then you just rest a bit and then you come back stronger and work even harder and fight for your space,” she advises.

In another video, she does, however, say that even though she has a cochlear implant, she still has difficulty following instructions.

“I’m supposed to be able to follow music which I can’t do. Like other people who have cochlear implants who dance, they’ve had practice, they’ve learned a different way to follow it,” she says.

“And when I tried to practice with all the girls, everyone was very loud and talking and I couldn’t follow. It was just a lot. I feel inadequate,” she added.

On Sunday, Miss Denmark Victoria Kjær Theilvig was crowned Miss Universe, with Miss Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina as runner-up.

IOL Lifestyle