How Can I Get Nighttime Relief from my Tinnitus?

Suppose you are having a problem getting off to sleep. It could be that the shift from somewhat noisy daytime surroundings to the quiet hush of your bedroom makes your tinnitus sounds more apparent. Here, we share some strategies for nighttime tinnitus relief. These tinnitus treatment ideas can be very helpful and allow you to have a restful night.

Sound Therapy 

Having some low-level sound can help you mask your tinnitus, since many of us will experience a range of phantom sounds when presented with total silence. These types of sound therapy or sound enrichment can serve as a distraction from your tinnitus.

Types of sound enrichment can include the following:

• A radio or CD player
• Smartphone Apps
• Wearable or table-top sound generators
• Environmental sounds via a fan, a ticking clock or an open window

Sound therapy enables people to habituate to their tinnitus if used sparingly and at low volume. If the sounds are at high volume to mask or effectively drown out the tinnitus, then you could become wholly reliant on them, and they will cease to help with long-term habituation.

Habituation is defined as a decline in responding to a repeated stimulus. It is probably best achieved if you use sound enrichment at a level that is a little quieter than your tinnitus most of the time. Some people have used masking (loud noise which drowns out the tinnitus) to give themselves a bit of relief. However, this approach does nothing to encourage long-term habituation, and sometimes the tinnitus appears louder when the masking is off.

Wearable sound generator users tend to dispense with them once they can manage their tinnitus better. Bedside devices may also prove unnecessary once you have established a regular sleeping pattern.

Sound therapy is just one small aspect of a broader sleep hygiene strategy. Here are some other tactics for improving your sleep and making your tinnitus less intrusive.

Journaling 

Racing thoughts can make it challenging to fall asleep. Having too many ideas in our heads can lead to unhelpful mental chatter. Sleep becomes increasingly difficult if you add tinnitus to the anxiety caused by a busy mind. Taking a few minutes to write your thoughts can help to silence the brain noise. You can unload them in a stream of consciousness, produce a structured to-do list or perhaps let go of any intrusive thoughts relating to your tinnitus. These can all help to empty your mind and help you to fall asleep more quickly.

Adopt a Relaxing Bedtime Routine

Some of the activities that we routinely undertake before bed can make it harder to sleep. Playing on your phone or watching a compelling TV drama can stimulate your brain when the focus should be on calming your thoughts. Relaxation can be physical or mental. Try taking a hot bath or indulge in some gentle self-massage. Alternatively, you could follow a guided meditation, listen to some peaceful music or spend time with your pets.

Try to follow a similar routine each night, and soon, your brain will associate it with falling asleep.

Be Screen Smart 

Our body has a natural cycle known as the circadian rhythm. Our bodies secrete daytime hormones; then, at night, when there is no natural light, the brain produces melatonin, which tells our body that it’s time to go to sleep. However, when our TVs, mobile phones and computers emit blue light, this fools our brain into thinking it’s still daytime. As a result, we can struggle to fall asleep if we use these devices before bed.

To combat this, avoid using any backlit device for around 90 minutes before your bedtime. Alternatively, use the screen dimming features that appear on most computer screens or mobile phones or purchase a pair of blue-light blocking glasses.

Keep Regular Sleeping Hours 

Make a plan to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Whilst this may not be challenging if you’re newly diagnosed and struggling with tinnitus, it’s a straightforward and effective way to improve your sleep consistency. Even if you wake up early, it’s worth persevering with the strategy as random sleeping and waking hours can stop you from getting deep restorative sleep.

Aim for a Pitch Black Bedroom

Ambient light comes from many sources, including alarm clocks, streetlights, power indicator lights, mobile phones and thin curtains. These can all disrupt your sleep quality. A bedroom utterly devoid of light can make it far easier to fall asleep and stay asleep for longer.

The simplest way of eliminating all light sources is to wear a sleep mask; however, if you find this uncomfortable, you can follow a few simple steps:

• Use blackout curtains
• Cover any LED power lights with black electrical tape
• Mask the gaps around the edges of doors with a draught excluder
• Use touch laps with red night light bulbs
• Replace your digital alarm clock with an older battery alarm
• Leave your mobile phone in another room

In this way, you’ll prevent unwanted light sources from curtailing your precious sleep. In addition, if you wake in the night, a darkened room will help you fall back to sleep.

Keeping it Cool

Your bedroom’s temperature can make a big difference to the quality of your sleep. For the Sleep Foundation, the best room temperature for sleep is around 18 degrees Celsius. Since our bodies expect a dip in temperature at night, tweaking the thermostat can signal to your body that it’s time for sleep. Some also suggest that a hot bath before bed can kickstart the body’s cooling process and promote restful sleep.

Reduce Your Caffeine Intake

Many believe that caffeine is a common trigger for many tinnitus sufferers. Even if it’s not, excessive caffeine consumption, especially later in the day, can make it much harder to fall asleep. It also impairs your sleep quality.

If your tinnitus is causing you a problem, it may be worth cutting out caffeine temporarily to gauge the effects of removing this stimulant. Since your nervous system is already agitated by tinnitus, caffeine can additionally raise your anxiety and stress levels. As a minimum, try reducing your caffeine intake and avoid it altogether for, say, eight hours before you go to bed.

Don’t Toss and Turn 

If you’ve been lying awake for some time or have woken and can’t get back off to sleep back to sleep, don’t just lay there and hope for the best. You will become frustrated, further reducing your sleep chances and exacerbating your tinnitus. It’s a bad idea that rarely works out well.

Digestion uses physiological energy, and eating will usually help you feel tired. So, get up, and have a light snack. Then, sit in a comfortable chair, put on some music or other background noise read for a while. When you begin to yawn or feel sleepy, get back into bed. The change of routine often helps you to return to sleep.

Additional Help with Tinnitus and Sleep

It can often help to speak with others and share your tinnitus and sleep concerns and coping strategies. The British Tinnitus Association has a nationwide network of tinnitus support groups that meet in person or online. Attendees have found that speaking with others who are experiencing similar issues can help to reduce their burden.

Please do also check out the directory of AIHHP’s Centres of Excellence for members’ clinics that specialise in tinnitus treatment.