Is the ringing in your ears stopping you from sleeping? It’s not necessary. If you want to sleep better, think about these tricks to quiet this aggravating unrelenting sound.
Your sleep habits can be drastically impacted by moderate to severe tinnitus. In the middle of the day, you’re preoccupied with noise and activity so your tinnitus might seem less noticeable. But tinnitus can seem louder and more disturbing at night when it’s quiet.
The good news is, if you want to have an easier time falling asleep, there are some techniques you can use.
Below are 5 tips to falling asleep in spite of your tinnitus.
1. Quit Resisting The Noise
While this may seem overwhelming, paying attention to the noise really makes it worse. This is in part because for many people a rise in blood pressure can worsen tinnitus symptoms. You will feel worse the more you think about it and your irritation will get worse. Focusing on something else and using the strategies below can help make the noise seem softer.
2. Establish a Nighttime Schedule
Establishing good sleep habits such as winding down at least a half hour before bed, dimming the lights and going to bed at the same time each night helps condition your body to feel sleepy at the correct time. When you’re ready to fall asleep it will be less difficult.
Tinnitus has also been associated with stress. Creating habits to lessen your stress level before you go to bed can also be helpful, like:
- Staying away from drinking alcohol
- Doing yoga and stretching
- Concentrating on thoughts that make you feel happy and calm
- Sitting in a quiet room and reading a book
- Making your bedroom a little cooler
- At least a few hours before bed, steer clear of eating
- Listening to soft music or gentle sounds
- Bathing
- Dimming the lights at least an hour before you go to bed
- Doing a quick meditation or a deep breathing exercise
Getting into a predictable schedule before bed helps you shift from the stresses of the day into night and trains your body to transition into sleep.
3. Watch What You Eat
Artificial sweeteners and alcohol are well-known triggers for tinnitus. If you discover, after monitoring your diet and symptoms, that certain foods trigger or worsen your tinnitus, make it a practice to avoid them. Caffeine is also a trigger so at least avoid drinking it in the afternoon and at night.
4. The Common Causes of Tinnitus Should be Avoided
Ringing or other noises in your ears can be caused by many things. Dealing with the cause can help avoid tinnitus or make it better. You can do a few things to help:
- In order to determine whether your exposed to loud noises, and how to limit that exposure, you have to assess your lifestyle
- Protect your ears
- Schedule an appointment for your annual examination
- To determine whether one of your medications is causing tinnitus symptoms consult your doctor
- If you have underlying conditions like high blood pressure, get help for it
- If you suffer from anxiety or depression, get it treated
- Use headphones at a lower volume instead of earbuds
If you can identify what’s causing the ringing in your ears, you may be able to manage it better.
5. Make an Appointment to See a Hearing Specialist
A professional hearing exam can help you find possible solutions as well as identify what might be causing your tinnitus. There are several ways hearing professionals can help you take care of your tinnitus including:
- Help you handle thought patterns shown to make tinnitus worse by recommending cognitive behavior therapy
- Fitting you for hearing aids designed to cancel out the noise
- Help you train your brain not to hear tinnitus by enrolling you in therapy
To speed up recovery and sleep better at night, seek professional help. Schedule an appointment with your hearing care professional to find out if you can get some help with your tinnitus.