Tinnitus Sleep Strategies

Getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep a night is hard for most adults, but those with tinnitus have an added roadblock. Not only can the ringing in the ears keep you awake, but the added anxiety and stress from the tinnitus can also make falling and staying asleep more complicated.

Below are our top tinnitus sleep strategies.

Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene includes having a daily routine and a well-crafted bedroom environment that promotes consistent and uninterrupted sleep. Some easy changes you can make to improve your sleep hygiene include:

• Keeping a sleep schedule (going to bed and waking up at the same time every day).
• Making your bedroom comfortable.
• Removing distractions from the bedroom.
• Following a bedtime routine.
• Reducing your caffeine intake.
• Turning down the thermostat.
• Keeping the bedroom as dark as possible.

These can be gradual changes instead of abrupt corrections. Allowing yourself to slowly adjust and settle into a new schedule gives you the best chance of success.

Improve Your Sound Masking Strategy

Playing background noise at a volume just below that of your tinnitus can help lower the perceived sound of the ringing in your ear and help you tune it out in order to fall asleep. If you are unable to drown out your tinnitus with this strategy, it can also help create a wall of sound to block out other noises that may wake you up.

Any sound can be used to mask tinnitus. Machines that create white noise are an option as well as specially-designed headphones to be worn while you sleep and pillows with built-in speakers. You can also just use a Bluetooth speaker connected to your smartphone. From there you can play sounds from one of the many available apps. You may opt for the sound of James River babbling or crickets chirping in the background. To learn more about how to get a good night sleep even with tinnitus or to schedule an appointment with a tinnitus expert, contact The Audiology Offices today.

Learn More About Tinnitus

• How Is Tinnitus Measured?
• Tinnitus: Understanding that Ringing in Your Ears