Is the ringing in your ears keeping you awake? You don’t have to just live with it. If you want to get a better nights sleep, think about these tricks to tone down this annoying unrelenting noise.
Your sleep habits can be drastically impacted by moderate to severe tinnitus. During the day, tinnitus is often less noticeable because you’re preoccupied with noise and activity. But at night, when there’s less noise, tinnitus can get louder and more stressful.
The good news is, if you would like to fall asleep easier, there are some techniques you can use.
Five tricks for falling asleep with tinnitus are shown below.
1. Stop Resisting The Noise
Even though this might sound impossible, if you focus on it, it gets worse. This is in part because for most people a rise in blood pressure can worsen tinnitus symptoms. So the more irritated you get dwelling on it, the worse you are likely to feel. Paying attention to something else and making use of the strategies below can help make the noise seem quieter.
2. Follow a Nighttime Routine
Condition your body to feel sleepy at the right time by developing healthy sleep habits like dimming the lights, winding down at least a 30 minutes before bed, and going to bed at the same time every night. This will make it less difficult to fall asleep when you’re ready.
Stress has also been associated with tinnitus. It also helps to develop habits to lessen stress before bed.
- Doing a quick meditation or a deep breathing exercise
- Dimming the lights at least an hour before bedtime
- Sitting in a quiet room and reading a book
- Turn down the temperature in your bedroom
- Stay away from eating a few hours before going to bed
- Doing yoga and stretching
- Taking a bath
- Staying away from alcohol
- Listening to soft music or gentle sounds
- Focusing on thoughts that make you calm and happy
Teaching your body to transition into sleep by getting into a predictable routine before bed helps you shift away from the stresses of the day.
3. Pay Attention to What You Eat
Artificial sweeteners and alcohol are known triggers for tinnitus. If you discover, after monitoring your diet and symptoms, that certain foods trigger or worsen your tinnitus, make it a habit to stay away from them. You might feel that you still need your morning coffee, but avoid caffeine in the afternoon or evening.
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 of tinnitus can help it get better or even prevent it altogether. You can do a few things to help:
- Go for your annual exam
- Review your medications with your doctor to see if one may be causing tinnitus symptoms
- Use ear protection
- If you suffer from depression or anxiety, get it treated
- Use headphones at a lower volume instead of earbuds
- If you have underlying conditions like high blood pressure, get help for it
- so that you can identify whether your subjected to loud noises, and how to reduce that exposure, you have to assess your lifestyle
If you can determine what’s causing the ringing in your ears, you might 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. Professionals can help you handle your tinnitus in many ways such as:
- Scheduling a noise canceling hearing aid fitting
- Enrolling in therapy to train your brain to not hear the tinnitus
- Suggesting cognitive behavioral therapy to deal with thought patterns shown to make tinnitus worse
Professional help can speed up recovery and assist you to sleep better at night. To see if you can get some help with your tinnitus, schedule your appointment with a hearing care specialist.