Ringing in your ears keeping you awake? It’s not necessary. If you want to get a better nights sleep, think about these tricks to quiet this aggravating persistent noise.
Your sleep habits can be dramatically impacted by moderate to severe tinnitus. During the day, you’re distracted by noise and activity so your tinnitus may seem less noticeable. But during the night, when there’s less noise, tinnitus can get louder and more disturbing.
Fortunately, there are a few techniques you can use to fall asleep more easily.
Below are 5 techniques to falling asleep in spite of your tinnitus.
1. Don’t Resist The Noise
Although this may sound impossible, if you pay attention to it, it becomes worse. This is to some extent because for most people higher blood pressure can make tinnitus symptoms worse. So the more irritated you become thinking about it, the worse you are probably going to feel. Focusing on something else and using the techniques below can help make the noise seem quieter.
2. Follow a Nighttime Schedule
Establishing healthy 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 be sleepy at the correct time. When you’re ready to fall asleep it will be less difficult.
Tinnitus has also been associated with stress. Developing habits to lower your stress level before you go to bed can also help, like:
- Staying away from alcohol
- Dimming the lights at least one hour before you go to bed
- At least a few hours before bed, avoid eating
- Turn down the temperature in your bedroom
- Doing deep breathing or a quick meditation
- Focusing on thoughts that make you feel happy and relaxed
- Reading a book in a peaceful room
- Doing yoga and stretching
- Listening to gentle sounds or soft music
- Taking a bath
Training your body to transition into sleep by getting into a predictable regimen before bed helps you shift away from the stresses of the day.
3. Pay Attention to What You Eat
There are known triggers to tinnitus such as alcohol and artificial sweeteners. If you find, after tracking your diet and symptoms, that certain foods trigger or worsen your tinnitus, make it a practice to stay away from them. You may feel that you still need your morning coffee, but avoid caffeine in the afternoon or evening.
4. Avoid Common Causes of Tinnitus
Ringing or other noises in your ears can be caused by many things. Addressing the cause can help prevent tinnitus or make it better. You can do a few things to help:
- Safeguard your ears
- To find out if one of your medications is causing tinnitus symptoms consult your doctor
- If you have underlying conditions such as high blood pressure, get help for it
- If you have anxiety or depression, get it taken care of
- Don’t use earbuds…use headphones instead and keep the sound level low
- Make an appointment for your annual checkup
- In order to determine whether your exposed to loud noises, and how to reduce that exposure, you have to assess your lifestyle
You may be able to better deal with it if you can determine what’s causing the ringing.
5. Get Examined
A professional hearing test can help you determine what’s causing your tinnitus and indicate possible treatments. Professionals can help you manage your tinnitus in several ways such as:
- Help you train your brain to not hear tinnitus by enrolling you in therapy
- Scheduling a noise canceling hearing aid fitting
- Recommending cognitive behavioral therapy to deal with thought patterns shown to make tinnitus worse
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.