Are you being kept up by ringing in your ears? It’s not necessary. Here are a few tips for quieting that aggravating, constant noise so you can sleep better.
Moderate to severe tinnitus can really throw a monkey wrench in your sleeping habits. During the day, you’re preoccupied with noise and activity so your tinnitus may seem less noticeable. But during the night, when it’s quiet, tinnitus can get louder and more disturbing.
The good news is, if you want to have an easier time falling asleep, there are some techniques you can use.
Below are 5 techniques to falling asleep in spite of your tinnitus.
1. Quit Resisting The Noise
Though this might sound impossible, if you focus on it, it gets worse. If you begin to become frustrated, your blood pressure rises and this causes tinnitus symptoms to get worse. So the more frustrated you become dwelling on it, the worse you are probably going to feel. You can make the sound fade away a little by thinking about something else and utilizing the following techniques.
2. Follow a Nighttime Routine
Establishing healthy sleep habits such as winding down at least 30 minutes before bed, dimming the lights and going to bed at the same time each night helps condition your body to be sleepy at the right time. When you’re ready to fall asleep it will be less difficult.
Stress has also been associated with tinnitus. Creating habits to lessen your stress level before bed can also help, such as:
- Making your bedroom a little cooler
- Focusing on thoughts that make you happy and calm
- At least a few hours before bed, avoid eating
- Staying away from drinking alcohol
- Stretching or doing yoga
- Bathing
- At least one hour before going to bed, dim the lights
- Listening to gentle sounds or soft music
- Doing deep breathing or a quick meditation
- Reading a book in a peaceful room
Teaching your body to transition into sleep by getting into a predictable regimen before bed helps you transition away from the stresses of the day.
3. Watch What You Eat
There are known triggers to tinnitus like alcohol and artificial sweeteners. If you discover, after monitoring your diet and symptoms, that specific foods trigger or worsen your tinnitus, make it a habit to steer clear of them. Caffeine is also a trigger so at least avoid having any in the afternoon and at night.
4. Avoid Common Causes of Tinnitus
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 several things to help:
- If you have depression or anxiety, get it treated
- Go over your medications with your doctor to see if one may be causing tinnitus symptoms
- Protect your ears
- Assess your lifestyle to identify whether you’re exposed to loud noises (and how to limit exposure)
- Schedule an appointment for your annual checkup
- If you have underlying conditions such as high blood pressure, get help for it
- Use headphones at a lower volume instead of earbuds
If you can determine what’s causing the ringing in your ears, you might be able to manage it better.
5. Get Examined by a Hearing Care Specialist
A professional hearing examination can help you find potential solutions as well as identify what may be causing your tinnitus. Professionals can help you handle your tinnitus in several ways such as:
- Help you handle thought patterns revealed to make tinnitus worse by recommending cognitive behavior therapy
- Scheduling a noise canceling hearing aid fitting
- Enrolling in treatment to train your brain to not hear the tinnitus
Expert help can speed up recovery and assist you to sleep better at night. To find out if you can get some help with your tinnitus, schedule your appointment with a hearing care expert.