Ringing in your ears stopping you from sleeping? It’s not necessary. If you want to get a better nights sleep, think about these tips to quiet this annoying unrelenting sound.
Moderate to severe tinnitus can really throw a monkey wrench in your sleeping habits. During the daytime, tinnitus is often less obvious because you’re preoccupied with noise and activity. But tinnitus can seem louder and more disturbing at night when it’s quiet.
The good news is, if you would like to fall asleep easier, there are some things you can do.
Below are 5 tips to falling asleep in spite of your tinnitus.
1. Quit Fighting Against The Noise
While this might appear overwhelming, focusing on the noise actually makes it worse. This is to some extent because for most people higher blood pressure can make tinnitus symptoms worse. So the more irritated you get thinking about it, the worse you are likely to feel. Focusing on something else and using the techniques below can help make the noise seem softer.
2. Establish a Nighttime Routine
Developing 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 every night helps condition your body to feel sleepy at the right time. When you’re ready to fall asleep it will be less difficult.
Stress has also been related to tinnitus. It’s also helpful to build habits to de-stress before bed.
- Doing deep breathing or a short meditation
- Stretching or doing yoga
- Making your bedroom a little cooler
- Reading a book in a quiet room
- Bathing
- Stay away from eating a few hours before you go to bed
- Dimming the lights at least one hour before you go to bed
- Listening to mellow music or relaxing sounds
- Avoiding alcohol
- Concentrating on thoughts that make you relaxed and happy
Getting into a predictable routine before bed helps you shift from the stresses of the day into night and teaches your body to transition into sleep.
3. Pay Attention to What You Eat
Artificial sweeteners and alcohol are well-known triggers for tinnitus. Stay away from certain foods if you find, after monitoring your diet and symptoms, that they trigger or worsen your tinnitus. Caffeine is also a trigger so at least avoid drinking it in the afternoon and evening.
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 improve or even stop it altogether. Here are several things you can do to help:
- If you have underlying conditions like high blood pressure, get help for it
- Use ear protection
- Don’t use earbuds…use headphones instead and keep the sound level low
- Schedule an appointment for your yearly checkup
- In order to determine whether your exposed to loud noises, and how to reduce that exposure, you have to evaluate your lifestyle
- To find out if one of your medications is triggering tinnitus symptoms check with your doctor
- If you have anxiety or depression, get it taken care of
You might be able to better manage it if you can discover what’s causing the ringing.
5. Get Examined by a Hearing Care Specialist
A professional hearing examination can help you find possible solutions as well as identify what might be causing your tinnitus. There are many ways hearing professionals can help you take care of your tinnitus including:
- Fitting you for hearing aids made to cancel out the noise
- Suggesting cognitive behavioral treatment to deal with thought patterns revealed to make tinnitus worse
- Enrolling in therapy to train your brain to not hear the tinnitus
Professional help can speed up healing 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.