Hi Doctor Nagler: Question on Sleeping at Night

[Mark K.]

Hello Doctor Nagler:
I've been a tinnitus patient for 2 months now. I took sleeping pills for about 2 weeks, but I've been off for about 3 weeks now. My sleeping pattern is typical: sleep for an hour, wake up, sleep for 2 hours, wake up sleep for 2 or 3 more hours, wake ups and start my day. Probably get about 4 to 6 hours of sleep at night now. I've been using the Widex Zen hearing devices and my Audiologist says to sleep with them, so my brain focuses on the fractal tones not the ringing, but I haven't been able to sleep to the tones, so I used my sound machine, which actually gives me longer durations of sleep (3 to 4 hours uninterrupted). However, recently someone told me to just try sleeping with no devices, and try to sleep (this way, your brain will begin to get used to the ringing without any outside stimulus). Last night I tried it, and I actually slept about the same (4 to 6 hours). So not sure if I should use no devices, to slowly train my brain, and maybe add more hours as the weeks progress.

What do you suggest to do? Use devices for now? or go cold turkey and use no devices? I just want to start a method that will habituate me faster and more permanent.

Thanks,

Mark K.

 

[Dr. Nagler]

What do you suggest to do? Use devices for now? or go cold turkey and use no devices? I just want to start a method that will habituate me faster and more permanent.

The key to habituation lies in identifying and addressing your obstacles to habituation.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/overcoming-obstacles-to-habituation.6886/

Technology plays a very small part in all that. Indeed most tinnitus sufferers habituate nicely with no devices at all.

Dr. Stephen Nagler