Sleep Loss and Tinnitus

[jrm]

Hi, I lost my hearing in one ear around 18 months ago and have since suffered from constant tinnitus in that ear. I have managed to move past the tinnitus and hearing loss in most situations however the one area that really bothers me is sleep. Most nights it keeps me up to around 1 or 2 which as you can probably imagine doesn't go well with having to get up at 7:30 most days! I have tried speaker pillows which seemed to initially work however this seemed to kind of wear off after a few months. I sleep with the radio on which doesn't seem to massively help. I was wondering do many others have this problem and if so is there any suggestions for getting round this?
Many thanks for any help!

 

[Gr8fulDude]

My sleep has not been the same since my tinnitus started but I seem to get about 5 to 6 hours which allows me to function fine. I sometimes wake up well before 6am and can't fall back asleep but i can't say for sure that the tinnitus is a cause since my mind often starts contemplating the issues of the day. I try to meditate to get more rest. I find it best not to focus on the sleep issues and succumb to the body's needs.

 

[Matt01]

Don't mask. I found masking I slept worse and sometimes really struggled. Stopped masking and just let my mind wonder. Of course, this may depend on the severity of your condition.

 

[jimH]

@jrm ...You may require a combination of things to be able to sleep well again. I would recommend (from my own experience) that you first try 3mg of Melatonin and a cup of Chamomile (caffeine free) tea about an hour before bed time.

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/q?kw=caffiene+free+chamomile+tea

If you're anxiety level is high, you may additionally need an antidepressant for a while.

Good Luck!...

 

[linearb]

The only things that helped short-term were doxylamine succinate and cannabis, both of which have their fair share of downsides.

It does get better, though. At least it did for me. I did a bunch of CBT work and meditation focusing on my sleep anxieties, and after a few bad months things levelled off...

 

[jrm]

Thanks for the replies, i will definitely try some of the suggestions