Tinnitus at Night

[MikeA]

I'Ve heard before that when our blood sugar levels drop during sleep that we tend to wake up. Perhaps eating something like a bowl of oatmeal 30 minutes before bed would help... not those kinds that are instantand high in sugar.

Matt: I've read the same thing about drop in blood sugar levels. But my understanding is a bit of protein before bedtime is better, as digestion of protein is slower than carbs.

Maddy: Watching TV in bed is not good sleep hygiene. Here is one doc that lays out some basics.
http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/webfm-uploads/documents/outreach/im/handout_sleep.pdf

As an experiment over past couple weeks I've been turning off all sources of electric light (TV, computer, houselights) by around 8PM each night. Then reading for a bit by candlelight, wacky as this may sound...

 

[Denny]

I have been waking up at 4am since t started still have not found a solution
Except eating a high carb dinner which I cannot with borderline sugar.
I was taking amitriptylline seemed to help in the beginning then caused
Loud spikes at night. This is a very frustrating thing And my whole sleep
Pattern has shifted and makes me tired throughout the day.

 

[sgal]

Maddy try purchasing a little water fall fountain. It puts me to sleep along with the melatonin.

Maddy try purchasing a little water fall fountain. It puts me to sleep along with the melatonin.

How much melatonin do you take and when? I've tried it but it didn't help much. Maybe I wasn't taking enough or it wasn't the right time.

 

[Denny]

Sometimes valerian root may also help try getting one with passionflower.

 

[jraulc_11]

Sgal usually I take 5mg

 

[DebInAustralia]

When I cant sleep, it isnt the t keeping me awake, it is usually anxiety. so anything i can do to unwind and relax usually helps me get off to sleep and stay asleep. ive never been one for medications..i just sleep with a fan on but lately have been able to sleep without any noise in the background which indicates to me that my brain is getting bored with my t.

i do sometimes listen to a sound app that plays a variety of sounds ie crickets (best for me as i have a high pitched hissing/shhhh noise) etc



So I'm nearly at a month with T now! Can't believe it's gone so quickly! I've finally managed to mainly ignore my T throughout the day however nigh times are still a big problem!

I find at the moment the only way I can fall asleep is by watching the tv but then I always seem to wake up again at around 1 or 2 am! And when I wake up at that time my T is always extremely loud! Does anyone else find their T is really loud during the night or seems to wake them up?

The only times I seem to have had a fairly good nights sleep is when I'm sharing a room with someone else! I know this might seem strange but I'm sure that having the presence of someone else there helps with the loneliness and anxiety that the night seems to bring with T!

Any strategies or tips for getting a better nights sleep would be much appreciated! I'm wanting to steer clear of medications at the moment as I usually react quite badly to medications such as sleep aids![/QUOTE]

 

[MattK]

Matt: I've read the same thing about drop in blood sugar levels. But my understanding is a bit of protein before bedtime is better, as digestion of protein is slower than carbs.

Maddy: Watching TV in bed is not good sleep hygiene. Here is one doc that lays out some basics.
http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/webfm-uploads/documents/outreach/im/handout_sleep.pdf

As an experiment over past couple weeks I've been turning off all sources of electric light (TV, computer, houselights) by around 8PM each night. Then reading for a bit by candlelight, wacky as this may sound...

Oh you might be right. I was just throwing the oatmeal out there as a suggestion. I just knew that simple carbs like sugar are a bad idea.

Maddy: check this out: http://capitaldistrictvitalitycente...nt-fall-back-asleep-consider-low-blood-sugar/

 

[citigirl13]

@Littlebailey, if you you are still unsure why don't you ask Dr Nagler?

 

[gebora]

Maddy try purchasing a little water fall fountain. It puts me to sleep along with the melatonin.

Yes.. i use too water fall + melatonin.. Water fall is great, because make anions of oxygen in room. + Some relaxing music and white/pink noise..
Maybe air freshener can be helpful.
I use bromazepam too..

 

[Sjoerd]

I had sleeping problems for the first 3 months of my tinnitus. My biggest problem was my anxiety that I would not get enough sleep. A freely translated dutch saying: a human suffers the most of the thought of suffering from which he is scared the most. I was so scared of not being able to sleep the coming night that indeed in hardly slept.

A couple of things I used to get rid of the fear is to develop a decent sleep rhythm combined with some simple rules:

1. Avoid bleu light 1 hour before going of to bed (TV, smartphones etc etc.). Blue light makes our body break down melatonine, the hormone that controls are wake/sleep rhythm.

2. Take half hour walks in the evening (get some mild physical fatigue), let your mind wander during the walks. Walking is a natural way to battle anxiety. The funny thing is: it will become more effective if your take regular walks. Choose a strong pace, although you should still be capable of having a conversation without being out of breath!

3. You can you Melatonin as a sleeping aid. Be aware of any side effects. I used 5 mg every evening, after a couple of weeks I started to get very vivid dreams. The other most reported side effect is sleepiness during the day.

4. Deep abdominal breathing. Just before you go to bed! Stand with your feet fairly close together, standup strait and relax your arms. Starting at your feed, run your mind up and down your body (aware of your self) and relax your muscles. Close your eye's, place your palms on your abdomen slightly below your belly button. Breath inward (gently), let you abdomen expand (imagine your are pulling your diaphragm down wards). Hold for 2 counts. Gently push your abdomen inwards (and slightly upwards) with your hands while breathing out (again gently). Keep your mind empty of thoughts (surprisingly difficult). Repeat this cycle 10 to 20 times.

5. Use some white noise machine that will keep your mind off your tinnitus.

6. Get some sleeping pills in case of a acute emergency. The fact that I have them give me some peace of mind.

These 6 points have worked wonders for me! I can honestly say that I sleep better now with tinnitus than I did the last ten years.

 

[Grace]

At night time is when i can hear my T too, and I find it alot easier when i see my boyfriend on the weekends when we share a bed it helps me not worry bout it so much.

 

[Maddy]

I had sleeping problems for the first 3 months of my tinnitus. My biggest problem was my anxiety that I would not get enough sleep. A freely translated dutch saying: a human suffers the most of the thought of suffering from which he is scared the most. I was so scared of not being able to sleep the coming night that indeed in hardly slept.

A couple of things I used to get rid of the fear is to develop a decent sleep rhythm combined with some simple rules:

1. Avoid bleu light 1 hour before going of to bed (TV, smartphones etc etc.). Blue light makes our body break down melatonine, the hormone that controls are wake/sleep rhythm.

2. Take half hour walks in the evening (get some mild physical fatigue), let your mind wander during the walks. Walking is a natural way to battle anxiety. The funny thing is: it will become more effective if your take regular walks. Choose a strong pace, although you should still be capable of having a conversation without being out of breath!

3. You can you Melatonin as a sleeping aid. Be aware of any side effects. I used 5 mg every evening, after a couple of weeks I started to get very vivid dreams. The other most reported side effect is sleepiness during the day.

4. Deep abdominal breathing. Just before you go to bed! Stand with your feet fairly close together, standup strait and relax your arms. Starting at your feed, run your mind up and down your body (aware of your self) and relax your muscles. Close your eye's, place your palms on your abdomen slightly below your belly button. Breath inward (gently), let you abdomen expand (imagine your are pulling your diaphragm down wards). Hold for 2 counts. Gently push your abdomen inwards (and slightly upwards) with your hands while breathing out (again gently). Keep your mind empty of thoughts (surprisingly difficult). Repeat this cycle 10 to 20 times.

5. Use some white noise machine that will keep your mind off your tinnitus.

6. Get some sleeping pills in case of a acute emergency. The fact that I have them give me some peace of mind.

These 6 points have worked wonders for me! I can honestly say that I sleep better now with tinnitus than I did the last ten years.

Thanks so much for all the advice! I will be sure to try them out! I think the anxiety about not being able to sleep is a big problem and is a hard cycle to break out of!

 

[Sjoerd]

Thanks so much for all the advice! I will be sure to try them out! I think the anxiety about not being able to sleep is a big problem and is a hard cycle to break out of!

It is a hard cycle to break! It took me about 3 month before I started sleeping 6 hours continuously. Before that it was mostly 3-1.5-1.5 hours a night. After about 3 month I noticed that I was still awake 2 times a night, but able to quickly go back to sleep. No my sleep pattern is normal (6 to 9 hours a night).

Most of the advice I have given is NOT going to help you overnight, it will take time and some persistence! one more tip: If you can't sleep, don't keep on trying for 30 minutes (or longer) and do not watch the clock. If you can't sleep go read a book or listen to some easy music.....

 

[Littlebailey]

@Littlebailey, if you you are still unsure why don't you ask Dr Nagler?

I believe he's one of the ones saying not to wear them. Or at least not excessively. So that's why I'm torn!

 

[Maddy]

It is a hard cycle to break! It took me about 3 month before I started sleeping 6 hours continuously. Before that it was mostly 3-1.5-1.5 hours a night. After about 3 month I noticed that I was still awake 2 times a night, but able to quickly go back to sleep. No my sleep pattern is normal (6 to 9 hours a night).

Most of the advice I have given is NOT going to help you overnight, it will take time and some persistence! one more tip: If you can't sleep, don't keep on trying for 30 minutes (or longer) and do not watch the clock. If you can't sleep go read a book or listen to some easy music.....

I guess it is something that will take some practice and will power! Last night I read till I was sleepy and then managed to drift off untill about 3-4am when I woke up with my T louder than ever! But atleast it was a start!

Thanks for the advice

 

[Littlebailey]

@Maddy Hey, you're doing great. You're going to lick this thing in no time. And don't be afraid to ask more questions, that's what the site is for!

 

[Maddy]

@Maddy Hey, you're doing great. You're going to lick this thing in no time. And don't be afraid to ask more questions, that's what the site is for!

Thanks so much and thanks for all your advice! This site is amazing and I'm so so glad that I found it! It really helps knowing that there are so many other people out there who really understand what it's like to have T and the people on this site are all so helpful and encouraging! This website has been a god send!

 

[awbw8]

Hey there @Littlebailey, I don't think you should feel too torn. The gym actually can be a "too loud" environment. Sometimes the music there is extremely loud.

I don't think you're going to get H from wearing earplugs regularly at the gym. Just use your good sense with regards to volume - if you think it might be too loud, it's probably too loud. If you're sure it's pretty quiet, then it probably is. If you have a smart phone you can also get a little db meter - you can't rely on them a ton as they're not exact, but they can give you an estimate (eg whether it's 50 db or 70). It might help calm you a little.

One good way to judge I heard though is that if you have to raise your voice or cannot hear a person three feet away from you speaking, it is too loud. I think after a little time you'll become more confident in your ability to judge, but don't worry too much

 

[Littlebailey]

@awbw8 You're probably right. Thanks for your feedback.