Tinnitus Week 2018 / Day 2: How Do You Manage Your Sleep with Tinnitus?

[John Doe]

My T must not be too bad, as I prefer to sleep in a (relatively) silent room.

 

[Rajin]

1 hrs b4 bed , Chamomile tea, 3 mg melatonin. App Rain Rain or Relax Melodies plug into a pillow speaker very very low bought on Amazon $7.95

 

[Chartreuse]

I keep my head elevated with a big hotel pillow. I can't sleep on my back, so during sleep, I place my hand between my head and the pillow so that my ear doesn't touch it.

Light reading, browsing TVTropes or playing on my 3DS also helps. I leave the television on in the living room, which is right outside my bedroom (it's a studio apartment). Because the T is always worse in the morning, I like waking up hearing the TV.

If it's really bad, there's no point in just lying there suffering. I get up and play some games, write a little, or eat something healthy, like yogurt or a tuna sandwich. Tinnitus and hunger do not mix. I have an irregular sleep pattern. Two hours here, one hour there. I have never slept the whole night through in my entire life. Pills don't work. Melatonin makes the buzzing worse. Alcohol puts me down, but for obvious reasons I avoid making a habit of it.

 

[Ibne Hasan]

I didn't take anything to sleep. It just bother me for first 10 to 20 minutes after that I go into sleep and remember nothing. I really want to get rid of it.

 

[HCR123]

Being a recent recipient of the lovely gift of T and H, I can't sleep more than 3 hours straight before I wake up.
I'm trying the following to get me through the night:
-Using pink noise from a youtube channel on my phone
-Bought a Lectrofan to listen to white noise just under the sound of T
-Try using Valerian Root capsules
-When T is a bit too much for me to get settled, I take .25mg-.5mg of clonazepam
-Also trying to meditate more often, especially before bed and upon waking up

I pray that w/time and habituation, I'll make peace w/it and my subconscious will let me sleep my normal 6-7hrs

 

[jimH]

When I'm having a spike and feeling "wired," 3 mg of Melatonin about an hour before I want to go to sleep.
During prolonged spikes, which exacerbate my anxiety, I'll occasionally take 50 mg of Hydroxyzine Pamoate in addition to the Melatonin.


When nothing else seems to work, my doctor will administer electric shock therapy ....

 

[derpytia]

Melatonin (5mg at the most), .25 mg of xanax on VERY BAD NO GOOD nights only!!, a fan, a white noise machine, cricket noises from my phone.

 

[shumandu]

I use a Brookstone sound machine set on Summer Night, although I don't think I really need it I just use it out of habit. I've had severe tinnitus for about 40 years and have learned to live with it; the only time it is really annoying is when there are episodes of tone change from a whine to chirping bird-squeaky pulley sounds. The only time I lose sleep is when the tinnitus seems to switch ears or when I sometimes get a loud clicking that usually diminishes fairly quickly. When that happens there is no sleeping possible.

 

[james00]

Drugs (perscribed by doc).

Youtube music like relaxing piano for 8 hours, or similar. My noice app also playing rain or white noise in background of music.

Air purifier. HVAC unit / fan.

Mostly the drugs do the best job.

 

[Rachael Houghton]

It seems to get louder for me at night. I tend to Listen to some music or a podcast but it doesn't always help. I have a hearing aid as i'm looking my hearing and I find some days it can make the tinnitus worse than normal. It's tough to balance but trying my best.

 

[JohnCStewart]

Neck pillow and sleep on my side without my ear being blocked.
Valerian root extract or melatonin extended release, depending on what I have to do the next day. Either with alcohol, as needed. Either with sounds under my pillow.
After a few bad nights ambien.

 

[Rachael Houghton]

Have valerian root but would have never thought about using it for tinnitus. Will start using it again

 

[Starrgirl]

Most of the time I fall asleep ok. I usually watch a little bit of TV, but set the timer for a couple of hours so that if I'm asleep it doesn't wake me up. If I happen to wake up and the noise in my ears bothers me, usually then I take an Ativan.

 

[bellguy54]

I take .5 mg adivan most nights ... don't go to bed unless very tired .... sometimes I use a rain or similar sound in ear buds to mask T.

 

[Rainbowsheep]

Either white noise or music. It depends on my mood and loudness of my T. If my T is loud I use white noise or pink noise to take the top of the T. If my T is low I use music to have some distraction. If I'm anxious or having a straight out panic attack (I suffer from panic disorder/anxiety on top of my T) I combine white noise and music. The music calms me/distracts me from the anxiety and the white noise helps the T

 

[anusha]

All of this helps me on a daily basis

I do same on weekdays and how can one be so motivated everyday. I mean some days I feel the need to be lazy relax and stuff. Days when i do that I hear T very much. So, I need to keep doing the things you said above and I can do that at max 4-5days. On weekends I need to chill a bit and thats when I listen T and my anxiety comes back. Its been 2 months with T and I figured the exact points you mentioned is what keeps me going.

 

[Monica Ahern]

Today's question is similar to yesterday's, but this time we ask you about how do you manage your sleep with tinnitus?

Do you use sound enrichment at night? What kind of sounds do you prefer most? Do you take any supplements for sleep? Or any drugs? Or is getting a good night's sleep no problem for you at all?

We want to get you talking about tinnitus and in doing so, help others how may be needing some support. So together with the other international organisations involved in Tinnitus Week, we will be posting a question a day.

View attachment 14614

Comment below. You can also respond to our Facebook post.

I try to think that this is the noise that crickets make outside my home and do my best to don't pay attention.

 

[K Gthami]

Thank God for White noise , Fan sounds, crickets, Rain , all of these and so many more single sounds or mixing of your own selection straight from iPhone , Android, directly to your ears using earbuds. 19 years of suffering and torture by T I found that these white noise and sisters downloads from Apple store are the ONLY STATE OF THE ART CURE .
It's now 9 months and I am now cured and can sleep like any normal human.
I hope the world health organization adopt this treatment and relief the brutality of TINNITUS.
The world health organization is not taking the Tinnitus disease as a very very serious one.
Khalid Gthami

 

[Gareth Smith]

Got T Feb 27th 2017, first few weeks I was in bits and barely slept a wink, then took half a tablet of Nytol and slept better. Weaned off these after a couple of weeks and gradually started sleeping. The noise is still the same but I have learnt to deep breathe and ignore it. That was my mums advice as she has T which she says is like a jet engine in her ears and she said you will gradually no know it's there. I don't mask at all and I would be lying to say that it doesn't bother me waking up to T in the middle of the night but most times according to my Fitbit sleep tracker I drop back to sleep within a few minutes.
I have read though that you shouldn't sleep in silence with T is this true?

 

[BobK544]

I have melatonin, benadryl and doxolomine succinate ready to go if i'm ready to go off the deep end, which may be soon, but i've yet to take it for fear of making my T worse and i think this because i originally got T from a sulfur antibiotic and recently had my T resurface with a vengeance after being very low for the last umpteen years after using NasaCort, so i'm now leery of any medications. But lately i've been waking up around 2:30 every night and when i use a white noise machine at night only, it seems to make my T worse, so i'm now getting into the bad habit of worrying that i won't be able to get back to sleep and that anxiety is actually keeping me from getting back to sleep, so i now need to develop some kind of mental regimen to overcome this anxiety pattern. T goes in viscous cycles so its hard to tell what causes the spikes, but day by day i think i'm realizing more and more that diet and particularly salt have a big impact, so trying to stick with a low salicylate low salt diet, but its tough!

 

[Starthrower]

I don't sleep much at all since getting tinnitus in 2002. I can sleep deeply about four hours straight but always awaken with the screeching in my brain. So I get up (usually about 4:30 to 5:00 am) have my first cup of coffee and the noise simmers down.

I recently tried melatonin and it increased the levels of my hyperacusis to the point any noise hurt my brain.

Usually go to sleep with the TV on very low and timed to shut off in a half hour.

Back in the first years I tried the different noise machines and that helped. But stopped using it about year four or so. I open our bedroom window a crack to listen to the waves smashing about in the ocean.

The different sleep medications never helped me for whatever reason. In fact, a few made it so bad I never got into a deep sleep. ugg....

I guess after all this time I am used to my sleep schedule and tinnitus alarm clock. Sometimes though I am afraid to open my eyes and look at the clock....and once in a while I actually may get five-six hours of sleep and what a difference it makes!

 

[POGO2]

Having tried all of the OTC sleep aids, the only method to fall asleep quickly is by use of doctor prescribed sleeping pills and several stiff drinks of alcohol. Yes, this is not a good combination however, no doctor or other method has worked better. Looking forward to the day when I don't have to resort to this combination of drugs.

 

[Tamika]

I used to sleep like a baby prior to T - 8 hours or more. Now only sleep 4 hours straight on a good night. I'm constantly tired. That's after taking sleeping pills and alcohol and magnesium. I fall asleep ok but wake often. Most nights I wake every hour or two. When I wake I can feel the panic set in. I'll try mindfulness and breathing. If that doesn't work I'll get up and take some melatonin or another quarter of sleeping pill. I also have some Sleep Aid tablets I've tried a couple of times. I've tried using sound machines but they make no difference and I find the noise more irritating. I've always needed peace and quiet to sleep. My husband can fall asleep with ear buds and an audio book. No way I could do that. Even falling asleep in front of the tv the sound wakes me up every few minutes.

During the day I'm now drinking lots of kava as well.

 

[Jro266]

Exercise during the day, lots of fresh air.
Sound enrichment at night...rain fall, waterfalls, wind blowing, any nature sounds on my iphone under my pillow.
Chamomile tea
.5 mg Ativan if needed
1/2 glass of red wine if needed
I have had Tinnitus for 10 months.....sleep is still my biggest challenge.

Does Ativan make the T quieter?

 

[Jro266]

I used to sleep like a baby prior to T - 8 hours or more. Now only sleep 4 hours straight on a good night. I'm constantly tired. That's after taking sleeping pills and alcohol and magnesium. I fall asleep ok but wake often. Most nights I wake every hour or two. When I wake I can feel the panic set in. I'll try mindfulness and breathing. If that doesn't work I'll get up and take some melatonin or another quarter of sleeping pill. I also have some Sleep Aid tablets I've tried a couple of times. I've tried using sound machines but they make no difference and I find the noise more irritating. I've always needed peace and quiet to sleep. My husband can fall asleep with ear buds and an audio book. No way I could do that. Even falling asleep in front of the tv the sound wakes me up every few minutes.

Same. I've been taking Gabapentin for last 6 months, but I think I'm starting to experience side effects from it, so looking for new way to sleep. I have ambien, but I don't want to rely on it. Pretty sure my Tinnitus is from issues with my upper cervical. I have these constant "twerks"/ myoclonic jerks as soon as I close my eyes. After 4 years I'm at my wits end.

 

[moomoo]

it varies. on good nights wait until I pass out from exhaustion. bad nights take melatonin and use mp3 player with storms and crows in the field playing.

 

[AZmom]

I have a humidifier in my bedroom that makes a nice hum noise. Recently playing a pink noise for sleeping on low volume. Doesn't mask my T but helps with other distracting noises.
Marijuana really helped me sleep great, but stopped because it might be the cause of my T?
Benadryl helps me sleep too, use that once in a while.

 

[Shera]

Sleep and I have always been great friends.

When I first got T it was fairly quiet and I had no problem sleeping. When it amped up into a whole new hell of T 3 and 1/2 months later my sleep quality declined. The noises were horrible and constantly woke and kept me up. For the first time in my life I experienced insomnia and the horrible world of no sleep. (At one point I walked into the men's restroom and it took 3 heys before I realized I had entered the wrong bathroom. Yeah . . . ) It took a lot of time before I got sleep back.

I did not use any drugs while struggling with my sleep issues. Instead I used food that helped with melatonin/serotonin and exercise. Made sure I was in bed at the same time and never got up until my official wake up time. Kept my eyes closed and would think of other things until I could fall asleep. The T kept waking me up and I would tell it "I'm tired and I need sleep". Slowly I gained sleep back.

Melatonin pills did not work on me at all to help ease me off to sleep during that time. What really worked was hibiscus tea. No matter what within 15min to 30min I would knock off and stay asleep for quiet a while. I also used some homeopathic drops.

I still have a hard time falling asleep as it seems to get "angry" when I lie down for sleep. I still go to bed and wake up at certain time every night. I never allow myself to get up due to T. I've calmed down a lot too and I know that helps. Melatonin now works on me if I need that extra nudge. (Not to mention a lot of the noises that would scream up randomly that would startle be awake have stopped. Beeps, sirens, and so on.)

No masking. It has to be too loud to work and the noise just frustrates me more. As I use to lovingly sleep in total silence.

 

[annabel16]

Prior to the accident that caused my T + H (H now is much better) I slept only 4 hours a night. I sometimes had issues with insomnia, but generally required very little sleep. Now I sleep soundly 7 - 8 hours, and have no trouble drifting off. Life is generally more effortful now, and I think it is a combination of exhaustion and mild depression that has doubled my sleep requirements. People usually comment how lucky I am that I now sleep normally. While I appreciate the fact I don't have insomnia anymore, and I know I'm lucky that my sleep isn't disturbed as it commonly is for many of us with T, I admit I feel resentful of the change. All that sleeping has cut into my reading, tv, gaming etc. time and I do miss my old norms.

 

[Jro266]

Seeing that it's 2 am and I'm wide awake, ears ringing, body twerking, after 4 hours of sleep - not well. Work in 4 hours. Need to find a way to catch a few more zzz's, but dont want to take anything now. Didn't take the gabapentin that I take nightly because that was creating some weird depression related side effects.