Sleeping well with tinnitus can be a challenge. Even if you are exhausted the constant ringing, buzzing, roaring, hissing, clicking, or humming can leave you wide awake.

The more you think about it, the more your mind races. Add to this any other sleep disturbance and the more likely you will be up tossing and turning. 

The strategies below will help to turn down the ringing in your ears so that you can get the restorative sleep your mind and body require. 

#1 Know Your Triggers

If your tinnitus is permanent, you must identify what triggers intensify your symptoms. Be mindful that triggers (even without tinnitus) can be circumstantial. For example, there are times when a ceiling fan or ticking clock are mere background noise. Sometimes they are all you can hear. 

Top Tinnitus Triggers Include

A study of 258 patients identified the factors below as top triggers: 

• 48% silence
• 36% stress
• 32% too much noise
• 37% insomnia
• 6% coffee or tea
• 4% certain foods

#2 Monitor Your Caffeine and Food Intake
Food, beverages, caffeine and tinnitus are linked in different ways. Keeping a food journal can help you identify which foods and beverages trigger or improve your symptoms. It is a proactive way to encourage quality sleep with tinnitus. 

• Caffeine can keep you up at night if you drink it 8 to 12 hours before you go to bed.
• Caffeine may raise your blood pressure, which can intensify your tinnitus symptoms.  
• Alcohol, high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, and processed foods may intensify your symptoms.
• Foods high in B-12 and potassium may reduce your symptoms. 

Surprising Sources of Caffeine

You may stop drinking coffee early in the day, but be mindful that the foods and drinks below may contain caffeine:

• Protein, snack, and energy bars
• Matcha tea and many herbal teas
• Chocolate and ice cream
• Soda and kombucha
• Pre-workout supplements

#3 Noise Masking

To turn down the ringing in your ears so that you can sleep, experiment with the tinnitus sound therapy technique of noise masking. Noise masking can also be used to improve focus and reduce your symptoms at any time of the day. 

What is Noise Masking?

Noise masking is the concept of utilizing strategic sounds to minimize distracting sounds. This technique is effective for managing tinnitus or reducing background noise of any kind. Utilizing color noises is one of the most effective methods of noise masking. 

What Are Color Noises?

White, pink, and brown are the most effective color noises for sleeping with tinnitus. You can find meditation and sound apps that play color noises, find free tracks on YouTube and other streaming platforms, or invest in a sound machine. 

• White noise: These are steady sounds including a ceiling fan, AC, TV static, or vacuum. 
• Pink noises: These are filtered sounds including light rain, rustling leaves, gentle waterfalls, or gentle ocean waves.
• Brown noise: These are deeper sounds including thunder, heavy rain, rushing waterfall, or crashing ocean waves. 

#4 Commit to a Sleep Schedule 

Your body runs on an internal 24-hour cycle known as the circadian rhythm. To minimize sleep disturbances of any kind, commit to a sleep schedule that optimizes this biological cycle.  

How the Circadian Rhythm Optimizes Sleep?

You are likely to wake up at the same time each day, or at least on weekdays. Your body is intelligent, so it will release of cortisol in the morning to help you wake. If you go to bed at the same time each evening, your body will release melatonin to help you fall asleep.

If the time you go to bed is sporadic, your body is not sure when to provide you with the melatonin required to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. If you wake up at different times each day, your body will not know when to release cortisol to wake you up.  

Committing to a sleep schedule that entails going to bed and waking up at the same time each day regulates your circadian rhythm. 

#5 Develop Better Sleep Hygiene 

Sleep hygiene refers to any habit that can improve or degrade your sleep quality. It includes changes you make to address sleep and tinnitus, as well as stress and lifestyle factors related to sleep. 

Tips to Improve Sleep Hygiene

• Unplug from electronics at least 1 hour before you go to bed.
• Minimize electronics use in the bedroom. This includes the TV. 
• Wear blue light filtering glasses when using electronics 2 to 3 hours before bed.
• Keep clutter to a minimum in the bedroom.
• Consider utilizing aromatherapy, including lavender, cedarwood, and bergamot. 
• Eat dinner 2 to 3 hours before bedtime to minimize the risk of acid reflux and other digestive issues. 
• Do not watch or read anything that may keep you up at night. From the news to thrillers/scary movies or books, or professional emails. 
• Read or watch something relaxing.
• Find a PM mindfulness practice. This might include deep breathing, meditation, PM yoga, or gentle stretching.
• Invest in specialty head and body pillows to improve comfort. 
• Ensure your mattress, sheets, room temperature, and pajamas are comfortable.

What If You and Your Partner Have Different Mattress Preferences?

If you like a soft bed and your partner likes a firm bed (or vice-versa) consider a bed with individual firmness controls. If you and your partner prefer different sleep temperatures, invest in a mattress cover with individual temperature controls.

Is Sleeping With Tinnitus Still a Challenge?

If you live in or around Holmdel, New Jersey or Staten Island, New York and the tips above are not improving your sleep—schedule an appointment with Dr. Stella Fulman of Audiology Island. Dr. Shapiro will advise on ways to adjust your treatment plan to improve your quality of sleep. With a tailored approach, sleeping well with tinnitus is possible!