Sleeping with Tinnitus

Many people with tinnitus find lack of sleep to be their greatest problem. Most people do not know that our quality and pattern of sleep naturally change as we get older. When we are young we may need anything between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, but as we get older we may feel refreshed after only five or six. Also older people do not typically sleep as deeply as younger adults.
If we wake up very frequently during the night, we may be under the impression that we have not slept at all. However true insomnia is very rare and most people find they have slept more than they thought. However many people do experience periods where they have difficulty getting to sleep and this may cause or make anxiety worse.
Approximately 50% of people with tinnitus report difficulty in sleeping, because they find their tinnitus keeps them awake. People are also sometimes under the false impression that their tinnitus wakes them up during the night. What's more likely is that someone thinks their tinnitus has woken them because they hear it as soon as they wake up. Anyone worrying about their tinnitus during these awakenings will also stay awake longer.
Sound therapy is one way of dealing with this problem. By introducing a low level of sound into the bedroom (such as white noise, the sound of the radio tuned in between stations) you provide an additional sound for your brain to listen to.

The following tips may also be used to encourage natural sleep:
Try relaxation exercises. Classes and tapes are widely available.
Go to bed when you feel sleepy, not just because it is a certain time.
Get up at the same time every day.
Try to limit the amount of caffeine (found in tea, coffee, cola and chocolate) and nicotine you take late at night as these are stimulants.
Keep your room at a temperature that is neither too cold nor too hot.
Don’t read or watch television in bed before trying to go to sleep, these will only make you feel more alert.
'Wind down' for at least an hour before bedtime – have a warm bath (not too hot), milky drink or listen to some relaxing music.