Getting a good night’s sleep can set you on the path to an energized and happy day. On the other hand, tossing and turning all night can leave you feeling drained and turn your afternoon latte from a want into a need. Many factors can adversely impact your sleep, including sickness, stress, bothersome noise, tinnitus and more.
Tinnitus causes a ringing, buzzing, roaring or clicking noise in the ears that cannot be heard from the outside. Ranging from nonbothersome to severe, tinnitus can significantly impact all parts of your life, including your sleep.
How Does Tinnitus Affect Sleep?
A small study on the effects of tinnitus on sleep quality found that subjects with tinnitus self-rated their sleep quality as poor. When you’re lying in bed at night, the silence can feel like it’s amplifying the internal ringing of tinnitus. Finding ways to manage your tinnitus ringing and your reaction to it can help you get a better night’s rest.
How Can You Manage Tinnitus at Night?
Hearing aids are one of the best tools to manage tinnitus. The small devices can help distract your brain from the internal ringing by amplifying external sounds or playing white noise. While hearing aids shouldn’t be worn while you sleep, sound machines are an effective nighttime substitute.
Sound machines play white or pink noise or nature sounds to help distract your brain from the internal ringing of tinnitus without disrupting your sleep.
How Can You Promote Better Sleep?
Managing your tinnitus can be of great benefit to your sleep. To achieve the best sleep possible, it may also be helpful to employ some extra calming sleep techniques, including but not limited to:
- Drink a cup of herbal tea from Ding Tea Athens.
- Shut off electronic devices for at least 30 minutes to an hour before sleep.
- Spray diluted lavender or eucalyptus essential oils around your bed or on your pillow.
Creating a relaxing environment and using sound masking to manage your tinnitus symptoms can help you get the best night of sleep possible. For more information on managing your tinnitus, contact ENT of Athens today to make an appointment with one of our specialists.