So it's currently been two and a half weeks into living with loud t caused by clarithromycin. It seems to be getting worse for me as now I can't get to sleep as it's so loud. If I lie down it gets really loud and noticeable. I can hear it even with white noise on in the background. It's been like this for the last few days. I honestly don't know what to do. Before the T started, if I couldn't get to sleep, I'd listen to music or a podcast, but since I'm using my phone to play the white noise I can't do that, and I also can't use headphones as it makes the t appear louder. I don't know what to do, I just want to get some sleep. I'm feeling so hopeless at the moment. I keep being told that the t will get better but it really doesn't feel like it. Especially at one in the morning when I can't get to sleep and there's nothing I can do. Please help with some advice on how to get a good night's sleep with t!
Literally tired of sleepless nights caused by ... - Tinnitus UK
Literally tired of sleepless nights caused by tinnitus
indeed, angelcat 2003, tinnitus can disrupt sleep. And it always seems loudest when you awake - in fact some research has recently concluded that it IS louder when you first awake.
The best resource for help with tinnitus is the British Tinnitus association. If you go to their website and input “sleep” into the search box you’ll find a page of very helpful information.
If you’d like a webchat with the BTA they are open Monday to Friday 9 to 5 - not bank holidays
The only time mine seems to be quiter is after i have slept. Everyone is different, i guess.
How strange, my t feels somewhat quieter when I wake up and worse at night time, before I go to sleep. I have read the BTA advice on sleep with tinnitus and it didn't really help me last night. I'm going to try something tonight that my therapist who I spoke to today suggested, which is to focus on another sense rather than hearing. I have some lavender pillow mist that I'm going to use and focus on the scent of that rather than the t. And apparently lavender is relaxing so it should help me get to sleep.
yeah mime too. Horrendous in the day , is at it,s most quiet when I wake up. been the same for years.
Two weeks is really early to be thinking in dire terms about tinnitus - I know that it can seem hard to look beyond the minute-to-minute experience right now, but try not to feel hopeless about something which may very well improve considerably.
Sleep disruption can be experienced by a lot of people who live with tinnitus, so we would suggest taking a look at our guide to why sleep can be affected and what you can do about it - tinnitus.org.uk/tinnitus-an....
Can it improve after 2 months?
Yes. It can improve after two months, two days or two hours. It's about taking positive steps and trying different strategies.
I used over the counter Nytol pills , the ones in blue boxes not the green box you can buy in supermarkets . The worst thing is to lie awake in the dark listening to the noise so i get out of bed and watch the news on tv or read things online until i feel sleepy again . Then i get back into bed , prop up my head slightly and lie on my back and then breathe in and out deeply but slowly to try to relax ,in through the nose and slowly out through the mouth , eventually i started sleeping and now get 7-8 hours a night even though my t is still there and often loud . If you can exercise during the day or early evening is good , it helps with the stress , takes your mind off the t for a bit and makes you more tired at night and more likely to drop -off . Masking the noise didn't work for me , i could still hear it , it helped a bit in the early days which are the worst , everyone is different i found it better to try to accept the noise and train my brain not to constantly monitor it . A couple of large glasses of wine or vodka and tonic really help as well .
This has some really BAD advice. Threeminuteboy Alcohol and Bluelight from your phone is scientifically proven to cause short and long term problems with sleep, respectively.
Not to mention well known evidence that alcohol abuse is linked to physical health and mental health. Threeminuteboy please consider changing you habits. Also, I'm not an admin but Threeminuteboy could you please rethink and edit.
medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
sclhealth.org/blog/2019/09/....
No , where on earth did I talk about alcohol abuse or using a phone to read things on the internet ? A couple of glasses of wine is not alcohol abuse . Get lost Dave you're talking out of your arse .
You are giving potentially dangerous advice. You said:
"read things online" (not say this is dangerous but is bad advise).
"couple of large glasses of wine or vodka and tonic really help as well* (this is potentially dangerous).
There is no need for aggressive/abusive language either.
Two glasses of wine are potentially dangerous ? Are you serious ? . Tinnitus is far more potentially dangerous when it causes sleep deprivation as I well know . This is not a forum where all the people contributing are in the medical profession . It’s a forum for people who suffer with tinnitus to share their personal experiences and things that have helped them or made it worse . I deeply resent you accusing me of giving bad advice or promoting alcohol consumption simply by suggesting two glasses of wine might help with T . Do you actually have tinnitus ? Because you sound like someone who doesn’t and knows nothing about it .
Do you actually have tinnitus ? Yes and Hyperacusis and suffer, or have suffered, and it has had consequences on my personal life. Through the use of this forum and tinnitus.org.uk. I've found strategies and have sought medical/professional advise. Apart from the occasional spikes I've managed to habituate to my tinnitus and frequent here to share and encourage those who are really suffering. This is my point; People here may have serious well being issues - So, yes, I'm sorry to say that your advise is potentially dangerous.
Two glasses of wine are potentially dangerous ? No. Certainly not now and then and I've not seen any evidence that it is linked to tinnitus. However, alcohol should not be used to address other issues. Every night can lead to dependency and is scientifically proven to interfere with REM sleep, for example, which is the topic of this thread.
I have no argument with you, or wish to turn this into an argument. My intension was not to cause upset, but I want to be frank about it. It's certainly nothing personal. It's good to have a discussion, but please consider the research and evidence, for your sake and everyone else.
If you read my post I didn’t advise people to have a couple of glasses of wine and a vodka and tonic every night . I said it can be helpful and in my personal experience it has been very helpful to have the option of a couple of glasses of red wine once or twice during a loud stressful spike .
Hello all. Advising people to consider using alcohol - essentially self-medicating - to help with sleep is potentially dangerous if we don't know what their physical health and personal circumstances are.
Also as an advisory to all, personal abuse is not something we tolerate on this forum.
Let's all take a breath and be polite to one another, eh?
I think daverussell has all our best interests at heart. If you look closer there's a kindness and concern in his words - for all of us.
Yeah me too Threeminute boy, its so loud nothing masks it.
For me I found masking helpful in the first six months but when I switched it off it seemed to make the T even louder . I saw someone who said “you can’t control the noise but you can learn to control your reaction to it “ So I stopped using masking sounds and tried to accept the T and not fight it or search for a cause or a cure . 18 months from then it’s still there but doesn’t bother me as bad and I get 6-7 hours sometimes eight hours of sleep at night . I get 2-3 day periods when I find it harder to ignore , I don’t think that means the volume has gone up , it just seems like it has because I’m monitoring it again . As soon as I do some work or do something that I enjoy (like a fitness class or a good movie ) that creates a distraction the volume reduces and I’ll have a 2-3 good days . My good days are when it’s there but I’m ignoring it better .
I've found exercise and going to the gym (I aim for 4 times a week) and relaxation especially in the evening absolutely key. It helps my levels of stress, in turn helping me sleep. I've always struggled with sleep even before tinnitus. I also listen to my tinnitus, rather than actively avoid it. Though not if it's spiked or I'm stressed. However, I do find relaxing music at night does help.
Have to be honest, in the day with distractions, I find most people can forget about it along with other noises of course. But yeah once anything is in your ears, ive found most people have said it makes the T worse once you remove then. I pray for everyone on here every night and for some day, some kind of way for a cure.
It's a vicious circle and difficult to break out of. As TinnitusUKPat says it's difficult to look beyond the minute by minute experience. The anxiety from this is a huge contributing factor to the insomnia;
Are there other factors that might be contributing to your lack of ability to sleep or perception of your tinnitus? Is there anything at work or your home life causing stress? What is your bedtime, evening or even daily routine e.g. your diet? Do you use your phone when you can't sleep? i.e. are you exposed to bluelight. Are you able to go to the gym or just go for a walk in the evening, e.g. after work to to switch off. Are you exposed to loud noise, such as watching TV right before you sleep? Could you try reading a book before you go to sleep? (As difficult as it might be it may help distract you from T).
I could go on.
Wishing you the very best. It will get better. Stay strong.
Thank you, I'm finding it to be a vicious cycle. Lack of sleep and anxiety can make the tinnitus worse but the problem is I'm so anxious about the t and that I can't get to sleep so it gets worse. I'm more of a night owl anyway so going to sleep at 11-12 is normal for me. It's going to sleep at 1-2 that isn't. I have health anxiety so this has been very stressful for me. I am also stressed about college and Christmas. I think my anxiety is the biggest factor in not being able to sleep. I have a few techniques for reducing my anxiety like breathing and doing some crafting. I might try doing a little bit of crafting before I go to bed rather than play on my phone or game console. Might try a short walk after supper as well.
it’s early days for you, and most people struggle to sleep at first with tinnitus. Sound masking is very helpful, there’s an App called Sleep Pillow, it has many different masking sounds, you will find one that helps you. I stay up until I’m really tired and go to bed around 1, but I’m retired so that’s ok for me, but not so much if you have to get up early. It’s the anxiety that’s keeping you awake. You could try taking a 5HPT pill an hour before bed, I think they help. RelaxOn are good, The Range often sell them. In time you’ll be fine, my tinnitus is loud but I sleep fine, but I’ve had it for over 20 years.
Hello Angel. I'm sorry you're having trouble sleeping . It's very natural you feel anxious about it. Sleep can be tricky whenever there's a change in tinnitus levels. I agree with daverussell Tuck your phone away a couple of hours before you'd like to go to sleep and do some crafting - as you say - with a nice cup of herbal tea. It sounds as if you might be at college. Is there a counsellor there? Perhaps you could discuss your worries with someone . In the long term your T will hopefully settle and your sleep will get better too.
Thank you for your support, I'm currently receiving CBT therapy for my health anxiety, I'm doing college online for the time being until my tinnitus and anxiety has calmed down. Luckily the college has been understanding of my situation so, but even then I'm still feeling anxious about it. I'm hoping that the T will calm down to pre antibiotic levels but it is difficult at the moment, especially with christmas coming up.
I'm a college lecturer, so I know very well that this time of year is full on. In reality, we're half way through the year and assignments are probably overdue (both late handing in or late grades/feedback) or exams are looming (maybe it's both).I have no doubt this is a huge contributing factor.
Keep communicating with your tutors and support staff as it sounds like you are doing. It's great that you've got such an understanding network of people. Ensuring the wellbeing and putting strategies in place to support you guys is the mainstay, and most rewarding parts of our jobs (it certainly is for me).
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