sleep needed

[Toastie62]

someone please tell me how to get some sleep.

Went to bed at 9:00 awake by 10:00

Back to bed at 11:00 awake at 00:00

Still awake now.

Head is buzzing and feels like

Can’t sleep, physically exhausted but emotionally wide awake.

[Positiveannie]

hi there, love this site as it's it's quite comforting to know you are not alone, I've had my sertraline upped today to 100 mg as GP ordered so I will see if that helps, I hope you get a goodnights sleep soon as do I 👍

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

There is guidance on our website, Toastie - tinnitus.org.uk/understandi...

I think one of the key takeaways is that sleep will come - the worst thing that most people can do is to stay in bed, consciously aware of their tinnitus, waiting for it to quieten. That's usually a recipe for a sleepless night and tired next day.

Sometimes mind and body need a bit of a push - if we're not sleeping, there's little benefit to staying in a mostly silent room where the one thing we're absolutely aware of (due to a lack of distractions) is our tinnitus.

Getting up, doing a chore or trying some relaxation exercises is a good way to convince one part of ourselves that we're not stressed about tinnitus - if our mind isn't quite on the same page as our body, it will get there.

[Mirador1]

I recently had problems sleeping so bought some Nytol. Helped a bit

[waterfalls123456]

Iplay Spotify all night on long skerp playlists, music that helps me : cello, gentle jazz. Find the style tgat helps you

[waterfalls123456 in reply to waterfalls123456]

Sleep ! Not Slerp!!!

[Upbeatmap]

Hi Toastie

Sleep with T can be a viscous circle as it can get worse the more tired you are but also keep you awake.

I use headphones designed for sleeping in and play a rain forest sound to distract my brain. It really works well and I can generally get a full nights sleep most of the time.

There are few on the market like Anker Sleepbuds or Kokoon as well as new ones coming soon like Ozlo. You can also buy headbands that have speakers in which are pretty cheap.

Good luck and I hope you start to get some more sleep.

[Tal-r789T]

When mine was bad I drove - I found the noise of the car with gentle music brought some comfort - and the roads are quiet then so no traffic frustrations.

The doctor did prescribe me tablets but I didn't take in the end. As I got the hearing aids and worked with ENT I got things under control.

It's not perfect now but better.

[Cookie24 in reply to Tal-r789T]

Did hearing aids help? Do you have hearing aids with masking?

[Tal-r789T in reply to Cookie24]

Hi, I was diagnosed with hearing loss in both ears. When I got hearing aids the ability to hear people improved, and my tinnitus started to move into the background. It's not gone, but it's not as noticeable as I don't get anxious over it. I've had hearing aids properly since about April last year. I would say it took about 6 months to get used to them. An ENT can help diagnose, but you can also go to Boots or Specsavers and they can do a hearing test for you, same as the NHS. If you are in doubt you can just book and they can get you in.

You can't wear hearing aids to bed, (well I tried and sometimes do if I'm really tired) but they are a little solid!

No mine are not masking. Mine are over the ear. You can get options with Bluetooth (mine have this) and have apps on the phone.

I found as my anxiety became manageable, sleep returned.

[surviveT in reply to Tal-r789T]

hi ~Tal - is yr T louder when u take the hearing aids out ? or was it louder when u first started using the hearing aids

[Tal-r789T in reply to surviveT]

Hi, so what happens is that I can still hear T when hearing aids are not in, but it's less because my brain is beginning to ignore it and become less anxious about it. I always had T it just became much more pronounced when I started to lose hearing a lot. When hearing aids are in I can hear people and conversations (but it's not perfect - I still have difficulty if people speak quietly or turn away from me). Then the T goes right into the background (still there at the moment, but moving back)

[Karlos99]

try a sleep headband and listen to sleep hypnotherapy on YouTube. I wouldn’t recommend getting out of bed either as this can cause new problems. Your brain can disassociate your bed as a place of sleep if you keep doing it. Also 4-7-8 breathing can help to calm you down. Magnesium glycinate may also be beneficial.

I feel your pain as I’ve had severe insomnia since my tinnitus went chronic a couple of years back. My brain/body is stuck in fight or flight mode which has masked my sleep drive. This means I never feel tired. Even when I went 5 days without sleep.

The key is to get as much rest in bed as possible even if you don’t sleep. Good luck

[Rivka54 in reply to Karlos99]

wow Karlos, this sentence " My brain/body is stuck in fight or flight mode which has masked my sleep drive. This means I never feel tired." I got fibromyalgia years back with T & this is what wrecked my sleep. I have to take Rx meds if I want to sleep & of course my antidepressant at night help along to make me tired. I hate that 50/50 sleep where you are sort of sleeping & hearing that friggen high pitch blare.... yeah tired the next day much... oy

[marigold60]

Hi, I always read a book before I go to sleep. I find this distracts me anyway from my tinnitus, giving my brain something else to think about. I don't really have any trouble going to sleep after. If I do wake up though I will go into the spare bedroom and carry on reading my book in there until I feel sleepy again. I will then go back to my bed and be able to sleep

[Happyrosie]

lots of comments here! There are things that suit and things that won’t. What worked for me before I retired.

I know that I need about seven and a half hours sleep per night. Articles about sleep hygiene recommend that you get up at the same time each day. Therefore, if I was to rise at 6.30 I go to bed at 11.30 - seven hours only. then I go to bed about five or ten minutes earlier each day or so until I’ve got a good rhythm, finishing by going to bed at 11 to get my hours in. No TV or reading in the bedroom.

As Pat has said, no point in lying in bed willing yourself to sleep - when (about half my nights) I walk at 3 or 4 and cannot sleep again I get up and read for an hour.

[Seabob]

Hi - i take magnesium glycinate before bed, also drink a small 'sleepy' tea, i also have an app called 'smiling mind' and do a short breathing meditation, i often nod off before its finished, getting a little routine before bed can help you calm down, it's not easy, and personally i dread evenings and night, but am learning gradually that the more calm you can be the better, it's really hard i know!!! I have been sleeping for longer periods overall, and certainly wouldnt get out of bed even if i cant sleep, do hope you get some rest.

[surviveT]

hi Toastie - i dont do any of the sound therapy as it makes my T worse, but thats coz my T is a rare type.

I go for walk outdoors every day for at least 30mins - if i dont do this, then i cannot sleep that eve

Any other sort of aerobic exercise indoors or outdoors would have same effect

Also there are certain foods and drinks that i avoid - avoid alcohol caffeine in tea, coffee, green tea. Chocolate also has caffeine, so et this in moderation. I have found that cornflakes can irritate my T because of the maize and malt

[Rivka54]

hey Toastie: Well there are no if's, and's or but's with this high pitched T 24/7,,,I have to takes Rx pills to sleep or forget it, I won't sleep.. I take 5mg of Zoplicone, 1.5 mg clonazepam & the antidepressants at nite make it all work so I can sleep. I know many dont like to take prescription meds but what do we do when there if friggen blarring all the time?

I hope you maybe will try something.... did you ever try ZzzzzQuil. over the counter med? I haven't so I can't say, but its like I need a frying pan over the head to knock me out LOL

take care

Riv

[Mirador1]

I'm really struggling to sleep since the beginning of the year. I've taken Nytol some nights which has helped a little bit. Tonight I've been awake all night! Think I'm going to ask for some sleeping pills. Simply can't go on like this. I've tried white noise apps but not helping. This stage of my T is becoming unbearable