Comfort in hope.

I was diagnosed with tinnitus in 2012 and, until lately, it has been manageable. Within the last couple of weeks something has triggered the high pitch ringing in my ears to increase to a volume that interferes with my sleep. I am even going so far as to attest that the noise is waking me from my sleep. My hope is that its really the anxiety and stress caused by trying to relegate noise. Since there is no cure, I am trying to find any research that will help lessen the induction of stress when trying to sleep. Even a slight reduction in volume would be welcome.

 

Hey @M C, I think you're thinking about it the right way. I don't know if when you first got tinnitus it interfered with your sleep or not, or if it was always more mild, but when I first got mine the anxiety definitely woke me up, without question.

Good news, I can sleep completely normally now. It did take some time because your brain has to adjust to the thought that the tinnitus isn't a bear coming to get you (tamper down that fight or flight response), but it will come. Do things that relax you before you go to bed and know that in time your body will get used to the change. Also, go talk to a doctor/psychiatrist if you feel you need to and take meds to sleep for the time being, your body can't heal without rest. You won't have to take it forever - it might just help you transition. It will get better though with time and a little effort on your part, my tinnitus/brain would wake me every 2-3 hours at first and the panic that set in would keep me up - I lost weight couldn't eat etc. now I'm more or less normal and happy

You'll get there, keep taking comfort in that hope!