If an Individual Has Tinnitus Does That Mean They Can't Get a Proper Sleep Anymore?

[Filip]

I heard that with sound going on the brain is processing the information, so does this mean I can't have a normal sleep to recover from stress, muscle growth and hormone changes. I sleep in complete dark and also complete silence except for airplanes passing by frequently (also tinnitus). I been wondering deep down because lately I been not able to sleep straight 9 hours like I use to. I mostly sleep for 6 hours straight than wake up , but than going back again to sleep after only 1 or 2 hours passed I wake up again. I been getting more dreams Everytime I snooze these 1 to 2 hour naps. It's surprising how much the dreams go on for its like many hours passed but only 1 hour or 2 passes. Anyone a expert on sleep stages and rem sleep? I hope doesn't mean i miss out on sleep benefits from others.

 

[GregCA]

T is definitely known to affect sleep.

 

[Vaba]

I go to bed dizzy, unbalanced and exhausted, and that's how I wake up.

 

[Daveyrvancleef]

If you're bothered by your tinnitus, yes your sleep is going to be affected. If you're less bothered by your tinnitus, your sleep will be less affected.

So I presume the answer is no, having tinnitus does not mean you can't get a proper sleep anymore.

I have bad nights and good nights of sleep, and I know I can sleep with my 8/10 tinnitus if I'm relaxed and my mind is not racing. Anxiety is the only thing that is affecting my sleep. Anxiety can come from that annoying pitch, a bad day, and panic attacks.

The less you focus on your sleep, the better it will become.

BTW if you're dreaming, your probably past stage 1 & 2 in the sleep cycle.

 

[glynis]

Hi @Filip,
recently came off Amitryptaline after 12 years and now my sleep is very poor from no sleep to 2-3 hours.
I have now been put on melatonin 2mg to help my sleep and will start it tonight for insomnia and help sleep with tinnitus.
Anyone taken it and does it help?.....lots of love glynis

 

[Natalie Roberts]

Regardless of how bad my T is during the day, when I lay down at night I no longer (after initial onset) have difficulty sleeping. However, I don't feel as rested as I did before my tinnitus onset.

 

[Richard zurowski]

@glynis . Hi Glynis why did you stop taking amitriptyline. I haven't taken melatonin so I can't comment on that drug. I'm on 100 mg of amitriptyline because my mood has taken a dive. And finding it hard with my tinnitus at this time.

 

[Tom Cnyc]

Hi @Filip,
recently came off Amitryptaline after 12 years and now my sleep is very poor from no sleep to 2-3 hours.
I have now been put on melatonin 2mg to help my sleep and will start it tonight for insomnia and help sleep with tinnitus.
Anyone taken it and does it help?.....lots of love glynis

I take melatonine / l-theanine sleep gummies every night. Mixed results. Definitely better than nothing.

 

[Lorac]

I love sleep. It's the only time I get away from the noise. Sleep is my escape.

 

[glynis]

@Richard zurowski ,
I was on Amitryptaline 100mg for many years and put on it by the hospital for ostio arthritis and tramadol.
After not taking tramadol for a while the doc and myself decided to wean down to 50mg amitryptaline and then I started with depression after 10-12 years on it for pain.
Instead of increasing it again this time my doc said he would put me on a better one with less side effects as now it was for depression after my brain was use to the drug for pain.
So I ended up on 50mg amitryptaline with 75mg of venalafaxine for two years.
Now weaned off amitryptaline about 6-8 weeks ago and venalafaxine increased so now on one medication.
The only thing is now with being on amitryptaline over 12 years it has totally recked my sleep pattern and going nights with no sleep to only 2-3 hours if im lucky and im shattered.
Doctor put me on something begining with c but it's another name for melatonin 2mg so god I hope it works as start it tonight.

The Amitryptaline will help you as it builds up in your system and lift your mood for you and should help sleep I took it at night.
I now am on l50mg of venalafaxine and just need to sleep.....lots of love glynis

 

[undecided]

@Richard zurowski ,
I was on Amitryptaline 100mg for many years and put on it by the hospital for ostio arthritis and tramadol.
After not taking tramadol for a while the doc and myself decided to wean down to 50mg amitryptaline and then I started with depression after 10-12 years on it for pain.
Instead of increasing it again this time my doc said he would put me on a better one with less side effects as now it was for depression after my brain was use to the drug for pain.

Venlafaxine is the biggest brain fu**er of all ADs. Also does nothing for any pain management.
I'm shocked that your doctor cold turkeyed you from Amitriptyline (a mostly harmless tricyclic with some bad side effects, some very beneficial ones as well) on to some hardcore brain --> mustard converter. Also, venlafaxine will negatively impact your sleep, that's why it should be taken early in the day.
I'm not saying that Amitriptyline is angelic dust or anything but it is a tried-and-tested drug for a number of conditions.

Also be wary. Venlafaxine will eventually affect your ears (not in a good way). I am a living example, don't need to quote any sources. Thank God I was left with half a brain to realize that before it was too late.

Edit: you say you also got a drug beginning with 'c'... Is that Circadin? That's melatonin, and it only comes in 2mg doses. Which would put to sleep a medium sized bunny. So you need something else for your sleep.

 

[glynis]

@undecided ,
Thank you for your input as it's fairly new to me.
It's been so hard to sleep since came off Amitryptaline so hope melatonin helps get my sleep pattern back for me.
Doing ok on Venlefaxine so far but it's one or the other keeping me awake and it's hard going .
......lots of love glynis
@undecided yes it's circadian.
Hope I sleep soon or will need go back see him
...knock me out with a rolling pin please...lol

 

[OnceUponaTime]

@glynis I hope you get some sleep. I took 3mg melatonin and gave me horrible nightmares. But my husband takes it and helps him to sleep. Go figure, everyone is different. He says that liquid melatonin works better for him and faster. The pills not so good. Feel better soon. Will pray for you.

 

[glynis]

Thank you @OnceUponaTime .
I know I will be fine when I sleep better so fingers crossed.......lots of love glynis

 

[Fangen]

T affect your sleep? Yes, but that has to do more with the anxiety rather the noise.
Our brain always hear noises during sleep, that is why you wake up if someone is knocking on your door, someone making noise in the kitchen (etc, you get it). But we usually sleep through most of the noises anyway, even before T. Now that you are stressed and anxious about the T, that makes it hard to sleep rather the noise itself. Of course, the noise is the source of the stress/anxiety but having T does not equal to bad sleep. I was fortunate to not have my sleep affected after the onset of T, and now that I have a cold, I have fallen asleep so damn fast and don't even wake up when my partner makes noises. But that is because the body is too tired to bother with anything else than recovery from the cold. Same thing with you, once your stress goes down a bit, your mind and body will learn that the noise is nothing to bother itself about.

Best wishes!

 

[Steve]

@Filip Tinnitus hasn't particularly stopped me from sleeping. Anxiety has disrupted my sleep before and if I wake up in the night I often struggle to get back to sleep but these were pre-tinnitus issues also.

It is never a self fulfilling prophecy, you may struggle sometimes or you may not, I believe it is usually your state of mind that dictates that, rather than the tinnitus itself. I had convinced myself in the early days that tinnitus would disrupt my sleep, that my patterns of sleep were due to tinnitus rather than just being broadly the same as they always had been. I didn't succeed in embedding that thought pattern and I've not been particularly affected.

 

[undecided]

Sleep will be harder when you first get t.
It gets better with time. Actually it gets very much better.

Don't overdo it with drugs if you feel panicked in the first weeks. Getting a couple of hours each night will have to do, eventually you'll find coping mechanisms. Just staying in bed relaxing with your eyes closed listening to some low volume music that you like is better than running around the room panicked. You'll be a bit zombified in the morning but that's what you get. If you can go like that for some months, you'll be set, your sleep will start improving as your brain accepts the noise.

If you get 0 sleep or you're the real panicky sort, it's time for drugs. Try herbal shit for starters. Melatonin, maybe Valdoxan, Valerian, Passionflower, Kava Kava. You'll sleep for a couple of nights, then you develop tolerance and that's it (except Melatonin/Valdoxan, they actually work indefinitely for some people).

And when you're ready to jump off the balcony, go to the doc and he'll fill your bathroom drawer with benzo candy you can suck down as needed (and when you just feel like it).

Then develop massive benzo addiction and register with benzobuddies and spend more time on the computer. Hooray.

 

[GeorgeLG]

If you are in a critical situation that needs immediate intervention (not sleeping at all, 12 hour a day job, etc) then drugs have their place but they all come at a cost and some are downright dangerous. Benzo withdrawal is a bitch, I did it in the nineties and have taken very few drugs since then. We are much better off looking for lifestyle changes and natural ways to fix problems like sleep. Exercise, meditation, Reflexology, Magnesium, Melatonin, Chamomile, etc.

When I was going through benzo withdrawal, I would be climbing the walls at night, skin crawling, anxious and irritated, itching deep inside my body. One night my wife pulled off my socks, put a funny looking chart on the floor and started pressing spots on my feet (self taught Reflexology). I got mad and said what are you doing, I didn't like anything touching me in that state. She lovingly said that I read that this can help you sleep better to which I said that it ridiculous. The next morning I said what happened last night. She said you fell asleep and were snoring 5 minutes after I started pressing on your feet. She did this every night for me for the next 20 plus years until my angel passed away 2 years ago at 54 from cancer.

No judgement, if drugs are your thing then I am glad if they help but I encourage that to be plan B if possible.

George