Need Some Advice on Sleep

All,
I am looking for a masking solution for my tinnitus at night. The nightstand machines really don't help and I feel like I need something in my ear to drown it out. Insomnia and tinnitus feed on each other and I'm in great distress. I haven't tried pillow speakers yet and most appear to be cheap, etc.

I am going to contact my audiologist but I'm sure others here have mitigated or overcome this problem.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

You can buy a cheap ipod nano (even used one will do) and download some music or nature sounds using itune. Or use MP3 player or smart phone. A pair of decent in-ear headphones or ear buds in the ears will help down out T or just set it slightly below T as recommended. Masking doesn't have to over power T but just give another sound source for the auditory system to focus on. Also you may consider Melatonin for sleep. If you have PC, you can download free sound generator 'aire freshener'. This TT thread also has masking tracks and a link to a sleep thread for more ideas on sleeping.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/panic/

 

I do a relaxation practice before I go to bed, which makes sure my body is relaxed once I place my head on the pillow. Thus I fall asleep, often to my own great surprise, even though my ears are blasting away. I explain how to do it here:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/meditation-practice-to-deal-with-tinnitus-suffering.8165/

I personally think it's a more straight forward approach than trying to mask, but judge for yourself.

 

I have pillow speaker and they work really good

 

All you need is white noise app or rain sounds app on your smartphone.
I played those apps every night for first few months. Now I sleep on my own but my T has lowered in volume now. Still annoying tho.

Good sleep should be first priority. Just play the apps all night and good luck.

 

Just let it eat you alive....give in to it, don't fight it.

 

On my bad T days, I can sleep quite easely by taking melatonine and a book

 

Hey Fly,

I've found sleep to be difficult when I first got T. I also used to read to get me to sleep but the T made it so difficult to concerntrate! I tried various masking techniques but all in all they made the T worse & often gave me the feeling that I'm trying to get some sleep.

I started taking valerian & drinking camomile tea before bed & after a while..

I've also moved my bed closer to my window which I have open 100% of the time which really helps. Natural tones are always much better as a mask for me

 

Just relax and take 5 6 times deep breaths read a book or may be watch tv keep it on sleep mode or use ur phone to listen to some nature sounds at safe volume ....
Take melatonin if u have ..

Don't think of it as a Devil... Just try to RELAX! Try to be calm always take good care of your health

Don't panic
!


Afeef

 

What kind of speakers or dock are you using?

 

I used the speakers from my phone or iPad that's all you really need. I also took 3mg of melatonin and/or sleepy time tea.
First couple of months were a pain cause I would always wake up after a few hours of falling asleep and then not being able to fall back asleep. That went away and now I fall asleep and stay asleep with no issue or masking or melatonin/tea. But then again I usually watch tv while drifting off to sleep.

 

A cheap mp3($25)player,$12 Sony earbuds(using these you will not even realize you are wearing them)and a masking sound that works for you at a low volume will do wonders. Sound pillow is a good idea also. Very good advice on this thread.

 

The smart phone speakers are enough for me. Again my T is around 45 to 50 db.. I think..

 

Time will be your best healer as you habituate and focus less on the noise. You are right that a lack of sleep feeds into the T. At first I used a simple sound machine with static like a radio between stations but at a volume lower than the T. I took valerian, melatonin and magnesium before bed and practised deep breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques. I sleep better now and take nothing and don't use the noise machine. I still meditate. I hope you feel better.

 

I tried for two months to sleep. Walks , relaxation. Nothing worked I looked like I was going to die. I capitulated to meds. Now Im in another mess and the sleep is still bad. I have insomnia very bad. The sleep is whats getting to me.
I simply cant sleep without meds. Bad.

 

Not bad. It's your way of surviving right now.
I had to learn to fall asleep again; just layed on my back, trying to find the tensed muscles and try to relax, find a spot in my mind on the beach/forrest where I feel at ease. Pictured the waves moving forwards and back, that kind of stuff.
Try not to fix on falling asleep, try to learn to accept things as they are, and I know.., you're tired, that makes it harder. But I succeeded. And no, I do not always sleep well, but I accept it.

 

Ok first off no headphones or anything on the ear...second download the app white noise on ur phone and record the sound of ur sink...the natural ambience of the room should make the sound actually sound real compare to those computer generated sound apps...at bed time relax and play the sound at a similar volume to ur T...the sounds should blur together especially if you laying on your ear...i have gotten REM sleep from this without any drug use at all....hope this helps

 

The noise apps, they sure don't help me though. Everyone should try it for themself if it works for him/her. There is no guarantee. If it helps? Stick with it.

 

Did you try doing what i described? They dont help me either...i need the real sound for it to work

 

The only think that really helps? Walking barefooted in the sea, that sound of the waves rolling on and off the beach. No app can do that. Perhaps it's the totl picture.., being outdoor, feeling free, wind, sun.., the movement of the leaves and branches of trees.. donnow.

 

When you turn your sink on does that mask your T? Give what i said a shot..you may be surprised how well natural ambience helps.

 

I don't have a sink in my sleepingroom! ;-)
Everyone should try out what fits him, and if it fits? Stick with it.

 

I have never used a sound pillow but have heard many people benefit with a high quality one.

At first I used a sound machine with some gentle tones. But after many years now I don't use one.

However getting to sleep is still an issue so I started turning off all computer use and I phone use around 8 pm. Because anything electronic that seemed to keep my brain over active. Note that I cannot talk on my I phone or rather listen because it bothers my tinnitus. I am okay on a land line though.

I do go to sleep with the TV on though and it turns off after an hour. I am sorta out of sorts if I am somewhere without a TV in the bedroom. The immediate silence - that is tough.

Oh and I always dim lights and never turn on a bright light like in the bathroom just before going to bed.

 

I use one of the many noise apps in the iTunes Store. Don't want to name them by name and appear to be promoting one other the other. They are all mostly the same. Just pic one that lets you blend your own sound so you can experiment with what works for you best. For me is a blend of crickets and ocean or fan sounds. Occasionally I'll mix in a little airplane cabin noise.

 

I understand what you're going through, but it is not a good idea to totally mask your tinnitus so that it can't be heard. Attempting to do this you won't be successful and you could make your tinnitus more intrusive in the process. A better way and preferred method which is suggested by hearing therapists, is to "use sound enrichment" at night. Try using nature sounds as music draws the brain's attention which isn't ideal. Set the volume slightly below your tinnitus and to play throughout the night until morning.