Sleep Architecture Disrupted in Tinnitus Sufferers

Everyone knows how important sleep is to people with tinnitus. Sleep strategies, medications, and supplements--all these topics engender frequent discussion on TT and for good reason: getting a good night's sleep is the most important single factor that affects tinnitus intensity for many people. Below is a sleep study comparing people with tinnitus to people without. The results are not surprising: sleep architecture is disrupted in people with tinnitus. This study is an excellent beginning in understanding the relationship between sleep and tinnitus. Hopefully, more sleep studies will follow--including one that looks at people with active tinnitus and those who have habituated. It would be useful to know if habituation turns off some of those neural networks that affect not only sleep, but also general cognitive functioning.

Here's the abstract:

Ear Hear. 2013 Jul-Aug;34(4):503-7. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0b013e31827bc436.

Sleep architecture variation in chronic tinnitus patients.

Attanasio G, Russo FY, Roukos R, Covelli E, Cartocci G, Saponara M.

Source
Department of Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. giuseppe.attanasio@uniroma1.it

Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
The aim of the study was to evaluate the sleep architecture and its possible alterations in chronic tinnitus patients, and investigate any possible correlation between sleep architecture modifications and tinnitus perception, adaptation, and the degree of discomfort in these patients.

DESIGN:
In a prospective, case-control, nonrandomized study, 18 patients affected by chronic tinnitus were compared with a homogeneous control group consisting of 15 healthy subjects. The experimental group was enrolled at the Tinnitus ambulatory at Policlinico Umberto I Department of Sensory Organs, and the control group was composed of voluntary subjects. A full overnight polysomnography was performed on both groups. Tinnitus patients answered two questionnaires: the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and a questionnaire concerning their subjective sleep quality, tinnitus intensity before bedtime, tinnitus intensity at remembered nocturnal wake-up periods, and tinnitus intensity at morning wake-up. Controls completed only the sleep quality questionnaire.

RESULTS:
All tinnitus patients had a statistically significant alteration in sleep stages. Average percentage of stage 1 + stage 2 was 85.4% ± 6.3, whereas, in the control group, the average percentage of stage 1 + stage 2 was 54.9 ± 11.2 (p < 0.001). Stages 3 and 4 and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was lacking in all tinnitus patients with an average percentage of 6.4 ± 4.9 of REM sleep, and 6.4 ± 4.9 of stages 3 + 4. The control group showed an average percentage of 21.5 ± 3.6 of REM sleep and 21.5 ± 3.6 of stages 3 + 4 (p < 0.001). No correlation was found between the decrease of REM and the increase of the THI score in the tinnitus group (r = 0.04). However, a mild correlation was found between the increase of light sleep (stage 1 + stage 2) and the THI score reported by the tinnitus group. Therefore, patients with light sleep report a higher THI score (r = 0.4).

CONCLUSIONS:
The significant alteration of sleep parameters assessed in tinnitus patients underlines the necessity to consider an adequate therapy that could improve patients' sleep quality and also opens avenues for further investigations.

 

I added Remeron(mirtazapine) to my arsenal for improved sleep. I took 15mg along with Zolpidem 10mg & had a dramatic improvement in my tinnitus today. Yesterday my T was a loud piercing ringing that I could barely stand.
I think quality REM sleep = much lower tinnitus the following day IMHO. (not eliminating it totally of course)

I changed to mirtazapine from Nortriptyline because of bad dry mouth of the latter. I also heard good things about the med from Golly,Karl, & others. I will update if it continues to work well. I am still looking into proton pump inhibitors affecting tinnitus as well. I seem to have loud hissing today and may be noise activated--frustrating.

-just1morething

 

Yes, I might go that route eventually, but am probably addicted to Zolpidem for now. I did not sleep well last night ( was up till 2:30 am) so I don't know if bad day today is partially cause of that, or just noise activated tinnitus from operating combine.

I did use Remeron 30mg last night, but it did not make me sleepy for some reason. The previous night I slept great with only 15mg. Sometimes helps to take a shower at night to get your body relaxed before going to bed.

I am not a happy camper with my current loud hissing sound in my head.

 

@Markku

I used Zolpidem the first eight weeks of tinnitus. It builds up tolerance very fast. In the beginning I was totally wasted when I took them. It even "cured" my tinnitus. That effect stopped after about four weeks. After eight weeks the "buzz" I got from them stopped too.

 

Since I got my tinnitus, I never had difficulties to sleep, even with 2 times tinnitus aggravations during the past 2 years, and I never took medication. However, I have the impression to be more tired than usual every day since I got the tinnitus, maybe because tinnitus affects the quality of sleep, I don´t know.

Are you guys getting night medication to actually begin to sleep or to have a better quality sleep (more regenerative sleep) or something else ? Is it the norm not to be able to sleep because of tinnitus ?

 

I take it just to get to sleep. When I'm sleeping, not even a bomb can wake me up.

 

I envy you meeruf for being such a good sleeper. I'm that kind of person that is awakened in the early hours by any kind of sound. And once I'm awake at night, it's much harder for me to fall asleep again. In the evening I'm usually that tired that I fall asleep despite of the tinnitus. I have always been a light sleeper, but I have been wondering if I have become an even lighter sleeper because of the tinnitus.

I use Remeron and it helps me fall asleep. Unfortunately it doesn't keep me from waking up during the night.

 

Sounds just like me riikka - I wish I could sleep all night I waken often and can find it takes me an hour or more to go back to sleep. I have had all nighters with zero sleep but that is when anxiety rockets.

I've just been given a new AD to take at night that helps sleep so far it's helped me get through a tough sleepless couple of months. I just can't amagine ever being able to sleep without some tablet to help !

I've had zoplicone and been very careful how I take them to prevent dependency and addiction I feel much more positive on the AD than zoplicone.

If I can sleep well ad without fear of failure I can deal with this T !

 

I hear you, Cher. I had sleep problems about nine years before I got tinnitus but now they are even worse. It s getting harder to fall asleep even with meds. Used to just be the night waking. I usually feel tired during the day, I am sure in part due to low quality sleep.

Had my first party at my house last night since my tinnitus an it Just exhausted me, with my ears roaring the whole time. I was totally wiped out when I crawled into bed...and still couldn't fall asleep until 3 am. I feel so helpless, my mom is visiting and it's hard for me to be cheery and social. Today was the first time I cried in awhile.

 

I have found a sleep remedy that has proven to be very effective for me. It's not habit forming. I use a combo of two herbs. Passionflower extract is like valium. I use only half of the recommended dose and also something called Rhodiola Recharge. It is a combo of herbs that help with adrenals. It was recommended to me by a woman's health nurse practitioner, for stress and trouble sleeping and anxiety. She told me it would be fine for me to take now that I am experiencing T. These are something I use at night...every night. No drugged feeling when I wake. I love this stuff. I can wake in the night, and get right back to sleep. I've recommended it to all of my girlfriends as we are always stressed. This can be taken by men too. Just wanted to share, if just one other person finds it works for them, it's worth mentioning.

 

Thanks Lulu. I am trying out anything that sounds helpful and safe, so will give this a whirl.