Why Are Afternoons/Evenings So Much Easier (Tinnitus Not as Bothersome) Than Mornings?

Hi fellow overcomers,

First, I'd like to say that we all have hope. It's always there. You just have to latch onto it. I'm speaking to myself here as much as anyone else. I need to hear that and I'm sure you do, too.

I just started noticing tinnitus about 3 weeks ago so I'm struggling through the early stages. I've learned a few things so far. Sleep is tantamount no matter what you have to do to get it. Routine is a good thing. Exercise is helpful. Distractions are great - conversations, TV (if you can focus), busy work, and anything that covers up the ringing. I also think it's important to have some emergency meds. I have Klonopin. I have been averaging about one mg per week but knowing it is there if I need it is very comforting. I've considered taking .25 mg per day just to see if it helps take the edge off but I just don't want to get dependent.

So, to my question: Are afternoons easier than morning for anyone else? I really struggle in the morning. Don't want to do anything, can't get distracted, get depressed easily, start having "can't deal with this" thoughts, and my mood is awful. Then, something nice happens in the afternoon. It's almost like I start looking forward to the consistency and busy-ness of my evenings. Run errands, have conversations, watch TV, take shower, play on phone, then settle in for a (hopefully) good nights sleep. The tinnitus just becomes more of a background noise and not so in your face. It's still there but it's not as bothersome.

Does anyone else have a similar experience or have any insight that might be beneficial? Of course, the goal is to make my mornings more like my evenings if that's doable. Thanks and all the best to you!

 

Hi Ben! That's so funny because I have the opposite problem. I love mornings. Tinnitus is quiet, I get a lot done and am usually super productive. Mine gets bad a couple of hours after lunch and then after dinner. I used to blame it on food and still wonder if there's a metabolic component, but it may be something like changing cortisol levels or just tiredness. So I guess it depends on a person's normal daily rhythms.

 

I believe it is probably tied to our circadian cycles.

 

Yeah, mine doesn't really get louder or quieter. It just gets easier to ignore when I'm in a rhythm, I think.

I think exercise plays a role as well. I haven't walked today and I'm not doing as good. Guess I need to go walk!

 

Mine keeps evolving...

Onset - loud in mornings, quiet in afternoons, and loud at night

5 months in - quiet in mornings, loud in afternoons, and quiet at night

8 months in - loud in mornings, loud in afternoons, near silent at nights

10+ months in - 50/50 loud in mornings, quiet in afternoons, and 50/50 loud at nights

Nothing makes sense lol, it’s like it purposely does not want me to habituate.

 

@Ben Johnson, .25 mg is very low. I bet it doesn’t even have a therapeutic effect.

 

So, mine is super strange, as well. I'm a month in now with this and I noticed it is TERRIBLE at night It wakes me up typically it's so loud. If I'm lucky, it'll quiet back down during the day and is almost all the way gone at the end of my day. This last week I had entire days where it was dead silent... only to return with a scream in the middle of the night.

Today was the worst, because after a week of silence, my nightly fun with it ringing out caused it to stick around with me all day. I thought... fine... I'll jus deal with this at night as long as my 'wake hours' are silent. But alas, the mystery continues with me, as well.

I will add that taking Clonazepam each night helped 'during the day'... but did nothing for the night ringing. Although after a week of taking it, I guess it's just not working during the day anymore? Would one week really be enough to make it non-effective.

So frustrating... but thanks for sharing your situation. Makes me feel not so alone with the insanity I feel I'm going through.

 

Everything for me is better in the morning as all my ear related symptoms are not as prevalent. It gets worse as the day goes on. Then resets the next morning.

 

I agree, and there's not much you can do about it unless you want to throw off your whole natural cycle.

 

That’s exactly how mine is and not sure what to do. It grows throughout the day and then resets first thing in the morning.

 

I’m thinking there’s less brain activity occurring after one wakes up, therefore less intense tinnitus. But as the day progresses, the brain activity increases, so does tinnitus.

This is assuming that tinnitus is more of a brain issue rather than strictly ear related.