Sleep problems are probably the most important ones in case of tinnitus, and the ones that people mostly complain about. It is quite obvious that with ear noises suddenly being present, the sleep quality will be affected. However, to a certain degree these problems might actually be self-imposed. This is because many people have certain idealistic notions about sleep, like 'I need eight hours of sleep' and 'I have to sleep through without waking up'. And then in case of not being able to fulfill these ideals, they feel guilty and inferior because of it, which however only will aggravate the problems and the suffering associated with the sleeplessness.

So my advice would be not to dwell so much in your mind on the sleep problem, but just try to cope with it as best as you can on a day to day basis. My doctor told me that for quite a while one can manage with 5-6 hours of sleep per night, so one shouldn't feel bad if one only gets this amount. If it causes too much stress to lie awake each night for an hour or two, then consider going to bed correspondingly later. This won't give you more sleep but reduce the amount of time you are lying awake (and thus the stress associated with this).

Only as a last resort you should consider sleeping tablets or tranquilizers for a while.

In any case, don't worry, for most people the acute sleep problems only occur for the first 6 months at most. The sleep will then return to a more normal (in any case more manageable) pattern again.

Thomas

A question I come across quite frequently is whether it is advisable to go on holiday with a tinnitus. Many people fear apparently that it could get aggravated. According to my own experience and those of others I have spoken to, this is an unfounded fear. On the contrary, in many cases the holiday will have a positive effect due to the generally relaxing nature of a holiday and the fact that, with the new environment, one does not concentrate so much on the condition. Still, one should obviously take some precautions and also avoid overly loud environments on holiday (or use earplugs in corresponding situations). Flying by airplane is usually not a problem either, but also here one might want to use earplugs in order to reduce the engine noise (there are also special earplugs called 'Earplanes' that help to reduce the pressure equalization problems (fullness in the ears) which some people have during flights).

Thomas

I have decided to start to promote this blog in some blog directories etc. Some of these require that I link back to them. I shall use this entry for any such links in the future:

 

I wish everybody a Happy New Year 2012. If you are suffering from tinnitus, hopefully a year that goes some way to improve if not cure the condition. Maybe some of the information here can help you to achieve this. Or visit my web page Tinnitus Advice and Tips for a Treatment and Cure, or my Tinnitus Forum.

Thomas

With the winter now almost upon us, I want to address a question that I frequently come across, namely if the weather can have an effect on the tinnitus. The simple answer is, yes. One has to remember that tinnitus is a nervous condition, and all kind of environmental and psychological influences can affect the nervous system. It is not necessarily only the colder temperatures in the winter as such, but also the fact that adverse weather conditions and darker days may have a negative impact on the person's mood, which can aggravate the condition similar to stress. So one should bear this in mind if one notices an aggravation of the tinnitus not only during the winter months, but generally during prolonged adverse weather conditions.
As far as cold temperature are concerned, I always found it beneficial to wear a woolly hat in the winter outdoors, preferably one that covers the ears as well (I found this particularly important if it was also windy).

So whilst there is nothing to worry about in the way of adverse long term effects of bad weather on the tinnitus, it is always advised to take some simple precautions to minimize any negative impact here.

Thomas