Silencing the Scream: How Better Sleep Can Tame the Torment of Tinnitus

Most people have experienced tinnitus, but it usually goes away suddenly and people generally don’t pay much attention to it. However, some people repeatedly suffer from tinnitus that is so severe that they cannot sleep at night for a long period of time, and in some cases, lack of sleep creates a vicious cycle in which the tinnitus becomes more serious.

Experts note that there are many causes of tinnitus, some of which are problems with the ear itself, including auditory nerve damage due to natural aging, noise damage, inflammation, viral infections and other conditions. Other causes may include vascular problems, and psychological issues such as stress, anxiety, and lack of sleep can also cause tinnitus.

For this reason, ENT experts say that more than half of patients suffer from tinnitus even if the auditory nerve is clinically severed. Doctors point out that tinnitus can occur if there is a problem anywhere from the frontal lobe cells that receive sound waves to the terminal cerebral cortex.

Studies have shown that approximately 70% of tinnitus sufferers have sleep disorders. Some patients say they are often disturbed by sounds in their ears in the middle of the night, unable to sleep and often feeling anxious. If this continues, the entire person may experience more serious symptoms due to lack of sleep and excessive fatigue.

In this case, experts suggest that in order to improve tinnitus, you must first solve the sleep problem and improve the quality of sleep. Japanese sleep consultant Tomono Nao suggests that people who have trouble falling asleep can intentionally slow their breathing and do stretching and calming exercises before going to bed to prevent tension built up throughout the day from going to bed and affecting their sleep. .

However, if the condition is too severe or does not improve, patients should seek immediate treatment to avoid the condition worsening, affecting daily life and even risking hearing impairment.