An estimated 10% to 25% of adults have tinnitus.[1] While the presence of a ringing or buzzing sound in your ears is bothersome during the day, it can feel even louder at night.
Why is My Tinnitus Louder at Night?
When you’re at work or grabbing a latte from Yukon Coffee, there are countless noises to distract you from the internal ringing of tinnitus. If all those noises disappear, such as when you’re reading in your quiet bedroom, the tinnitus will feel comparatively louder.
Nighttime Tinnitus Management Tips
Tinnitus has no known cure, but sound masking can be an effective management strategy, especially at night when your bedroom is otherwise quiet. Sound masking works by masking tinnitus with soothing external noise. You can use a few different tools to employ the technique:
- A noise machine
- A tinnitus masking app on your phone
- A fan
Relaxation is another option. A 2023 study found that psycho-social stress has the same likelihood of developing tinnitus as occupational noise exposure.[2] Unfortunately, tinnitus can also cause stress, leading to a hard-to-leave cycle. In addition to sound masking, you can try a few different relaxation techniques to help calm your emotional and physical reaction to the tinnitus:
- Progressive muscle relaxation. Breathe in and tense a muscle group for 5 to 10 seconds, then breathe out as you relax the muscle group. Rest for a few seconds and repeat the process across different muscle groups. A few examples of tensing muscle groups include clenching your hands, wrinkling your forehead or curling and uncurling your toes.
- Meditation. Listening to a meditation video can help you ground yourself and redirect your attention away from tinnitus.
- Yoga. A nighttime yoga routine can help you relax before bedtime. You can follow along with a yoga video online or opt for some gentle stretches.
Managing tinnitus with a combination of relaxation techniques and tinnitus masking is an excellent way to enjoy a quieter evening. For a professional tinnitus evaluation and management consultation, contact SoundLogic today.
[1] National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (2023). Tinnitus. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus
[2]Patil, J. D., Alrashid, M. A., Eltabbakh, A., & Fredericks, S. (2023). The association between stress, emotional states, and tinnitus: a mini-review. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 15, 1131979. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1131979