Sudden Ringing In The Ear
Sleep Difficulties
If you experience any problems with sleep, there are a number of techniques you might wish to focus. In particular, we recommend that you use the relaxation techniques. Learning effective relaxation skills will help you achieve deep levels of physical relaxation. A reduction in physical tension will produce a physical state that is conducive for sleep. Relaxation can help decrease the time it takes to fall asleep as well as improve the quality of your sleep.
If you find that you are troubled by any worrying or racing thoughts when you are trying to get to sleep, the cognitive strategies might prove to be very useful. For example, you might notice specific thoughts running through your mind, such as "I won't be able to function at work tomorrow," "I can't cope without sleep," "I'll never get back to sleep," "This is awful."
Clearly, these thoughts could be subjected to the cognitive restructuring methods, and more constructive thoughts might be substituted in their place. In addition to this suggestion, it might be very useful to use some of the thought-stopping and distraction exercises. For instance, you might try imagining a large flashing stop sign and then participate in a distraction exercise, such as counting backwards by 7s from 300 or going through the alphabet backwards. You could combine these mental tasks with some relaxation procedure. That is, as you count or recite the alphabet, with each number or letter that comes to mind, deliberately focus on releasing any physical tension from your body.
One thing that it is important to avoid is simply lying in bed, tossing and turning! If you have not been able to fall asleep within about 20 minutes, get out of bed and go into another room. You might then try focusing on some relaxing activity, such as reading a book, thumbing through a magazine, or watching television. Whatever task you choose, be sure that it is not overly stimulating or too exciting. Only return to bed when you begin to feel sleepy.
In overcoming sleep problems it might also be useful to look more closely at how you spend your time from early evening to just prior to going to bed, and also the activities that you participate in while in your bedroom. To ensure that you maximize your quality of sleep, here is a list of things you might wish to consider:
- Your bed and bedroom should be reserved for the purposes of sleep and being intimate with your spouse or partner. Avoid other activities, such as completing tasks for work, working on your computer, reading or watching television, and so on.
- Keep to a regular time schedule. Go to bed at the same time each night and get out of bed at the same time each morning.
- Avoid taking any troubles or worries to bed with you. If necessary, spend some time in the early evening reflecting on your day and preparing for the next day.
- Regular exercise can improve your sleep. However, it is a good idea to restrict any vigorous exercise to the early evening (i.e., not immediately before bedtime).
- Spend a couple of hours prior to going to bed participating in some relaxing activities. Practice your relaxation training, take a warm bath or shower, have a warm milk drink, watch some relaxing television, listen to some soothing music, or read a book to unwind.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages in the time just prior to bed.
- Avoid going to bed hungry, as this is likely to disturb your sleep.
- Avoid taking any naps during the day.
- Reduce your caffeine intake throughout the day and particularly in the evening. Caffeine is a stimulant and is found in coffee, tea, and cola beverages.
Coping with Noisy Situations
People with tinnitus often say that they do not like going into noisy situations. Clearly, avoidance of extremely noisy environments is good practice for everybody, but sometimes this avoidance can be taken to extremes. Some people even wear ear-protection devices in a wide variety of situations without any real need to do so. Many of these people have an extreme fear that the noise will damage their hearing or that the noise may create a burst of very loud tinnitus.
Other people do not have any particular fear of the noise, but simply want to avoid any temporary increase in the loudness of the tinnitus, or they may find that it is very difficult to hear other people speaking in such noisy places. An increase in the loudness of the tinnitus may be noticed when the person moves from a noisy place to a quieter place.
Problems such as these may lead the person to stop going to events, such as parties, restaurants, musical concerts, movies, and the like. It is difficult to avoid noisy situations completely, and extreme avoidance may result in a reduction in participation in enjoyable activities. The negative effect of reducing enjoyable activities may result in a reduced quality of life.
If you are very sensitive to loud noises, a condition called hyperacusis, we suggest that you discuss this matter with your hearing specialist or audiologist. There may be some specific approaches that can be undertaken to assist you. Apart from hyperacusis, you may obtain some benefit from the attention control procedures or relaxation techniques. You could practice these techniques in slightly more noisy situations at home, under your own control. You might place some piece of equipment that makes a noise in the room while you practice the attention control and relaxation skills (e.g., bedside masker, noise generators, AM radio mistuned so as to get only static). You could then raise the volume a little higher each time you practice the techniques (or move the equipment closer to you over time).
The equipment may be located in another room at first, but then you could move it into the room, and bring it closer over a period of weeks. We are not suggesting that you allow the noise level to be too extreme (that would be dangerous) – just allow the volume to occur at a slightly uncomfortable level, but one that would be tolerable to most people. The next step might involve imagining being in a range of natural noisy situations. When you feel comfortable with your progress, you might try to use the techniques in loud natural situations, such as at a shopping center or restaurant. To learn more, you can check out Sudden Ringing In The Ear.
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