Tinnitus & Insomnia
How to change your way of seeing tinnitus in order to get a good nights sleep and overcome tinnitus related anxiety.
By Frieder Kühne
Hi and welcome to Tinnitus & Insomnia,
I recently recorded a new video on tinnitus and sleep or tinnitus and insomnia. I know that for many of you it can get quite tricky to get a solid nights sleep when suffering from tinnitus. As the tinnitus is often so intrusive especially that many of us can only hear it during the night time, and that’s when we remember that we have tinnitus. But it’s exactly at night time that we do not want all these unpleasant and doomingly looming feelings come about, as they will not allow us to have a good and solid rest.
In this blogpost and the video I share with you why it is key to transform the way of thinking about tinnitus and how you can do that. It will have a great impact on your sleep and quality of life overall. Happy reading/watching!
Lying awake at night is unpleasant for all of us. We know that the day is going to be tricky if you cannot get the rest your body naturally needs. And while sleep is a natural mechanism that requires no special attention from your side, as it occurs naturally, there are some states in which you will find it easier to drift off to sleep and some states in which that is more difficult. Our brain is wired to survival and constantly prioritizes what will help us survive and what won’t.
Why is that so?
Well our brains got their last update about 200.000 years ago. That means we live in modern times, walking around with the brains of a stone ager.
This is crucial when considering sleep. Sleep is not as important as
surviving, it can therefore only occur when your brain is relatively
sure that it is safe for you to rest. Can you imagine which states are good states to signal the brain that it is safe to go to sleep? I’m sure you can already see what I am hinting at:
This is crucial when considering sleep. Sleep is not as important as
surviving, it can therefore only occur when your brain is relatively
sure that it is safe for you to rest. Can you imagine which states are good states to signal the brain that it is safe to go to sleep? I’m sure you can already see what I am hinting at:
Sleep won’t occur if your brain perceives danger. If your tinnitus is causing you anxiety and arousal, your brain will not allow you to sleep.
How do I change that you may ask:
ARE YOU READY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP DESPITE TINNITUS?
THEN JOIN US FOR A FREE TRAIL IN OUR COMMUNITY!
Well it’s relatively simple- and not. You have to stop the vicious cycle of tinnitus related thoughts that cause you to lie awake in bed at night. And there are different ways to achieve this. One way, the beginners way, is to distract your attention. Try putting your phone under your pillow and play some sounds that you find soothing here is a playlist for tinnitus.
This should get the job done but is unfortunately not as good as tool as the advanced version:
Accept your tinnitus. I know it sounds horrible. But it kind of is the only way to signal your brain you are not in danger, and therefore will be able to sleep. This is a very active and also complicated process that can require some support. Book an initial consultation on how to do that clicking the button below.
Accepting your tinnitus in no way means that you have to start liking it, or even enjoy it. It just means that you allow it, and all the feelings of despair anxiety etc. to be there along with it. Allowing these feelings to arise instead of trying to run away from them or mask them (with sleeping pills, sleep hygiene or any other way) which will get you further from sleeping properly. Allowing sensations and tinnitus to coexist will signal your brain in the long run that you are not in danger, the fight or flight response will eventually subside, and great sleep can emerge.
By the way if you stop struggling with your tinnitus at night, but still cannot sleep at least you are not wasting so much energy, and will feel better the next day.
If you need help with putting this into place, I’m happy to offer you a first free initial consultation. Book that down below.
As usual I wish you all the best, and especially happy sleeping!!!
Frieder
ARE YOU READY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP DESPITE TINNITUS?
THEN JOIN US FOR A FREE TRAIL IN OUR COMMUNITY!
