Sleeping with Tinnitus: 5 Ways to Quiet the Ringing
For people living with tinnitus, getting a good night's sleep can be a challenge. During the day, it's often easier to tune out the ringing. But when the lights go off and the house goes quiet, suddenly it's the only thing you can hear. In the US, about 4 in 10 adults with tinnitus reported it made it harder to fall asleep.
The good news is that a few simple changes to your bedtime routine may help make tinnitus less noticeable and improve your sleep. Here are some practical tips for sleeping better with tinnitus.
Why Does Tinnitus Get Worse at Night?
Tinnitus is the perception of sound that doesn't have an external source, so no one else can hear it. It's often described as ringing, but it can also sound like buzzing, hissing, humming, or roaring. It's also common, affecting an estimated 10 to 25% of adults.
So why does tinnitus often feel worse at night? A few things about your nighttime environment can make it harder to ignore while you sleep:
- Less background noise: Traffic, conversation, and the TV during the day actually can help mask tinnitus. At night, these sounds fade away, leaving the ringing more noticeable.
- Fewer distractions: With nothing else to focus on, your brain can shift towards the ringing. The more you focus on it, the harder it may feel to ignore.
- Stress and fatigue: They can make tinnitus feel more bothersome, especially when you're trying to relax or fall asleep.
In other words, tinnitus feeling more noticeable at night doesn't necessarily mean it's getting worse. However, worrying about the ringing or struggling to fall asleep can add to the frustration and make it harder to relax. Understanding these reasons is the first step toward finding ways to sleep with tinnitus.
How to Sleep with Tinnitus: Try These 5 Tips
There's no one-size-fits-all solution for sleeping with tinnitus. Many people get the best results by combining a few of the tips below and adjusting over a couple of weeks.
1. Use Sound Masking
Quiet surroundings can make tinnitus more noticeable at night. Playing soft background sounds, such as rain, ocean waves, or a fan, can help make the ringing less intrusive.
So how loud should it be for the best masking effect? You don't need to drown out the ringing.
- Keep it quieter than a normal conversation. Set the volume at a comfortable level, ideally where you can still hear your tinnitus faintly rather than trying to drown it out.
- Set a timer if you prefer. Set the sound to fade out after you fall asleep, or keep it playing quietly overnight if that helps you rest.
Colored noise isn't your only option. Slow ambient or instrumental music without sudden changes in volume or tempo can work just as well. The best choice is whatever helps you relax and fall asleep without becoming a distraction.
Using your phone's speaker is the easiest way to try sound masking. But if you share a bed, sleep earbuds is a great option that lets you listen without disturbing your partner. The Anker soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds are designed for comfortable overnight use, even for side sleepers.
The soundcore app includes a free library of sleep sounds and meditation audio, and you can stream your own audio with Bluetooth 6.0. If a partner snores, soundcore sleep earbuds can detect it and cue soothing sounds to mask it.
One important tip: Don't use sleep earbuds just to block out all outside noise. If you have tinnitus, pair them with soft background sounds rather than sleeping in complete silence.
2. Adjust Your Sleeping Position
There's no single best sleeping position for tinnitus relief,but a few adjustments may help you feel more comfortable at night. If congestion or sinus pressure makes your ears feel full at night, propping your head up with an extra pillow may help ease congestion.
Your head and neck position matters too. For some people, moving the head or neck can temporarily change how their tinnitus sounds. Doctors call this somatosensory tinnitus. If this pattern sounds familiar to you, try:
- Choosing a pillow that keeps your neck in a neutral line with your spine;
- Avoiding stomach sleeping, which can leave your neck turned to one side for hours;
- Side sleeping with a pillow that doesn't press hard against your ear
These changes won't help everyone, but they're easy to try for a week and see how it works.
3. Meditation Before Bed
Tinnitus and anxiety tend to feed each other. The more stressed you feel about the ringing, the harder it is to ignore, and the harder it may be to fall asleep. Relaxation exercises and mindfulness can help reduce the distress that comes with tinnitus.
A 10- to 15-minute wind-down routine can help:
- Guided meditation. A calm voice gives your mind something to follow besides the ringing.
- Slow breathing. Breathe in for four counts and out for six.
- Progressive muscle relaxation. Tense and release each muscle group, from your toes up to your face.
- A warm bath or shower. A warm bath or shower before bed can help your body switch into sleep mode.
Try to keep screens out of this routine. Bright light from TVs and computer screens can signal the brain that it's time to be awake, so use the last hour before bed for quiet time.
4. Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Tinnitus is much harder to cope with when you're running on empty. Sleep deficiency can make you feel frustrated, cranky, or worried, and that makes the ringing harder to ignore. A steady schedule keeps your body clock on track, so sleep comes more easily.
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Keep weekends within about an hour of your weekday schedule.
- Aim for 7 to 9 hours. This is the recommended amount for most adults.
- Keep naps short. If you nap, keep it to no more than 20 minutes and take it earlier in the afternoon.
- Watch your caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine intake. The effects of caffeine can last up to 8 hours; alcohol may make you feel sleepy initially but can disrupt sleep later in the night, while nicotine is a stimulant. Some people also notice their tinnitus feels louder after these, so it's worth tracking your symptoms for a week or two.
5. Create a Calm Sleep Environment
A comfortable bedroom can make it easier to relax and fall asleep. Keep the room cool, dark, and quiet, with a dim night light if needed. For people with tinnitus, though, "quiet" means calm, not completely silent. A fan, an air purifier, or even a radio played softly adds a steady layer of sound that fills the room to make the ringing less noticeable.
If you'd rather not wear earbuds while sleeping, a bedside sound machine is another option. Anker SleepLab Pro sits on your nightstand with nothing to wear or charge. Its dual speakers create a wider, more immersive soundscape, and the sound winds down with you and stays low once you're asleep.
Before bed, you can follow the guided breathing offered by SleepLab Pro, paced by amber lighting, ocean sounds, and a gentle voice. It also tracks your sleep and your room's temperature, light, and noise, so you can identify patterns in your sleep environment.
Best Noises and Sounds to Mask Tinnitus at Night
No single sound works best for everyone. The best noises or sounds for sleeping depends on what your tinnitus sounds like and what you find relaxing. Give each option a few nights before deciding.
| Sound | What It Sounds Like | Worth Trying If You… |
| White noise | Steady, bright static, like a TV between channels | Have high-pitched ringing or prefer a consistent sound |
| Pink noise | Softer and deeper than white noise, like steady rain | Find white noise too harsh |
| Brown noise | Deep, low rumbling, like distant thunder | Prefer lower-pitched sounds |
| Nature / ambient sounds | Rain, ocean waves, crickets, a crackling fire | Prefer natural sounds over noise |
White, pink, and brown noise can all be worth trying. As a starting point, white or pink noise may suit high-pitched ringing, while brown noise may feel more comfortable for lower-pitched tinnitus. These are personal preferences, not fixed rules.
Pink noise for sleep and tinnitus is a popular option because it sounds softer and less harsh than white noise. However, research on its effects on sleep is mixed, and studies haven't established the best approach for people with tinnitus.
Nature and ambient sounds. If static feels too clinical, try ocean waves, waterfalls, rain, or summer-night sounds, either on their own or layered together.
Whatever you choose, avoid tracks with sudden loud moments, big volume swings, or ads that break in halfway through the night. Steady and predictable is what you want.
When to See a Doctor
Most tinnitus isn't a sign of a serious medical problem, but certain symptoms need prompt medical attention.
Get medical help right away if you experience sudden hearing loss, especially in one ear. Early treatment is important.
See a doctor if your tinnitus:
- Pulses in time with your heartbeat;
- Starts after a head injury;
- Occurs with dizziness or balance problems;
- Persists in one ear for several weeks;
- Continues to affect your sleep, concentration, or mood.
Key Takeaways
- Tinnitus usually seems louder at night because the room is quiet, not because it's getting worse.
- Gentle background sound, set just below your tinnitus and on a timer, is the easiest first step for sleeping with tinnitus.
- Try white, pink, brown, and nature sounds to find what feels most relaxing to you.
- A steady sleep schedule, careful timing of caffeine and alcohol, and a calm bedroom all make the ringing easier to tune out.
- A short relaxation routine helps break the cycle between anxiety and tinnitus.
- See a doctor for tinnitus in one ear, tinnitus that pulses, or tinnitus with sudden hearing loss or dizziness.
FAQs
Does sleeping with earplugs help tinnitus?
Usually not. Earplugs block outside sound, which can make tinnitus stand out even more. If you need to block out snoring or street noise, look for an option that still lets you play soft, soothing sound in the background, rather than sleeping in total silence. Here are some earplug alternatives worth trying.
Is it safe to listen to white noise all night?
For your hearing, low-volume white noise is unlikely to cause harm. Sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to cause hearing loss, even after long exposure, and a bedtime sound should be softer than a normal conversation. Your sleep is a different question: some research suggests all-night broadband noise may change your sleep stages. A sleep timer, or a device that lowers the sound once you're asleep, is a sensible middle ground.
Does tinnitus only happen at night?
No. Tinnitus can be present all day, but it's often more noticeable at night or in quiet places because there's less background noise to cover it up.
Can lack of sleep make tinnitus worse?
Poor sleep can make tinnitus harder to live with. Tiredness and stress are both linked to tinnitus, and sleep deficiency can leave you feeling frustrated or worried. That can turn into a cycle, so better sleep habits are worth the effort.
Can tinnitus cause sleep apnea?
There's no evidence that tinnitus itself causes sleep apnea, but the two can show up together. Sleep apnea can make tinnitus more noticeable by disrupting sleep and raising stress, so if you snore, gasp for air at night, or wake up unrefreshed, talk to your doctor about a sleep study.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have tinnitus that is new, persistent, or worsening, or that comes with hearing loss, dizziness, or other symptoms, talk to your doctor or an audiologist. The products mentioned are sleep aids, not medical devices, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent tinnitus or any other medical condition.
