Tinnitus: Insomnia

If your severe chronic tinnitus has lead to chronic insomnia some things may need to change.

First, consider that you need sleep in order to replenish cells, to maintain a healthy immune system, and good mental health. Sleep deprivation over extended periods can lead to a lack of mental clarity, poor judgement, slurring, personality shifts (extrovert to introvert), depression, and energy level shifts, worsening mood, and slower reaction times.

If you cannot sleep for eight to nine hours per night, because of your tinnitus, then you may need to work more flexible hours, work from home, or work for yourself, or not work at all (depending on the severity of your insomnia). You may not be able to sustain an 8am - 5pm job long-term. You have to ask yourself these two questions:

Is my tinnitus and insomnia presenting a safety issue for myself or my co-workers?
Is work stress making my tinnitus and insomnia worse?

You can act like you are full of energy for only so long, sleep deprivation will catch up with you in the form of reduced performance reviews, trust breakdowns, and lack of promotion to levels of greater responsibility, and a lack of ability to sustain gainful employment. No matter where you try to work you are likely to experience the same consequences associated with recurring sleep deprivation. Why? Because tinnitus is constant, with no cure,  it fuels the insomnia which creates all kinds of social problems.

Insomnia can lead to a reduced immune system. This can lead to skin issues like lesions, boils, rashes, etc. Contact a doctor if you begin to experience any of these symptoms.

You need eight to nine hours of sleep. If you can get four at night and four during the day it is better than only getting four and trying to get up at 6am and go to work. There are social stigmas to not working. Stigmas, like opinions, can only hurt you if you let them. Not sleeping can hurt you because it can lead to physical safety issues. Endure the stigmas and people's opinions and focus on staying safe. Above all, don't let your tinnitus get worse. Always remember that you have a choice.

Under a medical doctor's recommendation Lunesta or Ambien may help. But, don't expect it to give you a full night of sleep. If the tinnitus is loud enough it will override the sleep aid. You may sleep deeper but not necessarily longer. Plan on being groggy in the morning, enough so as to not even think about driving a vehicle.

If you've been drinking a lot of coffee in order to self-medicate your insomnia, you shouldn't do that. Coffee makes tinnitus flare up which will make your insomnia worse which will make you need more coffee and so on.  I switched to decaf coffee or tea.