Last updated: October 2026
Tinnitus often seems louder at night because the room is quiet and there’s less to distract you, not usually because it has changed. Low background sound, a calm wind-down and not checking on it can make it easier to fall asleep. See a GP if it’s new, one-sided, pulsing with your heartbeat or comes with hearing loss.
Below: why it’s worse in bed, an 8-step plan for sleep, the best sounds, night waking, sleep apnoea, supplements and when to get help.
Why is tinnitus worse at night?
- The room goes quiet. Tinnitus UK explains that moving from a busy day to a silent bedroom makes tinnitus much more noticeable.
- There’s nothing else to focus on. The NHS says focusing on tinnitus can make it worse, and lying in the dark is when attention drifts to it.
- Worry keeps the cycle going. Tinnitus UK describes a loop: you notice the sound, think “I’ll never sleep”, feel stressed, sleep badly, then feel more anxious the next night.
- Stress. The NHS lists stress as something that can make tinnitus worse.
The reassuring part: Tinnitus UK says many people with tinnitus sleep well, and good and poor sleepers don’t seem to have different tinnitus. Worry about sleep often matters more than the sound itself. If your mind races too, see our guide to anxiety at night.
If you notice it more lying on one side, try the other side. If you hear a beat in time with your pulse, see a GP.
How to sleep with tinnitus: 8 steps
These steps come from NHS and Tinnitus UK advice and build on good sleep hygiene.
- Never aim for total silence. The NHS advises against total silence. Put on a low, steady sound before bed.
- Set the sound just below your tinnitus. Tinnitus UK suggests a level a little quieter than your tinnitus, which helps your brain get used to it over time. Drowning it out gives short-term relief but can make it seem louder when the sound stops.
- Unwind for an hour. Tinnitus UK recommends at least an hour of winding down. Our bedtime routine for adults has a simple plan.
- Use a relaxation technique. The NHS suggests relaxing with deep breathing or yoga. Try 4-7-8 breathing, progressive muscle relaxation or a yoga nidra recording.
- Park your worries earlier. Tinnitus UK suggests writing worries down for 15 to 20 minutes each evening to keep them out of bed. See how to stop overthinking.
- Cut caffeine and alcohol in the evening. The NHS suggests cutting down on caffeine, and Tinnitus UK says alcohol disrupts sleep even if it helps you drop off. See how long caffeine lasts and alcohol and sleep.
- Keep a regular wake-up time and skip naps. Tinnitus UK advises the same wake time every day, weekends included, and no daytime naps.
- Don’t try hard to sleep. Go to bed when sleepy and let resting be enough. Listening out for the tinnitus keeps you alert.
Best sounds for tinnitus at night
Tinnitus UK calls this sound therapy. There’s no single best sound: pick one that’s pleasant, steady and easy to ignore.
| Option | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Fan | Cheap, steady hum, cools the room | Can be too cold in winter; point it away from you |
| Bedside sound machine | Choice of sounds, volume control, sleep timer, keeps your phone out of the bedroom | Avoid sounds with sudden changes |
| Pillow speaker | Sound you hear more than your partner does | Keep the volume low |
| Phone app or streaming | Free, lots of nature sounds and noise colours | Use do not disturb, and avoid tracks with adverts or loud loops |
| Quiet radio, podcast or audiobook | Something gentle for your mind to follow | Choose calm voices, not gripping stories |
| Hearing aids (daytime) | If you have hearing loss, most people notice tinnitus less with them on | Ask your GP or audiologist |
Rain, waves and soft pink or brown noise are popular. Our brown noise vs white noise guide compares them.
What about earplugs? They block outside sound, so tinnitus can stand out more. If a partner’s snoring is the problem, try a sound machine first, or see how to stop snoring.
If tinnitus wakes you in the night
Tinnitus UK says you’re more likely to be woken by something else than by tinnitus, but once awake, you notice it.
- Leave your sound on low all night, or within reach.
- Don’t check the clock.
- Get up after 25 to 30 minutes awake, as Tinnitus UK advises. Read something calm in dim light elsewhere, then return when sleepy.
- Don’t take it easy the next day. Tinnitus UK says resting more after a bad night can leave you more tired.
If you wake at the same time most nights, see why do I wake up at 3am? If it’s been weeks, read about sleep debt.
CBT and NHS help for tinnitus and sleep
If tinnitus still keeps you awake after a few weeks, there’s good help available.
- Talking therapies. The NHS says a GP may refer you for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), tinnitus counselling or tinnitus retraining therapy. Digital CBT, by app or online, is usually offered first.
- A stepped approach. NICE’s tinnitus guideline (NG155) recommends digital tinnitus CBT first, then group therapy, then one-to-one CBT.
- CBT for insomnia (CBT-I). A 2021 review of randomised trials found CBT-based treatment improved insomnia scores in adults with tinnitus. In a UK trial of 102 people with tinnitus-related insomnia, more than 80% in the CBT-I group had a meaningful improvement, compared with 47% given audiology care and 20% in a support group. See our insomnia guide for how CBT-I works.
Tinnitus UK runs a free helpline on 0800 018 0527.
Tinnitus, sleep apnoea and lack of sleep
Tinnitus and poor sleep often go together. A 2022 review of seven studies with 3,041 people with tinnitus found about half (53.5%) had poor sleep.
Sleep apnoea. A meta-analysis of eight studies (132,292 adults) found people with sleep apnoea were more likely to have tinnitus. The link was only clear for severe sleep apnoea, not mild or moderate, and these were observational studies, so they can’t show that one causes the other. Loud snoring, gasping in your sleep and daytime sleepiness are worth mentioning to a GP. See our sleep apnoea guide.
Can lack of sleep cause tinnitus? There’s no clear evidence that poor sleep causes tinnitus. But tiredness and stress can make it more noticeable, and worry about it disturbs sleep, so the two can feed each other.
Do supplements help tinnitus?
Honestly, the evidence is weak:
| Supplement | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| Ginkgo biloba | A 2022 Cochrane review of 12 trials (1,915 people) found it may have little to no effect on tinnitus, and the evidence is very uncertain. |
| Zinc | A 2016 Cochrane review of 3 trials (209 people) found no evidence that zinc improves tinnitus. |
| Melatonin and other over-the-counter products | A 2026 review of 9 small trials found inconsistent results and no firm conclusions for any of them. Melatonin is also prescription-only in the UK. |
| Magnesium | No good-quality trials show magnesium supplements reduce tinnitus. |
NICE also advises doctors not to offer betahistine for tinnitus. Be wary of anything promising a cure.
Where a supplement can fit is in a calm evening routine, not as a tinnitus treatment. Our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex is a berry-flavoured bedtime drink with magnesium bisglycinate and citrate, glycine, L-theanine, chamomile, passionflower, hops and oat straw. Magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and normal psychological function. It isn’t a treatment for tinnitus, but a bedtime drink can be a cue to switch off. See magnesium for sleep.
When tinnitus affects your mood
Night-time tinnitus can be exhausting, and feeling low or anxious is common. The NHS says see a GP if tinnitus affects your sleep or concentration or makes you anxious or depressed. You won’t be wasting anyone’s time.
If you feel unable to cope or have thoughts of harming yourself, call Samaritans free on 116 123, or call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option. If your life is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E.
When to see a GP
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| Tinnitus that’s regular or constant, getting worse, or affecting sleep, concentration or mood | See a GP |
| Tinnitus in one ear only that doesn’t go away | See a GP; NICE says this may need referral |
| Tinnitus that beats in time with your pulse | Ask for an urgent GP appointment |
| Tinnitus with sudden hearing loss, weakness in your face or vertigo, or after a head injury | Go to A&E or call 999. Don’t drive yourself |
Your GP will look in your ears for simple causes such as earwax or an infection, may check your hearing, and can refer you to a specialist. Mention any medicines you take.
Related guides
- For more on types, safety and earwax, see earplugs for sleeping.
- ASMR triggers for sleep and who they suit.
- For tips on choosing and using calm music at night, see music for sleep.
FAQs
Why is my tinnitus worse at night?
Usually because the room is quiet and there’s nothing else to focus on, so the sound stands out. Tiredness, stress and worry about sleep can make it feel louder too.
What is the best sound for tinnitus at night?
Any pleasant, steady sound you find easy to ignore, such as a fan, rain, waves or pink or brown noise. Keep it a little quieter than your tinnitus rather than drowning it out.
Should I wear earplugs if I have tinnitus?
Earplugs block outside sound, so tinnitus can seem louder in a quiet bedroom. A low background sound usually works better at night. Keep using ear protection in loud places.
Can lack of sleep cause tinnitus?
There’s no clear evidence that it does. But tiredness and stress can make tinnitus more noticeable and harder to cope with, and the two can feed each other.
Is tinnitus linked to sleep apnoea?
A meta-analysis found people with severe sleep apnoea were more likely to have tinnitus, but the studies can’t show cause. See a GP if you snore loudly, gasp in your sleep or feel very sleepy in the day.
Do supplements help tinnitus?
Cochrane reviews found ginkgo may have little to no effect and found no evidence for zinc. Trials of melatonin and other over-the-counter products are small and inconsistent.
Sources
- NHS. Tinnitus.
- Tinnitus UK. Tinnitus and sleep and Tips for a good night’s sleep.
- Tinnitus UK. Sound therapy.
- NICE. Tinnitus: assessment and management (NG155).
- Sereda M, et al. Ginkgo biloba for tinnitus. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022.
- Person OC, et al. Zinc supplementation for tinnitus. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016.
- Menon R, et al. Effectiveness of over-the-counter treatments for tinnitus symptom relief: a systematic review. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2026.
- Gao J, et al. Association between sleep apnea and tinnitus: a meta-analysis. Ear Nose Throat J. 2024.
- Gu H, et al. Prevalence of sleep impairment in patients with tinnitus: a systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022.
- Curtis F, et al. Effects of cognitive behavioural therapy on insomnia in adults with tinnitus. Sleep Med Rev. 2021.
- Marks E, et al. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBTi) as a treatment for tinnitus-related insomnia: a randomised controlled trial. Cogn Behav Ther. 2023.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex.
