Sleep sounds for tinnitus

Why tinnitus seems worse at night

During the day, room noise partly masks tinnitus without you noticing. At night the contrast between silence and the ringing is at its greatest. Earplugs make that worse; a low-level sound makes it smaller.

Good bedtime sounds

• Brown noise — deep and eventless; the most common sleep choice.
• Rain, ocean or a fan — natural and steady; avoid sounds with sudden events (thunder, birds) unless they are very distant.
• A mix: brown noise with a little rain is the Sleep preset.

Settings that matter

• Level: lower than you think. It should fade into the background within a minute.
• Timer: 30–60 minutes with the gradual fade if you only need help falling asleep; continuous if you wake in the night.
• Speaker or pillow speaker rather than earbuds for all-night use.
• Dark screen: the sleep screen shows only the time, the timer and pause.

Beyond sound

Sleep guidance for tinnitus also stresses a regular schedule, limiting caffeine and alcohol late in the day, and getting help for persistent insomnia — CBT for insomnia is well supported. If tinnitus is keeping you awake most nights, talk to a professional.

Important: Find My Quiet Sound is designed for sound masking, relaxation and tinnitus management support. It does not diagnose, treat or cure tinnitus and is not a substitute for professional medical care. If your tinnitus is new, in one ear only, pulsing with your heartbeat, or comes with hearing loss or dizziness, see a doctor or audiologist.

Written from the sources above by the Find My Quiet Sound project; no clinician has reviewed this page. See Research & Sources and the medical disclaimer.