I didn’t find it easy going to sleep last night. I felt like I had a thousand things going round in my head after a really busy day, and my tinnitus was bothering me too – a combination of things which aren’t ideal!
Listening to the radio helped me to switch off and eventually drift off. Even though I tend to concentrate on what’s being said or the lyrics of the music, I find this helps because when I’m concentrating on them I’m not thinking about all the things that were stopping me from sleeping in the first place. And of course it helps to mask the tinnitus as well – being in a completely quiet room is sometimes the worst thing I can do!
Something else which I find to be a great help for my tinnitus is Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi), which I do two evenings a week – tonight being one of them. It’s an internal martial art and can be incredibly calming and I have always come away from my classes feeling relaxed, which of course has a very positive impact on my tinnitus.
I would recommend that everyone tries it at least once. It is a really complex art, with many different aspects to it, but one key thing we do each lesson is relaxed, almost meditative breathing, which helps to calm the system down completely and all stresses and anxieties seem to wash away.
This is actually in line with advice given by a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy expert – she said many of her patients with tinnitus see a marked improvement by just practicing breathing exercises each day. So, even if Tai Chi isn’t for you, perhaps learning to breathe ‘properly’ could be something worth trying – and it won’t cost you anything!
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
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Hi Gem,
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that winds me up about trying to mask the T with music etc is that it always seems much louder when u r in a quiet environment again !
I'm still convinced(ish) about my winter/summer theory with T, I'll see if there is any improvement again this summer !. I also seem to be able to alter the sound of my T by pressing on my jaw (under the ear) or by pressing my teeth together.....bizarre.
Left ear is completely blocked up with wax at present which isn't helping one bit.....and I can't get an appt to see the nurse for a syringe until Monday....ouch !! I've never had time of work with my T, however frustrating its been.... I've read some people profiles where they have had months of with it (I don't blame them though!).
Played football for an hour tonight, I forget all about the T then :->
Cheers,
Nick