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I suffer from Tinnitus, ear ringing, badly. Guaranteed to keep you awake at night because in the absence of other stimuli the sound is 'magnified'. My best friend is my little iPod. I have several music albums on there that have no loud surprises in them and a couple of playlists that run for over an hour plus a white noise with 4 hours runtime. Created that on Audacity software, 10 minute bites patched together.
Use small In-Ear plugs which last about 3 -4 months before they need replacing due to wire damage etc and go to sleep to quiet music. Lets my mind drift off without fixating on the problem.
The other 'fix' is to go into 3D design mode in my head on telescope/astro/car/computer bits. Last night was the spider design for the new Skeletope II, put me to sleep in about 20 minutes AND figured out few parameters to allow for.
I've had the tinnitus slowly building for about 30 years. About the only drug that works (for me) is a couple of Nurofen before bed which seems to calm the nerves slightly and lets me get that first shuteye.
But I quite often have long periods awake at night.
I think part of the necessary attitude to get through it is to see them as opportunities to think about things constructively. Don't think 'I can't sleep', that just becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Hence I 'work' on totally positive projects in my mind..
I still only get from 4 -5 hours sleep most nights, anything more is luxury, anything less is hell.
You all have my sympathies to anyone who suffers with it in any form. The iPod is a good solution IMHO, a quiet distraction. just pick your albums carefully. Currently I'm on Afrocelts, Salmonella Dub and Massive Attack. They sound all wrong but the sound levels they maintain and the beat works for me. Just keep the volume down,
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