Nap-induced modulations of tinnitus -a cross-sectional database analysis

TL;DR

This study analyzed data from large tinnitus databases to investigate how naps influence tinnitus, finding that many sufferers experience worsening after naps, especially when sleep quality and stress are factors, highlighting the sleep-tinnitus interaction.

Contribution

It provides the first large-scale database analysis showing the prevalence and clinical associations of nap-induced tinnitus modulation.

Findings

31.1% reported tinnitus influence by naps

More sufferers experienced worsening than improvement

Tinnitus modulation linked to sleep quality and stress

Abstract

The influence of naps on tinnitus was systematically assessed by exploring the frequency, clinical and demographic characteristics of this phenomenon. 9,724 data from two different tinnitus databases (Tinnitus Hub: $n = 6115$; Tinnitus Research Initiative (TRI): $n = 3627$) were included. After separate analysis of the databases, these results were then compared with each other. In the Tinnitus Hub survey database, a total of 31.1% reported an influence on tinnitus by taking a nap (26.9% in the TRI database), with much more frequent worsening after a nap than improvement (23.0% a little or a lot worse; TRI: 17.7% worse; 8.1% a little or a lot better; TRI: 9.2% better). The influence of napping on tinnitus was associated in both databases with other clinical features, such as the dependence of tinnitus on night quality, stress and somatosensory maneuvers. The present study confirms the clinical observation that more tinnitus sufferers report worsening after a nap than tinnitus sufferers reporting an improvement. It was consistently shown that tinnitus sufferers reporting nap-induced modulation of tinnitus also report more frequently an influence of night sleep on their tinnitus. Further clinical and polysomnographic research is warranted to better understand the interaction between sleep and tinnitus.