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Otology/Neurotology

(053) Association of Sleep Characteristics with Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

Monday, October 2, 2023
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM East Coast USA Time
Has Audio

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Matthew Awad, BS

    Medical Student
    University of Minnesota Medical School
    Carmel, Indiana, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Meredith E. Adams, MD MS

    Associate Professor
    University of Minnesota
    Minneapolis, MN, United States

  • Tina C. Huang, MD MS

    Assistant Professor
    University of Minnesota Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
    Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Janet S. Choi, MD MPH

    Fellow Physician
    2University of Minnesota Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Minneapolis, MN
    Minneapolis, MN, USA

    • Co-Author(s)

  • IA

    Ibrahim M. Abdalla, BS

    Medical Student
    University of Minnesota Medical School
    Woodbury, Minnesota, United States

Disclosure(s):
Matthew Awad, BS: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Tina C. Huang, MD MS: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Ibrahim M. Abdalla, BS: No relevant relationships to disclose.


Introduction: The impact of poor sleep on tinnitus has been mainly attributed to central processes. There has been increasing evidence on the association between sleep disorders and hearing loss but whether hearing levels mediate the association between sleep disorders and tinnitus is currently unknown. This study investigates the association between sleep characteristics, tinnitus, and hearing loss.

Methods: Study cohort includes 9,693 adults (≥20 years) from the National Health and Examination Survey 2005-2018 who completed audiometric testing and questionnaires on tinnitus and sleep characteristics (sleep hours, trouble sleeping, sleep disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) symptoms). Multivariable regression analyses were performed to quantify associations between sleep characteristics, tinnitus, and audiometry-measured hearing loss.

Results: In this nationally representative cohort of US adults, 29% [95%CI:28-31%] reported trouble sleeping and 9% [95%CI:8-10%] reported being diagnosed with sleep disorders. There was no significant association between negative sleep characteristics (less hours of sleep, diagnosis of a sleep disorder, trouble with sleeping or OSA symptoms) and hearing loss in multivariable models adjusted for demographics and comorbidities. Negative sleep characteristics were significantly associated with tinnitus and the associations were significant without substantial attenuation in multivariable models additionally adjusting for hearing levels: sleeping < 8 hours/day (vs. ≥8 hours) (OR:1.28 [95%CI:1.08-1.52)), trouble with sleeping (OR:1.78 [95%CI:1.45-2.19]), being diagnosed with sleep disorders (OR:1.57 [95%CI:1.14-2.15]), and report of OSA symptoms (OR:1.42 [95%CI: 1.08-1.88]).

Conclusions: Negative sleep characteristics were significantly associated with tinnitus while there was no clinically meaningful association between sleep and objective hearing. Our findings suggest that the relationship between poor sleep and tinnitus is likely contributed by central processes without a major role of mediation via the peripheral auditory system.