About 95% of people with tinnitus do not hear the phantom sound while dreaming, confirming earlier reports. In a survey of 148 tinnitus patients who could recall dreams, only 5.4% heard their tinnitus during dreams; these individuals tended to have higher tinnitus burden, more stress, and more often had hearing loss or related health conditions. Among the 12.2% who experienced lucid dreams, 38% could perceive their tinnitus during those dreams, strongly linked to also hearing external sounds in the lucid state. Upon waking, most perceived tinnitus instantly, though 17.2% reported being awakened by it and 10% said it could temporarily stop during nocturnal awakenings. The findings suggest that gating of external auditory information during dreams acts as a tinnitus on-off switch.
Most people with tinnitus do not hear their phantom sounds while dreaming. In a survey of 195 tinnitus patients, 160 could recall dreams, and 92.5% reported no tinnitus during dreams. The 7.5% who did hear tinnitus while dreaming had higher tinnitus burden and stress, and more often had objective tinnitus or tinnitus linked to peripheral auditory pathology or drug use. Among the 13% who frequently experienced lucid dreams, 36% could perceive tinnitus during those dreams, strongly associated with hearing external sounds while lucid dreaming. Most patients perceived tinnitus instantly upon waking; 18% could be awakened by it, and 9.8% reported temporary cessation during nocturnal awakenings. These findings support the idea that gating of external auditory information acts as a tinnitus on-off switch.