Yoga guide
Yoga won't switch tinnitus off, but it can make it easier to live with. Tinnitus, hearing ringing, buzzing or other sounds that don't come from outside, affects about 1 in 7 adults, and how much it bothers you is closely tied to stress and sleep. The NHS suggests trying to relax ("deep breathing or yoga may help"), and in small studies yoga eased tinnitus distress, though the best-tested help for distressing tinnitus is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and related talking therapies.
This guide covers what tinnitus is, why stress, sleep and the neck and jaw matter, what the yoga and breathing trials actually found, humming breath (bhramari) and 4-7-8 breathing, practising with soft sound rather than silence, the claims that don't hold, and when to see a GP or go to A&E. It ends with a free 20-minute class with a 3D demo of every move.
About 14 in 100 adults worldwide have tinnitus, rising to about 24 in 100 at 65 and over. The NHS says it's not usually a sign of anything serious and may get better by itself, and NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) asks doctors to reassure people of that.
There's no universal cure. Yoga can help you live with tinnitus by easing the stress that makes it more noticeable: the NHS suggests trying to relax, saying "deep breathing or yoga may help", and Tinnitus UK names yoga, tai chi and meditation among ways to relax.
Two small studies that weren't randomised found less tinnitus distress after 12 weeks of yoga. In the only randomised comparison, 43 people in 1995, CBT-based coping training did better than yoga.
CBT probably reduces how much tinnitus affects daily life, and NICE recommends it in steps, from online CBT to group therapies such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, then one-to-one CBT. Yoga goes alongside this help, not instead of it.
The NHS says "do not have total silence". Put on gentle background sound for the quiet parts of yoga, such as the final rest, and protect your ears in loud classes.
Go to A&E or call 999 for tinnitus after a head injury, or with sudden hearing loss, weakness in your face or a spinning feeling. Ask for an urgent GP appointment for tinnitus that beats in time with your pulse. The full list is in the warning signs below.
The NHS describes ringing, buzzing, whooshing, humming, hissing, throbbing, or even music or singing, in one or both ears or in the head, coming and going or there all the time. Tinnitus UK describes it as brain activity that has got out of balance, often started by a change in the ear, loud noise or a stressful time, and says most people find it gets much better over time.
Across 83 studies, 14.4% of adults had tinnitus: 9.7% at 18 to 44, 13.7% at 45 to 64 and 23.6% at 65 and over, with no difference between men and women. It was severe in about 2.3%. Tinnitus UK says around 30% of people have it at some point, and about 1 in 7 have it persistently.
The NHS lists some form of hearing loss, Ménière's disease, conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders or multiple sclerosis, anxiety or depression, and some medicines. A review of long-term studies found good evidence mainly for hearing-related causes such as hearing loss and noise at work. Tinnitus is also one of the symptoms of long COVID.
NICE asks for information and reassurance at the first appointment, including self-help such as relaxation, hearing aids if hearing loss makes it hard to communicate, and talking therapies for distress. The NHS says you'll usually be offered online CBT first, and may be offered tinnitus counselling or tinnitus retraining therapy.
Tinnitus UK says that if you have a high level of stress, you're more likely to be troubled by your tinnitus, and that it often starts or gets worse at stressful times, which can become a vicious circle. In 4,933 German workers, tinnitus was more common with work stress and less common with higher resilience, and in 785 clinic patients, tinnitus was more severe with more life stress. These are observational studies: they show a link, not that stress causes tinnitus.
About half of people with tinnitus sleep poorly. Tinnitus UK explains that the quiet bedroom makes tinnitus more noticeable, and that worry about sleep does more to keep poor sleep going than the sound itself. Our yoga for anxiety and sleep guide covers bedtime yoga, and a GP can offer CBT for insomnia if poor sleep lasts.
In 8,539 adults, people with tinnitus had about twice the odds of depression. Across 9 studies, 19.5% of people with tinnitus had had thoughts of suicide, against 9.9% without. If tinnitus is wearing you down, tell your GP: help is there, and the crisis lines are in the warning signs below.
In 460 tinnitus clinic patients, 41% had tried some self-help before their visit, most often background sound, then distraction, relaxation, meditation, yoga and exercise.
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Our search found 18 records on yoga and tinnitus, with only 2 randomised trials. A 2021 review found 5 studies of yoga, breathing or relaxation, 3 of which reported less severity, stress and anxiety. In 12 people, a weekly class plus home practice for 3 months lowered stress, handicap and severity scores, with no comparison group. In 25 people who did 12 weeks of yoga, against 13 who didn't, the biggest gains were in a sense of control, sleep and quality of life.
In 43 people with chronic tinnitus, CBT-based coping training did better than both yoga and a self-monitoring control group, and the researchers said yoga "showed rather poor effects". It's one small trial from 1995.
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Across 28 trials with 2,733 people, CBT probably reduced the impact of tinnitus on daily life by about 11 points on a 100-point scale against no treatment, on low-certainty evidence, and by about 6 points against hearing care, on moderate-certainty evidence. There was no evidence on whether the benefit lasted 6 or 12 months. Therapist-guided internet treatments also helped across 37 trials, though many people dropped out. NICE's stepped care starts with online CBT.
In 75 adults, 8 weekly sessions of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy or intensive relaxation training both reduced tinnitus severity, distress, anxiety and low mood, and mindfulness did a little better, still at 6 months. In another trial, mindfulness meditation and relaxation therapy both helped, mindfulness more, and in an online trial, relaxation alone helped almost as much as full CBT. Reviews call the long-term effects uncertain.
In 3,826 US adults, people who were active reported tinnitus less often (12.8% against 18.5%), but activity wasn't linked to how severe it was, and a review calls the evidence limited. Tinnitus UK says regular exercise helps most people cope with tinnitus and sleep better.
The NHS breathing exercise has no holds: in for a count of up to 5, out for up to 5, for at least 5 minutes, regularly. Across 12 trials, breathing exercises lowered stress by a small amount, and slow breathing raises heart rate variability, a sign of the body's calming side.
In a Turkish trial, 4 cycles of 4-7-8 breathing in the morning and 4 in the evening, sitting, for 6 weeks, lowered tinnitus handicap scores from 39 to 23 on a 100-point scale, while people who only had an information session stayed at about 45. Stress, sleep and anxiety scores improved too.
The limits matter: 60 people were randomised but only 48 analysed, people who didn't do the exercises regularly were left out, participants knew which group they were in, and nobody was followed up after the 6 weeks.
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In 46 adults over 65 with tinnitus in both ears, 30 minutes of humming bee breath a day for 4 weeks reduced how loud and annoying the tinnitus felt, against no training. A 2018 review of 6 earlier bhramari studies found none was randomised. It's a pleasant, slow breath to try; nothing shows it stops the ringing.
Our editorial version, for 5 to 10 breaths, as on our yoga for depression guide:
Breath of fire (kapalabhati) and bellows breath have no tinnitus evidence, raise heart rate and blood pressure while you do them, and caused more side effects than slow breathing in trials. US health advice tells beginners to avoid forceful breathing.
From the trial's protocol (Kirazli 2026), which is also the move page's dose. If the hold makes you light-headed, shorten all the counts while keeping the same pattern, or use slow breathing with no holds instead. Leave out the hold with panic attacks or heart disease, as our breathing routine says.
See the movement on the 3D figure: 4-7-8 breathing
Some people can change the loudness or pitch of their tinnitus by moving their jaw or neck, which experts call somatic or somatosensory tinnitus. Tinnitus is more often reported by people with neck problems and with jaw joint problems (temporomandibular disorders): in 34 studies, about a third of people with jaw problems had tinnitus. These are observational studies of mixed quality.
In 38 people with tinnitus and neck complaints, 6 weeks of neck physiotherapy brought substantial improvement for about half straight afterwards, and for about a quarter 6 weeks later. In 61 people with jaw-related tinnitus, adding manual therapy to exercise and education helped more over 6 months. Reviews say the evidence is low quality. A dentist or physiotherapist treats the cause; yoga can't.
Keep your jaw in its rest position: lips together, teeth slightly apart, and the tip of your tongue resting on the roof of your mouth. Move your neck slowly and in small ranges, and stop any movement that makes your tinnitus worse. This is our suggestion; our yoga for TMJ guide covers jaw pain and clenching.
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The NHS says "do not have total silence": listening to soft music or sounds may distract you from tinnitus. Tinnitus UK suggests gentle background sound during relaxation if quiet is unhelpful. In the final rest, yoga nidra or any long stillness, put on rain, waves or quiet music, or keep your eyes open and follow your breath.
The NHS advises wearing ear protection when you're exposed to loud noise. In a class with loud music, wear ear plugs, practise away from the speakers, or ask for the music to be turned down (our suggestion). Our spin class guide covers how loud classes can get.
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Slow breathing: at least 5 minutes, regularly; 4-7-8 breathing: 4 cycles, twice a day, sitting, which is the trial's dose; breath reach: 5 breaths, breathing out for longer than in (the moves' pages).
Chin tucks: 8 to 10, holding 3 to 5 seconds (our yoga for TMJ class). Neck CARs: with a sore neck, use separate nods, tilts and turns, each held 5 seconds, 5 times; upper trap release: 2 slow holds of 30 seconds each side; levator scapulae stretch: 20 to 30 seconds, 2 to 4 times each side; shoulder rolls: 10 to 15 slow circles each way (the moves' pages). Teeth apart throughout, and stop any move that makes your tinnitus worse.
Cat-cow: 8 waves, slower than feels natural; thoracic rotation: 6 rotations each side, moving with the breath; mountain pose: 5 to 10 slow breaths (the moves' pages). Warrior II: 5 breaths each side (our beginner yoga flow), with a hand on a wall if you feel unsteady.
Child's pose: 1 to 3 minutes, breathing into the back ribs; reclining bound angle: 2 to 5 minutes with a support under each thigh; corpse pose: at least 5 minutes, up to 10 (the moves' pages). Supine twist: 45 seconds each side (our bedtime stretch routine). Have soft background sound on.
No study supports pressing the knees against the ears in plough (karnapidasana), or shoulder stands and headstands for tinnitus. They load the neck, head-down poses raise the pressure in the eyes within a minute, and US health advice tells beginners to avoid headstands and shoulder stands. With glaucoma or high blood pressure that isn't controlled, leave them out.
Holding the breath raised blood pressure during practice in healthy adults. Keep the 4-7-8 hold comfortable or shorten it, and breathe out on effort rather than holding your breath.
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Closing your ears with your thumbs (shanmukhi mudra) is optional: leave it out if it makes your tinnitus more noticeable (our suggestion). We found no study of mudras, the hand gestures some pages recommend for the ears; they're fine as part of a calm sit, but not a treatment.
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Start with the 20-minute yoga for tinnitus class on most days, or at least 3 times a week, with 4-7-8 breathing morning and evening (our editorial starting point). The yoga for stress class suits stressful days; the breathing routine includes 4-7-8 breathing; the TMJ and neck pain classes suit tinnitus with jaw clenching or a stiff neck; the bedtime and restorative sessions suit sleep. Have soft sound on in every final rest.
Twenty minutes of gentle yoga for tinnitus: slow and 4-7-8 breathing, neck, shoulder and jaw release, gentle movement, and a rest with soft background sound.
20 minBeginner14 movesNo equipmentTwenty minutes of yoga for stressful days: the NHS breathing exercise, neck, shoulder and spine moves, standing poses that warm you up, then a slow wind-down.
20 minBeginner13 movesA wallA 6-minute breathing routine: slow breathing, crocodile breathing, alternate nostril breathing, box breathing and 4-7-8 breathing.
6 minBeginner5 movesNo equipmentA 20-minute yoga class for jaw pain and clenching: slow breathing, a relaxed jaw position, gentle neck and upper-back moves, and a long rest.
20 minBeginner11 movesA wallTwenty minutes of slow breathing, small neck movements, poses that keep your head supported or level, and upper-back strength, with nothing that loads the neck.
20 minBeginner14 movesA stepA slow, 10-minute floor routine to unwind before sleep: child's pose, twists, happy baby and slow breathing.
10 minBeginner7 movesFirm cushion, A wallA 45-minute restorative yoga sequence: five fully supported poses held for 4 to 10 minutes each, with slow breathing and a long final rest.
45 minBeginner6 movesFirm cushion, A wallTen minutes of yoga at your desk, no mat needed: slow breathing, neck, shoulder, wrist and spine moves in your chair, then standing poses with a hand on the desk.
10 minBeginner13 movesA bench or box, A wallThese follow the NHS tinnitus and hearing loss pages, with RNID's advice on tinnitus in one ear. A&E means accident and emergency. In the US, call 911 for 999, and use your doctor's urgent line or urgent care for NHS 111.
Don't drive yourself to A&E: ask someone to drive you or call 999 for an ambulance.
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The NHS says a mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one, and that you will not be wasting anyone's time.
NICE asks doctors to refer someone with tinnitus and a high risk of suicide to a crisis team straight away.
Call 999 if:
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If a pose or breath makes your tinnitus louder, or brings on dizziness, fullness or pain in the ear, or a pounding in your head, come out slowly and breathe normally (our suggestion). A change in your usual tinnitus is a reason to see a GP, not to practise through it.
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There's no universal cure. The yoga studies are small and mostly uncontrolled, and in the only randomised comparison, CBT-based training did better. Yoga can make tinnitus less bothersome by easing stress.
One trial in 46 adults over 65 found lower loudness and annoyance ratings after 4 weeks, with no follow-up, and earlier studies weren't randomised. Try it as a calming breath, not a cure.
No study has tested this. Head-down poses raise eye pressure within a minute, and beginners are advised to avoid headstands and shoulder stands.
We found no study of mudras for tinnitus or hearing.
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Tinnitus is often linked with hearing loss, but it also happens with normal hearing, and it isn't usually a sign of anything serious. Get your hearing checked if it changes.
With tinnitus, the NHS says don't have total silence, and Tinnitus UK suggests gentle background sound.
In people with neck or jaw problems, physiotherapy eased tinnitus in small, low-quality trials. Nothing shows neck stretches help tinnitus without a neck or jaw problem.
It can help you live with it, not switch it off. The NHS suggests trying to relax and says deep breathing or yoga may help, and small studies found yoga eased tinnitus distress, but they were small and mostly had no proper comparison group.
No. There's no universal cure for tinnitus, and in the only randomised comparison, CBT-based coping training did better than yoga. Many people find tinnitus becomes less noticeable over time.
No style has been tested against another. A calm practice with slow breathing, gentle neck and shoulder moves and a rest with soft background sound fits the NHS and Tinnitus UK advice. Avoid very loud classes, or wear ear plugs.
Possibly a little. In one trial of 46 adults over 65, 4 weeks of daily humming breath reduced how loud and annoying the tinnitus felt, but it hasn't been confirmed elsewhere. Keep your ears open if closing them makes the tinnitus more noticeable.
Slow breathing with no holds, as the NHS teaches, is a good start. In one small trial, 4 cycles of 4-7-8 breathing morning and evening for 6 weeks lowered tinnitus handicap scores, though only 48 of 60 people were analysed and there was no follow-up.
Yes. Tinnitus UK says people under more stress are more likely to be troubled by their tinnitus, and it often starts or gets worse at stressful times. Calming practices and talking therapies help break that cycle.
They can play a part: tinnitus is more common with neck and jaw joint problems, and some people can change their tinnitus by moving their jaw or neck. Treating the jaw or neck helped tinnitus in small trials, so see a dentist or physiotherapist for jaw or neck pain.
Yes, for the distress it causes. In one trial, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy reduced tinnitus severity more than relaxation training, and NICE includes it among the group therapies it recommends.
Quiet makes tinnitus more noticeable. Put on soft background sound for the final rest, keep your eyes open and follow your breath, or sit up.
It may help you relax at bedtime. About half of people with tinnitus sleep poorly, and worry about sleep keeps it going, so a calm wind-down with background sound can help. If poor sleep lasts, a GP can offer CBT for insomnia.
It shouldn't, but loud music, long breath holds and a silent room can make it more noticeable. Wear ear protection in loud classes and stop any move that makes it louder.
Go to A&E or call 999 for tinnitus after a head injury, or with sudden hearing loss, weakness in your face or a spinning feeling. Ask for an urgent GP appointment for tinnitus that beats in time with your pulse, and see a GP if it's constant, getting worse, bothering you or only in one ear.
Exercise education, not a personal prescription, and clinical review of these guides is pending. If you are pregnant, have a health condition such as glaucoma, high blood pressure or osteoporosis, or have had recent surgery, check with a doctor, midwife or physiotherapist before starting, and stop for sharp or increasing pain. Health disclaimer.
