After undergoing gastric sleeve surgery, your body experiences significant changes. Gastric sleeve surgery helps improve your sleep in the long run, particularly if you suffer from sleep apnea. However, the surgery’s short-term effects will be different.
Even if you don’t experience as much pain or discomfort, it’s important to remember that your body underwent a significant change. As a result, performing basic activities, such as sleeping, will feel different. So, for a few days after the surgery, there’s a chance you might have trouble getting a good night’s sleep.
Though these side-effects are temporary, they can give you a hard time performing basic tasks. So, if you’re wondering how to sleep after gastric sleeve surgery, here are some do’s and don’ts you should follow. They can help you enjoy a deeper, restful, and more comfortable sleep.
Things to Do After Your Gastric Sleeve Surgery for a Good Night’s Sleep
Here are some tips you need to follow for a good sleep after gastric sleeve surgery.
Manage Your Naps
Taking a short nap is an effective way to stay energized during the day. But if you don’t take naps, it’s likely that post-surgery, you’ll feel dizzy or sleepy during the day. Taking short naps is a helpful way to speed up the healing process and fix any mid-day drowsiness.
However, remember to keep your naps short, as sleeping for too long can disrupt your sleep cycle, and you’ll feel wide awake at night. Instead, close your eyes and lay down for 30 to 40 minutes to let your body and mind relax.
Wear Comfortable Clothes
Most people undergo gastric sleeve surgery to look better. They want to look good and try out clothes that fit better. However, it might not be a good idea to wear tight clothing right after your surgery. You should wait for some time so your body can heal.
Until then, stick to loose and comfortable clothing. Also, it doesn’t just apply to people undergoing the gastric sleeve. In fact, surgeries around the pelvis and lower abdomen require that patients wear loose-fitting and breathable clothes. They won’t restrict movement and don’t sit too close to the skin, giving the stitches more room to recover.
After surgery, it’s natural to wonder how can you quickly eliminate scars following gastric sleeve surgery. It’s important to look after the incision, follow exercise recommendations and dietary guidelines, and get plenty of rest to prevent scarring.
Stay Hydrated
While staying hydrated after surgery should be a no-brainer for anyone coming out of surgery, many patients forget. Dehydration can slow down the healing process and affect your sleep cycle. As a result, you’ll wake up feeling tired, which can affect routine activities.
Keeping your body hydrated also helps with weight loss, which is a major reason most people opt for gastric sleeve surgery. To make sure you’re getting enough fluids, set a reminder on your phone and keep a bottle of water close by.
Sleep in a Sitting Position
If you experience pain and discomfort when sleeping on your stomach or side, try sleeping in a seated position. Many doctors suggest that patients who go through major surgeries sleep in this position. Semi-sitting is the best sleeping position following gastric sleeve surgery since it reduces pressure on the incision. This helps with the healing process and alleviates discomfort.
While some people find it difficult to sleep while seated, it’s likely that post-surgery exhaustion will help you fall asleep faster. You can use a recliner or prop up a few pillows to support your back and keep your head in place while you sleep.
Use a Surgery Pillow
Since medical professionals usually carry out weight-loss procedures, such as gastric sleeve surgery using laparoscopic methods, they don’t make intrusive incisions. Nevertheless, your body will need proper rest to heal. That’s where a surgery pillow can come in handy.
These pillows offer additional support, making it easier to fall asleep. You can place them under your knees or your lower back, depending on your sleeping position after the surgery.
Things to Avoid After Your Gastric Sleeve Surgery for a Good Night’s Sleep
If you want to enjoy a good night’s sleep after your gastric sleeve surgery, here’s what you shouldn’t do.
Don’t Take Sleeping Pills.
For a lot of patients wondering how to sleep after bariatric surgery, sleeping pills seem like a solution. However, your body’s resistance goes down significantly after bariatric surgery, so taking sleeping pills isn’t a good idea.
In fact, you should avoid all kinds of mood-altering medication. If you continue to have trouble sleeping, consult your doctor instead of taking medication.
Don’t Look at Screens Before Going to Bed
Another thing that you need to avoid is using your phone or watching TV just before going to bed. Screens emit blue light that boosts alertness and cognitive function. While it’s great for when you’re at work, it can keep your body awake if you look at screens before bedtime.
Therefore, doctors recommend that you avoid using screens at least an hour before going to bed.
Don’t Eat or Drink Before Sleeping.
Eating right before you go to bed can have negative effects on your metabolism. This can prevent you from reaching your weight loss goals. More importantly, sleeping with a full stomach may disrupt your sleep cycle.
Though staying hydrated is essential for the healing process, it’s not a good idea to drink a lot of water before going to bed. It’s likely that you’ll wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. To avoid feeling thirsty right before you go to bed, try to drink water throughout the day.
TTakeaway
Hopefully, these tips will help you understand how to sleep after the gastric sleeve procedure. Following these dos and don’ts will also speed up the healing process, so you can get back to enjoying life.
Getting bariatric surgery in Mexico comes with numerous benefits in the long run. If you’re looking for a professional to perform the gastric sleeve in Mexico, contact ALO Bariatrics today.
