Undergoing gastric sleeve in St. Louis is an excellent choice to lose weight. However, every medical procedure has its side effects during the recovery period. One of the common side effects for gastric sleeve surgery is difficulty sleeping.
But it doesn’t have to be. If you know how to sleep after gastric sleeve surgery, you can sleep comfortably even in the weeks and months after your operation. So let’s talk about sleeping positions after gastric sleeve, and other important tips.
How To Sleep After Gastric Surgery
Here are the top tips for restful nights after bariatric weight loss operations. That way you can get your beauty rest and keep your energy up:
Sleep On Your Side Or Back.
If you were wondering “can you sleep on your side after gastric sleeve surgery” then here’s your answer.
The best positions to sleep in after gastric sleeve surgery are on your back or side. The reason for this is because it prevents your lungs or stomach from having too much pressure on them.
This can cause discomfort. If you do sleep on your side instead of your back, just keep in mind that you want to use a pillow. Place it between your legs. This helps keep the spine aligned.
Also consider putting pillows on either side of you if you sleep on your back. This keeps you from tossing and turning in the night and sleeping on your stomach, which could wake you up and cause discomfort. Speaking of which:
Don’t Sleep On Your Stomach
If you can avoid it, avoid sleeping on your tummy. It creates additional pressure on your organs. This is going to be uncomfortable when you’re still recovering internally from your weight loss procedure.
Eventually, you can go back to stomach sleeping. But the best position to sleep after gastric sleeve procedures is undoubtedly your side or back.
Avoid Intercouse
After bariatric weight loss surgery, avoid sex for around 4-6 weeks. It can irritate your new stomach, among other reasons.
Use Good Pillows
Supportive pillows are really important after gastric sleeve surgery. You want to keep your neck aligned with your spine. This prevents nerve pressure, muscle fatigue, and other pains that can be caused with bad posture.
Use A Wedge Pillow
A wedge pillow is really important after laparoscopic surgery. You may have additional gas to pass. You want this gas to be able to move freely and not put pressure on your lungs.
This is particularly important for those who sleep on their side. Make sure you pass gas the right way without discomfort.
Don’t Drink Within Half An Hour Before You Sleep
Drinking liquids fills your stomach up. That is going to cause your stomach to expand. Since your stomach is now significantly smaller, it takes less food and liquid for this to happen.
Any internal expansion is going to create pressure, which is ultimately going to make it more difficult for you to sleep comfortably.
Be Prepared in Advance
Like with most things in life, the answer to “how should I sleep after gastric sleeve surgery” is to be prepared.
If you want a glass of water or something else by your bed, place it there before you lie down. This means you don’t have to get up out of bed and wake yourself up if you happen to feel dehydrated or uncomfortable throughout the night.
How To Sleep After Gastric Sleeve — Talk With Experts
When you get a gastric sleeve in St. Louis, you’ll start to notice that you are less hungry. Therefore you’ll eat less and ultimately start losing weight rapidly. However, in the beginning, you’ll need to adjust with some lifestyle changes.
Knowing how to sleep after gastric surgery is one of them. Luckily, your bariatric surgeon at Arch Bariatrics can consult you on the best techniques for your body type and procedure.
That way you get the most of both worlds. You can achieve your weight loss targets while enjoying comfortable full nights of sleep.
