If you've just had gallbladder surgery, you may have a rough time sleeping due to post-surgery pain.
However, knowing how to sleep after gallbladder surgery can help ease the discomfort and quicken the recovery process. Read on for more details.
Gallbladder Surgery: What, When, Why?
As the name suggests, gallbladder surgery is the surgical removal of the gallbladder—the organ that stores bile, a liquid that helps with digestion.
You may need gallbladder removal surgery to extract gallstones in the gallbladder. This is because gallstones can block the pancreatic duct, causing inflammation of the pancreas. This condition is known as pancreatitis.
Some common symptoms of pancreatitis include intense, constant abdominal pain. In most cases, individuals suffering from pancreatitis may need hospitalization.
In addition, failure to diagnose and treat this condition could also lead to gallbladder cancer in the long run.
Recovery Process After Gallbladder Surgery
After surgery, most people stay in the hospital for about five days. However, it takes around one to two weeks to recover from laparoscopic gallbladder surgery and four to six weeks to completely recover from open gallbladder surgery.
If you had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, you might be able to return to work or your normal routine after one to two weeks. This is because laparoscopic cholecystectomy is less invasive compared to open surgery.
On the other hand, you may not be able to return to work until three to six weeks after having open gallbladder surgery. These time periods may vary depending on the type of work you do, so you may be able to return to a sedentary office job earlier than say a position that requires physical work.
Doctors don't recommend lifting heavy items during the recovery process or returning to your normal activities. And if you have a manual job, most doctors recommend returning to work between six to eight weeks after the surgery.
However, the date of recovery entirely depends on your doctor's opinion. Therefore, it's important to follow your doctor's advice and inform them if you notice anything unusual during the recovery process.
How Does Gallbladder Surgery Impact Your Sleep?
You'll most likely have trouble sleeping after gallbladder surgery.
This normally happens when the pain medication becomes less effective after hours of shielding you from the pain. As a result of this pain, you may have problems falling asleep.
Lacking enough sleep at night can also make you feel tired throughout the day. And, when that happens, you'll most likely experience migraines, mood changes, low concentration, among other symptoms.
The pain aside, you may also feel uncomfortable at night, especially if you're a side or stomach sleeper. But that's not something you should worry about; we'll discuss how to avoid the pain that comes with sleeping on the right side after gallbladder surgery. You'll also learn how to sleep after gallbladder surgery if you're a stomach sleeper.
The Best Way to Sleep After Gallbladder Surgery
Here are some tips on how to sleep after gallbladder surgery.
- Consider sleeping on your left side or back to reduce the pain.
- Take pain medication as recommended by your doctor.
- Avoid heavy meals before bedtime.
- Try aromatherapy or other relaxation techniques, such as playing soft, soothing music at bedtime.
- Avoid distractions, such as cellphones, while in bed.
- Ensure your bed is free from devices that exert pressure on the painful area.
- Use supportive mattresses such as The Zephyr Mattress.
- Consider sleeping on The Wedge Pillow.
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The best mattress to sleep on after gallbladder surgery
The Zephyr Mattress from Polysleep is a special mattress designed to provide sleepers the ultimate rest, recovery, and recharge experience. This is the kind of mattress you need when you struggle to sleep due to pain or any other type of discomfort. In addition, the mattress features Nanobionic technology and offers ergonomic comfort.
So why the Zephyr Mattress and not any other mattress available in the market?
After gallbladder surgery, you need the kind of mattress that provides zoned support.
Zone support refers to the mattress's ability to support specific areas of pain or discomfort around your body, ensuring the ultimate comfort throughout the night.
In that case, you'll need The Zephyr Mattress to support your back, shoulders, or left side of your body as you recover from the surgery.
The introduction of Nanobionic technology also makes this mattress stand out from the competition.
This technology redirects positive infrared heat from your body to the mattress and then back to your body to provide the ultimate rest, recharge, and recovery process you need to get back on your feet.
The company also offers a 100-night trial and free shipping for this mattress, ensuring you have all the time you need to decide whether it suits your needs. And, if you change your mind, Polysleep will pick up the mattress for free and give you a full refund!
That's not all; The Zephyr Mattress comes with a 10-year warranty, giving you much-needed peace of mind.
The best pillow to sleep on after gallbladder surgery
For an even more refreshing sleep experience after gallbladder surgery, consider investing in The Wedge Pillow from Polysleep. This pillow complements the Zephyr Mattress, taking your comfort to the next level.
Here's how and why.
After gallbladder surgery or any other surgery for that matter, you need the kind of pillow that provides pressure and pain relief. The Wedge Pillow from Polysleep is an excellent example of such a pillow.
This wedge-shaped pillow corrects your posture and supports your shoulders, increasing the recovery process after surgery. As mentioned earlier, sleeping on your back is one of the best ways to speed up the recovery process after gallbladder surgery.
However, using a standard pillow to support your back may be uncomfortable. This is because most standard pillows have unsupportive edges.
Although these edges may provide excellent support for your head, they don't work so well for back support.
On the other hand, a wedge pillow provides a wider surface area to support your back, keeping your body in place throughout the night.
Conclusion
It's normal to have trouble sleeping after gallbladder surgery. However, you can always improve your sleep experience by practicing some of the tips we've discussed in this article.
It's also important to note that The Zephyr Mattress and Wedge Pillow from Polysleep come in handy, even after gallbladder surgery; you'll enjoy sleeping on them for many more years to come. In addition to these tips, talk to your doctor if you need further help understanding how you should sleep after gallbladder surgery.
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