Sleep Tight after Bariatric Surgery

Every day after bariatric surgery, you’ll be working hard to exercise regularly and eat a nutritious diet. Every night, sleep is what will help you maintain those healthy habits. Without a solid seven to nine hours of sleep each night, you may find it difficult to muster the motivation to work out or cook a healthy meal. You may seek an energy boost from extra calories or find yourself succumbing to emotional eating.

Sleep is vital after sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass and gastric band surgery in Ypsilanti and Saginaw, but many Americans get far from enough. Often, all it takes to improve your quality of sleep is adopting a new approach to your nightly routine and environment, which can start with:

• Getting cozy. Is your bedroom bright, hot, cluttered or noisy? Do you find yourself consistently distracted by pets or the TV? Does your bedding leave much to be desired? It might be time to rethink your environment. Investing in blackout curtains, comfortable bedding and a fan can greatly improve your room’s suitability for sleep, as can tidying up and removing technological distractions. Think about what your perfect sleeping environment consists of and do your best to make it a reality.
• Setting a bedtime. Going to sleep and getting up at the same times every day can help you take advantage of your body’s sleep-wake cycle. Your body will begin to expect to wind down and wake up at certain times, and this can make it substantially easier to do both. Do your best to maintain a set sleep schedule every day (including weekends), but remember that forcing yourself to sleep will not work. If you can’t drift off, get up for 15 minutes of a relaxing activity, then try again.
• Making a ritual. Falling into a nighttime routine will further inform your body that it’s time to get ready for bed. Try doing something that relaxes you every night, like reading a book or listening to soothing music. Just do your best to keep TV and other technology out of your routine, as some studies show that watching a screen before bed can hinder your ability to sleep.

Remember: your waking hours aren’t the only ones that count after sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass or gastric band in Ypsilanti or Saginaw. How else do you help yourself get a good night’s rest? Share your sleep strategies in the comments below.