How to Sleep after Breast Augmentation Surgery
The plastic surgeon who performs your cosmetic surgery is an important choice, but a lot of what it takes to have a successful breast augmentation occurs because of choices you make when you go home after your procedure. During consultations at our Portsmouth, NH practice, we will help you to understand the importance of decisions you’ll make, like the clothes you’ll wear following your breast augmentation, what types of exercise to avoid and for how long, and even the best strategies for sleeping after your surgery. All of these factors matter a great deal to a successful recovery.
Sleeping after breast augmentation may be challenging at first, but good sleep is one of the best things you can do to support your recovery. In this post, we share our top tips for how to sleep after breast augmentation surgery.
Why Good Sleep is So Important for Your Recovery
Sleep isn’t just an important part of recovering from surgery; it’s one of the most important parts. As you cycle through the various stages of sleep—REM and the three stages of non-REM sleep—your brain releases chemicals, many of which are essential to tissue growth and repair. You also promote a healthier immune system by getting good sleep, which will protect your body from harmful bacteria and possible infections.
As you fall into the deeper stages of sleep, your blood pressure also dips, which helps reduce inflammation, stress on your body, and gives your body and brain the energy it needs to keep getting better, day after day.
Try Using a Wedge Pillow with Two Body Pillows
After your breast enhancement procedure, you’ll want to sleep with your head and shoulders slightly elevated and positioned on your back. You’ll also want to avoid rolling over in the early days after surgery. But it can be difficult to keep a certain position once you fall asleep, because many of us move around as we’re sleeping. You can help to prevent shifting by using physical supports in strategic positions. One of the best ways we’ve found to stay in the recommended position throughout the night is to sleep on a wedge pillow and place body pillows on your left and right sides.
Prepare for Sleeping in a New Position Ahead of Time
A good wedge pillow and body pillows can create a nice cradle for you to sleep in, but if you’re a die-hard side or stomach sleeper, adjusting to sleeping on your back can be tough at first. Adjusting to sleeping in a new position and at an angle can be even more challenging.
You should try getting yourself used to sleeping on your back at least a couple weeks ahead of your appointment for breast surgery. This will help you to get acclimated while you don’t have painful consequences if you accidentally roll over.
Plan to Sleep on Your Back for About a Month and a Half
Everyone will recover from a breast augmentation at their own pace, but, in general, it takes about 4-6 weeks before you can resume most of the normal activities you were doing before your surgery. That includes most types of exercise, getting back to jobs that are a little more physical, and sleeping on your side or stomach.
After you’ve healed from your surgery, you will have to feel out your comfort level with sleeping in a non-elevated position on your stomach or side. Some women change their sleeping habits for good based on the way their implants feel.
Avoid Drinking Alcohol While Recovering from Your Surgery
To promote your body’s best healing and to make sure you make the best decisions, it’s a good idea to try and avoid alcohol altogether while recovering from any surgery. It’s an especially good idea to avoid drinking any alcohol close to your bedtime.
Just like caffeine and sugar, alcohol is classified as a sleep inhibitor. While your body is oxidizing alcohol, it has a hard time getting itself to fall into the deeper stages of sleep when lots of the beneficial hormones for healing would get released. In addition to increasing your risk for potentially harmful accidents, alcohol makes it harder for your body to heal well and robs it of much-needed repair support.
We Can Help You Build a Great Breast Augmentation Treatment Plan!
A breast augmentation takes work and dedication from you and your plastic surgeon before, during, and after your surgery. If you’d like to talk about your breast augmentation with Dr. Anthony Wilson, an Ivy League trained, board-certified plastic surgeon, please call us for a consultation.
Call AW Plastic Surgery in Portsmouth, NH at (603) 294-4526 or contact us on our website.