Managing an ostomy at night can be challenging, especially if you experience high output while sleeping. It can be hard to get comfortable during those first few months, and you may find that constantly waking up to empty your pouch leads you tired and irritated. However, sleep is an important part of ostomy care. That's why we've put together a practical guide to help you stay rested.
Why is Sleep So Important With an Ostomy?
Although it might sound out of place, getting enough sleep is essential to ostomy care. Immediately after ostomy surgery, your body needs adequate rest to heal properly. While taking it easy during the day is important for post-op recovery, sleep plays a key role in tissue repair and immune function, helping to reduce the risk of infections and complications.
As you continue to adjust to life with an ostomy, sleep helps regulate your immune system, which can reduce the risk of stoma-related complications. Sleep is also imperative for good mental health and resilience. Without enough rest, you might feel overly stressed, anxious, or even depressed, making adapting even more challenging. Even though it might not feel like the most productive thing, prioritizing seven to nine hours of sleep every night can greatly impact your overall health and wellness, so it's worth the effort.
The Impact of Sleeping With an Ostomy
While everyone can experience disrupted sleep, ostomates have an added layer of potential challenges. Sleeping with a stoma bag may be difficult for some people, especially those who prefer certain sleeping positions (i.e., on their stomach or side). In fact, according to a recent survey, nearly 50% of individuals with an ostomy found that their pouching system disrupted their sleep in the past 30 days, and 75% experienced pouch-related sleep disruptions at least once a week. While not everyone who undergoes stoma surgery will experience this, it's good to know that it can happen (and is normal if it does). However, you can take a proactive approach to help you get a good night's sleep; it might just take a little practice while perfecting your ostomy care and finding the right supplies.
Sleep and Ostomy Care: 9 Tips for Sleeping Comfortably
During the first few months following surgery, you might find yourself tossing and turning or lying in bed with your mind racing—worrying about whether or not you need to change your stoma bag. This is normal. You're not used to having an ostomy yet, and it will take some time. But most ostomates will agree that sleeping gets easier with time. To help expedite the process, here are a few tips to help you get a good night's sleep.
1. Be Mindful of Mealtimes
Avoid eating a heavy meal before bedtime, as this can increase output and the number of times you need to get up in the middle of the night. Your main meal should be at least two hours before you go to bed, maybe even earlier. If you find that your output is heavy, make dinner earlier and have a small snack in the evening to help keep you satiated until breakfast. Everyone is different, so it may take some time to perfect the timing of your meals, but be patient. You will find something that works for you.
You should also avoid drinking caffeinated beverages too late in the day. Not only does caffeine contribute to sleep issues, including insomnia, but it may also increase the speed at which food travels through the digestive system, leading to higher evening or nighttime output. The same mentality applies to alcohol. You don't have to abstain completely, but knowing that alcohol can act like a diuretic gives you a chance to ensure you're prepared.
2. Try New Sleeping Positions
If you usually sleep on your stomach, you may need to try a new position. Sleeping on your stomach can put pressure on your ostomy pouch, which could increase the risk of leaks. Instead, try sleeping on the opposite side of your stoma or your back. You can use pillows propped around your body to help you stay in position as you get used to it, or get a special pillow designed to help keep your head in place.
3. Wear the Right Pajamas
Although most people like to sleep in loose-fitting pajamas, giving your ostomy pouch a little more support during the night can help keep it snug against your body. Some ostomates do this by wearing a slightly smaller-than-normal shirt. Otherwise, invest in an ostomy belt or wrap to help keep your pouch flat throughout the night.
4. Go to Sleep With an Empty Bag
Your bedtime routine should involve changing or emptying your ostomy bag right before bed. This can help reduce the number of times you need to wake up and empty it during the night and can also help calm your mind about overfilling.
5. Be Prepared to Empty Your Pouch
Your pouch will be empty at the beginning of the night. However, as the night progresses and your bag fills, you may need to drain it in the middle of the night. As you adjust to life with an ostomy, you may notice natural cues that your pouch needs to be emptied. This could feel similar to when you used to naturally wake up in the middle of the night and get up to go to the bathroom. Many ostomates find that, with time, their bodies send cues that it's time to wake up and drain their pouch. However, until then, you may want to set an alarm to wake up in the middle of the night and empty it. This can help prevent leaks while you learn what to expect with nighttime output.
6. Consider Using a Night Drainage System
If you have a higher output during the night and don't want to wake up to empty your pouch, talk to your doctor or ostomy nurse about using a night-time drainage bag. A night-time drainage bag is a specialized ostomy accessory designed to collect output while you sleep, reducing the need to wake up and empty your pouch during the night. It connects to your existing ostomy pouch via a long tube, allowing waste to flow into a larger-capacity drainage bag, which typically rests beside the bed or on the floor. If this is something that you'd like to try, talk to your doctor or ostomy nurse.
7. Plan for Leaks
While leaks are not common once you find the right supplies and routine, it is always good to be prepared. Keep extra supplies near your bed to quickly change your pouch if needed. If you have a drainable pouch, you’ll need to get up and go to the toilet. You may also want to use a mattress protector to safeguard your bed in case of unexpected leaks. If you continue to experience leaks throughout the night, talk to your ostomy nurse about trying new ostomy supplies or different designs.
8. Take Care of Peristomal Skin
Caring for your peristomal skin, the skin around your stoma is just as important as learning how to navigate your pouch. While it might not seem like an issue, irritated or damaged skin can also contribute to problems with sleep. Your ostomy nurse will show you how to help control irritation and ensure that your peristomal skin stays healthy. Still, if you're having any trouble or notice any signs of inflammation, it's best to see your doctor.
9. Create a Good Sleep Environment
While this isn't isolated to ostomy care, blue lights from cell phones, tablets, computers, and TVs before bedtime can make it difficult for everyone to fall asleep. The blue light suppresses melatonin, which is essential for regulating your biological clock. To help increase the likelihood that you'll be able to fall asleep (and stay asleep), it's best to power down about an hour before bedtime.
You can also take other measures to create a healthy sleep environment, such as adding blackout curtains to your room, keeping a consistent bedtime schedule, taking a warm bath or shower before bed, and even investing in a more comfortable mattress or pillow.
What to Expect: Sleep and Ostomy Care
While sleep might be challenging at first, many ostomates agree that, once you get used to it, it's actually easier to fall asleep and stay asleep than it was while managing a chronic illness. However, it's okay to admit if you're struggling. Talk to your healthcare professional if you're having trouble getting enough restful sleep. A stoma nurse or doctor can help you with additional tips or specialized products to make sleeping easier.
Having the right ostomy products is another important part of sound sleep. Your ostomy pouch should fit well and not irritate your skin. To help ensure you have high-quality ostomy products available when you need them, place an order with Byram Healthcare today. We offer an extensive inventory of products from leading manufacturers and can help simplify the ordering process. Get started with Byram Healthcare today.
