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If you struggle with sleeping after your ostomy due to leakage or rolling around, that’s normal. But there are ways to help you get the most sleep that you can right after your ostomy, and we’ll discuss how you can do so here. 

How to Make sleep Better 

If you’re wondering whether or not you can get good sleep after your ostomy, the short answer is that yes you can do this, but it does require a few adjustments that’ll help you get the most that you can after your surgery. There are a few different factors to consider in order to help with sleeping. 

First, you will want to put the pillows around you, which will prevent you from rolling directly onto the pouch, which causes leaks. You also may want to wear shirts that’ll be a little bit snug. This does take a little bit to get used to, but it does keep the pouch right there against you as you fall asleep. Next, you want to sleep on your backside, which will help prevent you from rolling directly onto the pouch as you try to sleep. And finally, you should empty the pouch before you sleep, so that you’re not dealing with night leakages, if that’s something you’re worried about having happening down the line, especially if you’re trying to improve your sleep. 

Types of Sleep Options 

For those who have different surgeries, there are different ways for you to sleep as well. With urostomy surgeries, you have a chance to get night drainage systems that go directly onto your ostomy pouch, which helps with eliminating the water and other liquids that are there before you go to sleep. You do not need to worry about changing the pouch itself throughout the night either. 

For an ileostomy or colostomy, it’s a bit different. If you did have it recently, you might need to throughout the night to prevent overflow and leakage. You also may want to avoid that after a bit too since it can cause higher output as you’re falling asleep. Of course you can talk to your doctor as well to get some tips on how to make sleep better, along with the right liquids and other recommendations that’ll be there as you go to bed. 

Remember as well that with this, it isn’t going to be easy to deal with right away. You may be up more throughout the night as you’re adjusting to your stoma outputs and whatnot. But of course, that doesn’t mean that you’ll be stuck with this forever. Ultimately, as you get used to it, and as the output decreases too, you’ll be able to get more sleep, and also be able to do this more comfortably as well.