Sleep

SLEEP INFORMATION LEAFLET DOWNLOAD

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There are many reasons to try to improve the quality of your sleep before your surgery. Some of the benefits include:

 

 

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Importance of sleep

There are 4 things crucial to being alive; eating, drinking, breathing and sleeping! Generally we spend approximately one-third of our lives sleeping so it must be important. Good quality sleep appears important for our bodies to regenerate and repair properly. Sleep deprivation can lead to a range of health problems including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

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Sleep and your operation

Good quality sleep before, and after, your operation is very important to enable your body to recover successfully from the stress of surgery. It is normal for people to worry before surgery, which can lead you to feel anxious and stressed, both of which can lead to disturbed sleep or difficulty sleeping (insomnia). We therefore understand how important it is to provide people with support to try and maintain healthy sleep in the lead up to surgery so you have a more positive overall experience and speedier recovery.

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How do I improve my sleep?

On average most people need around 8 hours of good quality sleep every night to function properly. Some people will need more, and others less. The majority of sleep problems are related to ‘bad habits’ before bed or during the night, which sleep specialists call poor sleep hygiene. Examples of poor sleep hygiene include:

• Activities which stimulate your brain before bed and therefore reduce chances of getting to sleep e.g. using mobile phones or computers, smoking or drinking caffeine (tea, coffee) and energy drinks.
• Not having a regular bed-time routine or sleeping during the daytime.
• Lying in bed awake ‘worrying’ why you can’t get to sleep.
• Drinking excess alcohol before bed which may lead to poor sleep quality and early waking.
• Having the bedroom too hot or too light when you are trying to sleep.

Therefore taking some simple steps, which we can guide you through, can be very effective in improving the quality of your sleep in the lead up to surgery – see section on ‘top tips’ below. Taking regular exercise and getting fresh air during the day are also important to promote healthy sleep. Simple strategies to unwind and relax before bed time can also be very effective such as a warm bath, listening to relaxing music or reading. Some people also find that having some gentle background noise such as the radio can help with getting to sleep.

Other resources you can explore for help are in the section ‘useful links’ below.

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Where can I get help?

If you are having concerns about the quality of your sleep, your GP may be able to provide some further advice or refer you to an appropriate health professional. Alternatively, you could also have this conversation with a member of your clinical care team (e.g. surgeon, anaesthetist, nurse).

SLEEP INFORMATION LEAFLET DOWNLOAD

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