Insomnia(trouble sleeping) is very common in the days and weeks immediately following surgery.
Weigh the benefits and potential consequences before requesting a change.
Never alter a medication dose or stop treatment on your own without first speaking with your healthcare provider.
demaerre / Getty Images
Most of all, don’t stay silent if you’re having trouble sleeping.
The less quality sleep you get, the slower your recovery is likely to be.
Using Sleeping Pills After Surgery
Many medications and supplements are available to help with sleep.
Some OTC products for sleep can also cause sedation.
Combining sedating medications can lead to dangerous decreases in your body’s drive to breathe.
Even OTC medications likeBenadrylcan cause breathing problems if theyre taken with prescription pain medication.
Only use sleeping pills under the direction of your healthcare provider and take them exactly as prescribed.
A big concern aboutsleeping pillsis the risk of dependence.
Never use sleeping pills for more than a few weeks and only use them when needed.
If overused, you might be unable to sleep without them or experience arebound effectif you stop.
If youre still having insomnia in the weeks after surgery, reach out to your healthcare provider.
Summary
Insomnia after surgery is common.
Sometimes, its related to environmental factors like the noise and stress of being in a hospital.
Going to bed at the same time and avoiding caffeine and high-stress activities before bedtime can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s possible.
Studies have shown that patients frequently have sleep disturbances after surgery with general anesthesia.
The reasons are still being studied, but anesthesia has been found to disrupt the sleep/wake cycle.
It can especially affect elderly patients and those who have some sleep disturbances before the surgery.
It can vary from a few days to a few weeks.
Typically, your REM sleep tends to get back to normal about a week after surgery.
Su X, Wang DX.Improve postoperative sleep: What can we do?Curr Opin Anaesthesiol.
2022;18(2):647-652. doi:10.5664/jcsm.9730
American Society of Anesthesiologists.What are opioids.
Sleep Foundation.Insomnia after surgery.
