How to Sleep After a Hysterectomy: Pillows, Positions and Night Routines

Rest is part of recovery, and yet many women find that sleep becomes one of the hardest parts of the first weeks after a hysterectomy. Discomfort around the incision, medication, a different routine and worry about healing can all keep you awake.

These ideas come from the sleep chapter of Hysterectomy: Your Recovery Roadmap. They are general information, not medical advice. Your surgeon and care team know your case, so their instructions always come first.

Set up your bed before you need it

Small changes to your bedroom make nights easier, and they do not require expensive equipment:

• A wedge pillow behind your back keeps your upper body slightly raised.
• A pillow between your knees helps keep your hips aligned and eases the lower back.
• A small pillow held gently against your belly can feel supportive when you move or cough.
• Water, your medicines in a weekly organizer and a light snack within reach, so you do not have to walk to the kitchen at night.
• A soft night light, so you can get to the bathroom safely without turning on bright lights.

Positions many women find easier

The book describes what often helps, but check with your care team about what is right for your type of surgery.

After abdominal surgery, many women are more comfortable half-reclined, with the upper body raised with a wedge, a stack of pillows or a recliner for the first nights. After vaginal surgery, lying on your side with a pillow between the knees often works better. Some women build a ring of pillows around themselves so they can shift a little during the night without losing support.

Getting in and out of bed

To avoid using your belly muscles to sit up, the book describes the log roll: roll onto your side, push yourself up with your arms, then swing your legs over the edge of the bed. It is slower, but it protects the healing area and avoids the sharp pains that wake you up completely.

A calm bedtime routine

A routine tells your body that it is time to rest. Ideas from the book: put screens away well before bed, play soft music, do a slow body scan from head to toe and adjust anything uncomfortable, like the temperature, the pillows or your clothes.

Slow breathing helps some women. If a breathing exercise feels uncomfortable, especially with bloating, simply breathe slowly and naturally.

Pain medicine, constipation and sleep

Ask your doctor or pharmacist how to time your pain medicine around bedtime, so you are not trying to fall asleep just as a dose wears off. Some pain medicines cause constipation, which can also disturb sleep; your care team can tell you how to prevent it.

When to call your care team

Call your doctor or your surgical team if something worries you, or if pain or other symptoms are getting worse instead of better. Sleep usually improves as healing moves forward, so be patient with yourself in the meantime.