The Importance of Sleep after Cosmetic Surgery
Sleep plays a hugely important role in your physical health, even when you’re not healing from injury or illness. It becomes even more important when you are. Sleep really is an incredible thing!
Undergoing any form of surgery requires adequate rest and sleep to support the body during the healing process. This is most definitely a time to be kinder to yourself and to take time out to rest and recuperate.
Sleep aids with recovery by reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. Cortisol breaks down tissues in the body for energy, which is the opposite of what growth hormones do. By lowering cortisol levels in the body, sleep allows growth hormones to more effectively rebuild injured tissues.
Did you know that your body does the majority of its healing whilst you’re asleep?
Your immune system relies on sleep to stay healthy. During sleep, your body makes more white blood cells that attack viruses and bacteria. When you are in the recovery process following surgery, your body is working hard to heal itself. If you’re not getting enough rest & sleep, your immune system may become compromised and have trouble fighting common infections.
In addition to getting the recommended 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night, you should aim to take frequent naps throughout the day to help your body to relax and recover.
Sleep supports tissue growth and regeneration. As you sleep, your brain triggers the release of hormones and stage 3 slow-wave sleep in particular has been associated with increased levels of growth hormones, which aid in tissue repair and regeneration. Following your cosmetic surgery procedure, when you are in the recovery process, this is particularly important.
Be sure to switch off or reduce your exposure to mobile phones, tablets, TV’s and screens for at least 2 hours before you go to sleep and try drinking some herbal tea and putting some lavender essential oil drops in a diffuser in your bedroom, to aid with a deep and restful sleep.