Sleep and your stoma: how to get a restful night | by Rachel

Getting a good night’s sleep can seem like a distant memory with a stoma. Some of us simply have too high of an output that we need to wake during the night to empty. It can feel very deflating and make you feel like there is no point trying to look at other areas to improve sleep, because ultimately you still need to wake up. Despite this, it is achievable for some to get a full night’s sleep. Practicing good sleep hygiene and being prepared for leaks in the nights can contribute to this. Whether you get a full night, or have to wake up, you can support the quality of sleep you get when you are sleeping.

Having the right bag for you

This may sound obvious but a lot of people out of anxiety of bothering a stoma nurse, will suffer in silence and not report if they are having leaks, or feeling discomfort with their stoma bag. This is not how you deserve to live, and the job of a stoma nurse is to support patients with any stoma related issues, so please if you take anything from reading this blog, talk! If you have dips and creases in the skin around your stoma site, this may cause potential leaks. A paste or seal could serve you well here. If you are finding the baseplate struggles to adhere to the skin properly, are you making sure the area is fully dry before application? You may need a convex base plate instead of a flat one, or visa versa. These are all options your stoma nurse will be able to support you with. Make sure to seek medical advice before making any changes to your bag change routine.

Sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene is the term used to describe the habits you practice around sleep. Having good sleep hygiene supports good physical and mental health, as the body repairs and grows the most when you are asleep. We all know that screens are best left alone a few hours before bedtime. You can take this even further and practice self care for bedtime in the form of skincare, reading, journalling or practicing a hobby that is screen-free. Is your bedroom decorated in a calm and relaxing way? Creating a calming space will make the world of difference, and help your brain close down some of those never ending tabs. 

Eating

Having a stoma shouldn’t stop you from eating at certain times, however, you need to expect that the later you eat, the more likely your bag will fill up during the night meaning waking up. If you want to avoid this, keeping a food diary and experimenting with what time you finish eating for the day will help to work out when you could stop eating to avoid the most output overnight. That being said, I appreciate that those of us with high output ileostomies for example, simply can’t avoid this. If you are one of the lucky ones, you can wake up with a full bag after a full night’s sleep that doesn’t leak. If that isn’t you, setting alarms is a great way to avoid leaking or the anxiety of doing so.

Preparing for the worst

Night time leaks can happen over time. You may have not found the right bag for you. You may have a funny tummy which rockets your output. You may just be very unlucky! Whatever happens, preparing your bed space for such an occasion will help at the time. There is nothing worse than finding you’ve had a bag leak in the middle of the night, in the pitch black, when you can’t fully open your eyes because you are so tired! Putting mattress protectors, and disposal sheets under your bed sheet can help for a quick turn around when your sheets are a mess. Having a bag change ready to go on standby not far from your bed, will make it less disorientating as you fumble your way in the night trying to grab everything and get sorted. If you are lucky, the mess won’t be too bad and you can clean up and shower in the morning. It is important to recognise why you may have leaked when this happens, and seek medical advice if it is your bag that isn’t right.

Finally…

In the fast paced world we live in, I don’t think we put enough importance on how we go to sleep and the quality of our sleep. Life feels like a relentless treadmill for a lot of us juggling jobs, family, a social life and all that’s in-between. I know I am guilty most nights for not stopping until I close my eyes, which isn’t good for a night’s sleep at all! Being reminded of its importance and putting just some of these tips into action, should help pave the way to a better night’s sleep.

Rach
@gutsy.mum