The Best Way to Sleep after Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation remains one of the most popular plastic surgeries performed in the United States each year, with nearly 200,000 people undergoing that procedure in 2020. If you’re considering breast augmentation, you need to know how to care for yourself after the procedure. Many women experience trouble sleeping after breast augmentation, especially if their natural sleeping position is on their stomach. In this article, your board-certified Manhattan plastic surgeon Dr. B. Aviva Preminger shares the best way to sleep following breast augmentation.

The Importance of Proper Rest

After any surgery, you need time to recuperate and heal. This is true with a breast augmentation procedure as well. You’ll need to take it easy and avoid any overly strenuous activity, but you also need to make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep. When you sleep, the deepest stages of sleep provide rejuvenation to your mind and body. When you’re sick or need to heal, the deepest part of the sleep cycle aids the healing process, increasing blood flow to the affected area, which fuels it with the oxygen and nutrients needed for a full recovery. For patients who have undergone breast augmentation, this means increased production of growth hormones that stimulate the repair of damaged tissue.

How to Get Good Sleep After Breast Augmentation

Follow these tips to prepare for your first few nights after your surgery:

• Practice your new sleeping position: After breast augmentation, you will need to sleep on your back for at least a week after the surgery. Sleeping in this position improves circulation while reducing swelling. It’s also the easiest position to get in and out of bed without potentially straining your chest muscles, which need time to recover from the surgery. This may feel unnatural if you’re used to sleeping on your stomach or side. Dr. Preminger recommends sleeping in the new position before the surgery, so you’re not struggling to adjust while also dealing with any soreness after your procedure.
• Wear compression garments: No matter what type of breast augmentation procedure you choose, you’ll be provided compression garments. Wearing these helps lessen swelling and aids in your recovery while reducing tension around any surgical incisions. You should wear these while you sleep.
• Take a walk: It may seem counter-intuitive, but even the day after your surgery, you need to start getting up and moving. Light physical activity helps lower your risk of blood clots forming. This aids the healing process, prevents stiffness and aches, and should help you sleep better at night and get the quality rest you need. You should, however, speak with Dr. Preminger about her recommendations for light exercise. For most people, getting up and walking around the house once every hour or to the mailbox is a good start to light exercise. Once you feel stable enough on your feet, you can take a walk in your neighborhood or another safe walking area.

Breast Augmentation in Manhattan

Dr. Preminger specializes in breast augmentation procedures. She will work with you to help meet your aesthetic vision, starting with the consultation prior to the operation, where you will discuss your goals, and she will review your health history to make sure you are a good candidate for the surgery. Are you ready to learn more? Then contact Preminger Plastic Surgery today. Schedule your private consultation at our boutique-style office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan by calling (212) 706-1900.