7 Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep After Back Surgery – Part 2

In last week’s post, we discussed four tips for getting a good night’s sleep so that you can recover from spinal surgery quickly. In this post, we’ll provide additional tips for getting the restful, restorative sleep your body needs right now.
5.  Keep nighttime worries away.
Unfortunately, when we lie down quietly at bedtime, the stresses of the day and the worries of tomorrow start to creep into our minds. Combat this unhealthy, sleep-interfering problem by scheduling a daily “worry time” well before bedtime. Choose 15 minutes to think of every possible worry and either tell them to a trusted companion or write them in a journal. Raising your worries to a conscious level can put them in their place as well as help you to actually tackle them in a proactive manner. Keep a notebook and pen beside your bed so you can jot down any stressful thoughts that arise at bedtime – and worry about them tomorrow!
6.  Keep your bedroom quiet.
If you find yourself waking to every little thump in the house, provide yourself with white noise to block out sounds that can interfere with sleep. A fan is the simplest way to provide white noise in your bedroom (and it keeps the room cool, which we discussed last week). Similarly, an air cleaner will provide white noise while keeping your room free of dust. If you’d like, purchase a white noise machine or a machine that plays the sounds of rain, a babbling brook, or more. The app Sleep Genius can turn your device into a white noise-producing machine, too.
7.  Establish a nightly bedtime ritual.
Let your body know it’s time to settle down and get some rest by giving it cues each night. Do whatever works for you. For some, it’s drinking a glass of warm milk or herbal tea. For others, it’s reading a great book in bed for 20-30 minutes. And, for some, simply walking through the house, turning off lights and picking up clutter, lets them feel less anxious and tells their body it’s time to close down for the night. Experiment with activities that prepare you for bedtime, and make your nightly ritual a priority.
What helps you get a great night’s sleep? Share with our readers your best tips for getting restful sleep after surgery or simply to maintain optimal health.