RELAX: Get a Good Night's Sleep

It's a vicious cycle: Stress and anxiety can affect your sleep, and tiredness fuels anxiety. Get at least six to eight hours per night of shut-eye. Your stress level will thank you for it.

So what does sleep have to do with your surgery? We hope we have made the point that healthy behavior – eating well, exercising and reducing stress – is an essential part of doing well after surgery. It's important to remember that sleep impacts how you eat (and how much), how you exercise (and how much), and how you get through each day.

Here are some tips to help you get a good night's sleep:

1. Try to keep constant, regular bedtime and getting up times, even on the weekends!
2. Do something relaxing before you go to bed at night, such as a hot bath or meditation.
3. Your bedroom should be dark, quiet, and comforting. Your room should be free of visual and sound distractions. These include TV, noises and lights from outside the bedroom, and even your partner's snoring.
4. Make sure that your mattress and pillows are comfortable, supportive, and free of allergens.
5. Use your bedroom for sex and sleep only! It is best to keep items such as computers, TVs, and work items out of the bedroom.
6. Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before you go to bed. Spicy foods may cause heartburn and keep you awake. If you get up frequently to go to the bathroom at night, try not drinking anything at least 1 hour before you go to bed.
7. Exercise regularly, but finish your workout at least 3 hours before bedtime to allow your temperature and metabolism to "cool down" before you go to sleep. .
8. Avoid caffeine before bedtime; it is a stimulant. Caffeine usually affects people for up to 5 hours, and sometimes up to 12 hours later.
9. Avoid nicotine, which is also is a stimulant. This includes any form of tobacco and Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRTs).
10. Avoid alcohol before bedtime. Even though alcohol is a sedative, it does interrupt your sleep cycle and may cause sleep deprivation.