The importance of rest after surgery

Resting after surgery is vital to ensure you have a safe recovery. Any procedure where anesthesia or an incision is involved carries the risk of complications and infections. Infections occur in around 5% of all surgeries and up to 33% of all abdominal surgeries. Pushing yourself too hard after a procedure, especially major surgeries, can cause immediate or long-term physical complications. However, it is still important to try move around and follow your doctor’s advise on getting active again. This will encourage your blood to flow, build up strength and most importantly, wounds to heal.

We have listed below some reasons why rest is so important after surgery.

Is sleep after surgery important?

The importance of resting after surgery is stressed by doctors because your body is going to do a lot of healing while sleeping. After all, your body does the majority of its healing while you’re asleep. It’s important that you’re able to take a nap whenever you need to. When your body and mind feel tired, that’s a signal that your body has work to do.

However, it is important to ensure that once you have gotten the all clear from your doctors, to move around. Lying in bed can trigger a variety of problems such as blood clots and weakening of your muscles.

Pain management

As mentioned above, resting and sleeping after surgery is important managing post operative recovery. They are also important for managing pain. After surgery, you may experience discomfort or pain at the site of the incision or where the procedure was performed. Resting allows the body to release endorphins, which are natural pain relievers, alleviating discomfort.

Side effects of medicines

After your surgical procedure you may experience some pain. Your doctor may recommend natural treatments such as physical therapy and massage for relief. However, you may end up having to take some pain medication. These medications can affect your motor skills and your emotional and mental clarity. You may find it harder to function day to day so it is important to rest and stay at home.

Emotional Wellbeing

Resting after surgery is not only beneficial for physical recovery but also for emotional well-being. Going through surgery and the recovery period can be mentally and emotionally taxing. Rest will provide an opportunity for relaxation and recuperation, allowing you to recharge both physically and emotionally. It offers a sense of comfort and reassurance, fostering a positive mindset that is conducive to healing and overall well-being.

Ongoing care

Many surgical procedures require ongoing post-operative nursing care for days, weeks, or even months after the procedure. Even if you feel like you’re ready to return to your normal life, it’s critical that you don’t rush it. Discuss the importance of returning to normal life after surgery and when this will be best for you. Just because you feel good doesn’t mean your body is ready to return to your normal routine.

How long does the recovery process take?

Always ask your doctor to give you an idea of how long your recovery would take. The Royal College of Surgeons England offers informational leaflets on recovering from various surgical procedures.

When can you start re-adjusting back to normal life after surgery?

Surgery isn’t just stressful on the day of the procedure. Many patients can struggle with emotional aspects for weeks or months after their procedure. The importance of rest after surgery is largely due to your need to heal mentally, and that may mean that you need to rediscover a sense of normality. The time before you can start re-adjusting back will depend on the type of surgery you have. If you had an incision that goes intra-abdominal, you will have to heal that incision which can take anything from 6 weeks to two months. However, after about two to four weeks, you can start doing simple physical activities such as taking a walk or do simple chores around the house.

Most importantly, do remember that everyone heals differently. Thus, it is important to pay attention to your body, which will pretty much tell you how far you can push yourself.

Spend time with loved ones

Surgery isn’t just stressful for you as patient. After your procedure, family members and friends are also going to want you to heal safely. When your loved ones know that you value the importance of rest after surgery, they’re going to feel more at ease as you go through the surgical process.

It can be difficult to stop your life, the demands of work, family and friends but it is vital to ensure you have a swift and safe recovery. We are aware of the specialist needs of care for all operations and some complications that can occur during recovery.

How can Cavendish Homecare help?

Having an extra set of hands can support your transition back to normality. Having a nurse or carer can give you and your family peace of mind that things can be taken care of.

At Cavendish Homecare, we provide post-operative care at home utilising the clinical skills and experience of our registered nurses and carers. They provide superior personalised care to suit your individual needs during your recovery. We can provide care to clients in London and the home counties, including Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Harrow, Camden and Surrey.

If you are looking for post-operative care at home, contact us to see how we can assist you.