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How To Sleep After Facelift Surgery

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Recovering from a facelift isn’t just about how well you care for the area and your general health during the day. How well you sleep at night and ensuring that you won’t cause any issues while you sleep will also be an important part of your recovery.

Getting enough sleep after facelift surgery is a helpful part of the recovery process, and your sleeping position can directly affect how your face heals in the early weeks. While it may sound like a small detail, how you sleep can influence everything from swelling and bruising to how much tension is placed on your incisions.

In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at what you can expect when it comes to sleeping after facelift surgery, and how to make some practical adjustments that can help support your physical healing process.

Why sleeping on your back can help your healing process

For at least the first couple of weeks after your facelift, you’ll normally be advised to sleep on your back and keep your head slightly elevated.

As you heal, especially during the earlier weeks of your recovery, there’ll be a focus on protecting the surgical area and minimising anything that might interfere with healing. That includes pressure on your face, strain on the neck, and movements that could stretch or irritate the incisions. You’ll also need to help swelling subside and prevent it from worsening.

If you’re someone who usually sleeps on your side or stomach, adjusting to sleeping on your back can take a bit of getting used to – however, it will be an important step, as sleeping in other positions can slow down the healing process.

Side sleeping places direct pressure on one side of the face, which can lead to uneven swelling or even impact the position of healing tissue. It may also cause friction around the incision sites, which could lead to irritation or even interfere with scar formation. Sleeping on your stomach places even more pressure across the entire face and neck, which is especially unhelpful during the early stages of recovery.

Like with most surgical procedures, swelling is part of the body’s normal healing response, and it usually peaks within the first few days. Elevating your head while you sleep helps to reduce fluid buildup and keeps the swelling from becoming more intense than it needs to be. Keeping the head raised also reduces pressure on the incisions, especially around the lower face and behind the ears, which helps avoid putting unnecessary tension on healing tissue.

Setting up your bed after facelift surgery

If you’re someone who usually sleeps on your side or stomach, adjusting to sleeping on your back can take a bit of getting used to.

To make the switch a little easier, some patients find it helpful to sleep in a recliner, especially during the first week or two. Others may find that simply using extra pillows or a particular type of pillow helps them to stay in an elevated position throughout the night.

It’s also best to avoid heavy blankets near your face in the early days, as they can accidentally shift and put pressure on healing areas while you sleep.

How long will you need to pay attention to your sleep position for?

Most surgeons recommend sleeping on your back with your head elevated for at least two weeks after facelift surgery. However, it’s not uncommon for some patients to continue with this setup for a little longer.

For example, if there’s still some residual swelling, sleeping this way for longer can help. It all depends on your individual healing as opposed to sticking to a one-size-fits-all timeline.

You’ll likely have a follow-up appointment scheduled during this period, and your surgeon will check how the incisions are progressing and whether it’s appropriate to return to your usual sleeping position.

When you’re ready to switch back to sleeping how you normally would, it’s a good idea to ease back into it slowly. If you’ve been sleeping elevated for a few weeks, your neck and back may need a bit of time to adjust. For example, some patients may like to gradually reduce the angle of elevation over a few nights rather than going straight back to flat sleeping.

Common issues and how to deal with them

Disrupted sleep is fairly common after a facelift, particularly in the first week.

Some of these sleep issues are simply due to the expected physical discomfort that can come with surgery, like tightness, mild pain, or general stiffness around the lower face and neck. However, some sleep-related issues can also come from having to stay in an unfamiliar position, especially if you’re someone who naturally moves a lot while you sleep.

If you’re finding it difficult to stay asleep, it can help to get up and take a short walk around your home to loosen up any stiffness, then try again. Gentle movement during the day can also help regulate your sleep-wake cycle and reduce nighttime restlessness.

Avoid using too many pillows that tilt your head forward, as this can increase neck discomfort and make it harder to get to sleep. It’s also important that your pillows and bedding are clean, as the incisions around your ears and hairline are still healing and can be sensitive to bacteria or dirt.

If discomfort is interfering with your ability to sleep, make sure you follow the pain relief instructions provided by your surgeon. It’s often much easier to sleep if any discomfort is well managed in the evening before bed.

When to speak with your surgeon about sleeping issues

Most sleeping challenges after a facelift should be fairly easy to manage, but there are situations where it’s worth seeking some personalised advice.

If you’re experiencing ongoing pain, swelling that doesn’t seem to be reducing, or pressure around the incisions despite sleeping upright, it’s best to get some advice. If you accidentally roll over in your sleep and wake up with increased discomfort, this is another situation where speaking with your surgeon can help, as they can check the area and make sure that no complications have occurred.

It’s also a good idea to bring up any sleep issues at your follow-up appointment, even if they seem minor. Your surgeon will be able to assess whether things are progressing as expected and offer advice specific to your situation.

Book your consultation for facelift surgery with Dr Hunt in Sydney

If you’re considering facelift surgery and want to know more about what the recovery will involve, including the early stages like sleeping upright, we recommend booking a consultation to talk through the process in detail.

Your consultation will also allow Dr Hunt to determine if the procedure is right for you and explain the further details of the procedure.

For personalised advice, please contact our team to schedule your consultation with Dr Hunt in Sydney.

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