Sleeping with an ostomy | by Amy - Respond Healthcare (2025)

Having stoma surgery is life-changing, and for many, including myself, life-saving.

I’ll briefly set the scene and give you the background info. My stoma, ‘Stacey’, was formed in 2011, when I was 19 years old. I needed her due to severe Crohn’s disease (a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)) and due to a large, benign tumour on my colon, the size of a watermelon. Surgeons didn’t find this until they operated. If surgeons had left things even a few hours, I was told I wouldn’t be here, so she literally saved my life.

Waking up from stoma surgery, it’s safe to say that there are so many things buzzing around your head in time such as “how do I empty my bag?” and “what can I eat?”. March sees World Sleep Day, and in today’s post, I’m going to go through a little bit about how an ostomy can affect your sleep routine, and things you might find helpful, because it’s natural to think “how do I sleep with an ostomy?”

Please note that this is with regards to my experiences living with an ileostomy and using a one-piece, drainable ostomy bag. Let’s get started.

What to expect in the early days post surgery

After stoma surgery, your body can take time to adjust to its new plumbing. You may experience a lot of wind as your bowel tries to get moving, liquid output, trying to get comfy due to post surgery pain and adjusting to the ostomy bag you’ve first been given to try. These things are all normal and hopefully, your medical team will be on hand to help and answer your questions.

Getting a good night’s sleep is important. Sleep is essential for our health and helps our bodies to recover and replenishes our energy levels. Whilst getting used to your new plumbing, sleep may be something that is disturbed somewhat. You may find your body waking more than normal, as you try to adapt to getting used to bag empties in the night and the new noises your stoma makes if it’s unsettled from being handled in surgery. Within a timescale that’s different for each person, your body will settle into more of a consistent output and emptying routine, and you’ll start to learn more about what things impact your ostomy, and in turn, impact your sleep.

Things that may help if you’re worried about bag leaks during sleep

Bag leaks. At some point, we all get them. It’s safe to say that there can be some trial and error to find the right bag for you, so leaks, although thankfully not the norm once you’re settled into products and a routine that work for you, can be more troublesome as you adjust to ostomy life.

To help ease your mind, you might want to try:

• Sleeping with an incontinence sheet or two underneath you, between you and the bedsheet/surface you’re sleeping on. That way, if a bag leak does happen, the sheet/s can help to minimise what goes on bedding, and can be thrown away, rather than having to change the whole bedding. Also, you can get waterproof mattress covers.
• Using a “maxi” (large) size ostomy bag so that your bag itself holds more output, reducing the frequency of needing to empty versus a smaller bag. Your stoma nurse will be able to advise on different sizes.
• Setting alarms a few times in the night to empty your bag, if you’re worried about sleeping through and not waking to empty
• Emptying your bag before you settle for sleep
• Not eating for a few hours before bed or drinking things that may increase gas or loosen output – Your stoma nurse will be able to help you on things to look out for with food and drink, but it’s normal if your bowel feels active and like it responds to pretty much anything in the early days. As time goes on, you’ll learn what food and drink affects your ostomy and in what ways. Take food and drink slowly and chew thoroughly.
• Don’t hesitate to ask for help. It’s what your medical team are there for. You might also want to connect with other ostomates, but bear in mind that everyone is different.

Trying different nightwear options and how your ostomy bag feels comfortable

Everyone is different when it comes to what they wear for sleep, especially with an ostomy. Some people like to tuck their back into their underwear and/or nightwear, whilst others like to rest their ostomy bag over the waistband of their trousers, for example, so it doesn’t feel as restricted whilst they sleep.

There are some light support ostomy waistbands you can buy (or purchase on prescription, depending on your location) that are designed to be worn whilst you sleep. These still allow your stoma to function as normal, but can help to hold your bag securely against your skin.

Finding the right sleeping position

After surgery, it’s normal for a lot of people to want to lie on their back half propped up with pillows, especially when it comes to how they can feel comfortable whilst sore from what they have just been through.

As time goes on, your body starts to adjust to having an ostomy bag and the more confident you become and comfortable you feel in your recovery, the more that naturally, you will start to find different positions to sleep in. It’s different for everyone. I often sleep on my side, or even on my stomach with one hand under my hip subconsciously, I don’t really think about it now. My body has got used to just readjusting as my ostomy works and my bag fills.

Some things you may want to consider to help you feel comfier sleeping with your ostomy are:

• Use an extra pillow or cushion if you are laid on your side, with your ostomy furthest away from the mattress to help support your bag as you sleep.
• If the thought of sleeping on your stomach makes you worry or moving about too much in your sleep, try a different shaped pillow such as a V pillow, which will support your body and stop you from rolling completely over.

Other things that might help promote a good night’s sleep with an ostomy

• Keep a spare change of nightwear, bedding and an ostomy bag kit next to the bed/under the bed so it’s to hand if you do have a leak.
• Ask your stoma nurse if there are products to help such as ostomy barrier wipes if your skin is sore or flange extenders that provide extra adhesive around the baseplate of your ostomy bag. Respond’s Care Range has these products.
• Try to sleep at regular times and eat regular meals where possible as as recovery goes on, your body and bowel will start to adapt to knowing what to expect and when.
• Do things that can help you relax before bed such as screen-free time, writing your thoughts in a journal and setting an environment in your bedroom for good sleep hygiene.

Respond’s useful advice and support

Respond have a blog full of posts from other ostomates on their website. Some blog posts in their lifestyle section are:

• Sleeping with a stoma bag – by Keith
• My holiday experience with a stoma – by Summer

In summary, as time goes on after surgery, you will adapt and find what works for you and sleeping with an ostomy. There might be some bumps along the way, but the good news is that there are so many things to try and products out there that can help to get you to where you need to be.

For so many, including myself, having an ostomy wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.

You can message me and follow me on my stoma journey on Instagram: @ibdwarriorprincess

Amy
@ibdwarriorprincess