Sleep is extremely important to your health and happiness, but some people who have stomas can feel anxious about sleeping or find that problems with their stoma, such as leaks and odour, disrupt their sleep. Here are a few tips for getting a good night’s sleep with a little extra help from Trio Pearls®.
Change or empty your bag before bed
Always change or empty your bag before going to sleep. If your bag overfills at night, you are at risk of a leak. Going to bed with an empty bag can reduce anxiety about leaks and significantly improve the quality of your sleep. If you have a particularly high output stoma it might be beneficial to consider a larger bag size or use a thickening agent.
Trio Pearls® gelling and odour control sachets are great for managing liquid output from your stoma. They work by turning loose stools into a thicker gel which can help to prevent leaks, stop the filter from clogging and avoid bulking of contents.
Plan your mealtimes
If you have a large meal before bed, this could increase your output overnight and disrupt your sleep. Some ostomates choose to have a main meal at lunch time and a smaller evening meal. Experiment and find out what works best for you. Always try to avoid foods that produce wind to prevent ballooning.
Trio Pearls® combine super absorbent gelling crystals and nano-engineered ingredients that actively absorb odorous organic molecules, which means you can go to sleep without worrying about embarrassing odour from anything you’ve eaten.
Find a sleeping position that works for you
The best position to sleep in when you have a stoma is on your back, or on your side. It can help to put pillows around you to prevent you rolling or compromising the bag’s ability to fill up.
By thickening contents, Trio Pearls® stops contents from sloshing around in your bag so you can move around freely without worrying about loose stools. These clever sachets won’t stain your clothes or toilet, giving you extra confidence whether you’re sleeping at home or on holiday.
Trio Pearls® are so easy to use:
- Pop the sealed Trio Pearls® sachet inside your stoma bag
- Empty output into the toilet or dispose of your bag as normal
- Keep adding sachets after you’ve emptied output by inserting another sachet through the drainable outlet.
Our guest blogger, Jenny, shares her experience of Trio Pearls®
“Sleep was a nerve-wracking thing for me when I first got my stoma. I worried about leaning too much on the bag and leaking in bed, sometimes the panic would often stop me from sleeping soundly. I have used Pearls® many times, but mainly when I’m on holiday and in bed when my output is thinner. They really help thicken it up which means I get more sleep between emptying.”
Trio Pearls® is available on prescription and stocked by all dispensing suppliers and ostomy delivery companies. You can request a free sample.
If you have a high output stoma (1500ml per day) or have recently noticed an increase or significant change in your output, we always recommend contacting your stoma care nurse to discuss suitability.
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