After your surgery, your body will be working hard to heal and recover. While you might need to rest more than usual, it is important you keep working steadily towards increasing your activity levels back to normal.
There are lots of benefits to getting out of bed early and returning to your normal activities, such as:
- faster recovery from surgery and return to your normal level of health
- faster discharge from hospital
- better mood and energy levels
- less risk of chest infections or blood clots
- less constipation.
Set goals for yourself and aim to spend as much time out of bed as you can, including:
- sitting in a chair
- standing next to your bed
- taking short walks.
On the ward, the nurses and physiotherapists can help you with getting movement back (mobilisation) and give you pain relief if you need it.
You may feel thirsty after surgery. This is common. You are normally able to drink water soon after your operation. You can drink as much water as you feel able to.
You may feel like you have lost your appetite. Unless your type of surgery requires you not to eat, it is usually easier to eat little and often. If you feel sick you can ask for medicines to help reduce that feeling.