How Should You Sleep With Hemorrhoids? - MedicineNet

How to make hemorrhoids and sleeping more comfortable

It can be hard to get comfortable when you have hemorrhoids, and sleep can be affected. You can manage hemorrhoids at home with some personal care and lifestyle changes in most cases. There are some simple ways to relieve your symptoms.

Push hemorrhoids back in

Sometimes hemorrhoids will stick out of your anus, especially after a bowel movement. If you pass stool before bed, gently push the hemorrhoid back in. With the vein back inside your rectum, the skin is protected, which can help lower your risk of getting a blood clot or a hemorrhoid trapped outside your rectum.

Take a sitz bath before bed

During a sitz bath, you sit in warm, shallow water. Hemorrhoids tend to have crevasses where stool can get stuck and cause skin irritation and itching. A sitz bath can help gently clean the area without having to rub or irritate your skin. The warm water also relaxes your muscles, promotes blood flow, and can ease pain.

Before bed, take a warm sitz bath, then gently pat the area dry with a towel. Don’t rub or wipe.

Topical cream

Once you get out of the bath, apply a soothing hemorrhoid cream. You can buy over-the-counter creams and suppositories at your pharmacy. Creams with aloe vera can soothe the skin. A numbing hemorrhoid cream can help with pain.

You can also use soothing hemorrhoid cleansing pads throughout the day when you use the restroom. Witch hazel cleansing pads can help ease skin discomfort and reduce irritation. Creams and cleansing pads can also help with itching. Try not to scratch the area as it can cause more damage and irritation to your skin.

Clean underwear and loose pajamas

After you’ve treated your hemorrhoids, put on a clean pair of underwear and loose pajamas. You may want to use a liner in your underwear to stay dry and absorb any extra cream you apply. Loose pajamas keep pressure off your abdomen and anus and keep you comfortable.

Pain relievers

If you have a lot of pain or your hemorrhoid cream doesn’t numb the area enough, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever to help. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, called an NSAID, can help lower inflammation and ease pain. Very painful hemorrhoids are a sign you should talk to your doctor, though.

Stomach sleeping

Sitting or standing for a long time can make your hemorrhoids worse because they put extra pressure on your blood vessels. In general, laying down can help your symptoms, but you might find it’s hard to get comfortable. You can try sleeping on your stomach, which can also take pressure off your anus and give you some relief.

Pillow between your legs

Lying on your back might put extra pressure on your anus and cause additional pain for hemorrhoids and sleeping. To prevent this, you can lay on your side with a pillow between your legs.