Certain sleeping positions can be uncomfortable for women with prolapse bladder. This article discusses how prolapse interferes with sleep and recommends the best sleeping positions that may help provide additional support and comfort.
What Is A Prolapsed Bladder?
Prolapse bladder, also known as cystocele, is a condition where the bladder bulges into the front wall of the vagina. As many as 50% of women over the age of 50 years have a prolapsed bladder! This happens when the muscles and tissues that support the bladder weaken or stretch, allowing the bladder to drop down and push against the vaginal wall.
Several factors can cause prolapse bladder, including pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, aging, obesity, chronic coughing, and heavy lifting or straining activities.
As for the symptoms, women with prolapsed bladder may experience pressure or heaviness in the pelvic area, a feeling of something bulging or protruding from the vagina, discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse, difficulty emptying the bladder completely, and urinary incontinence or leakage.
Not all women with prolapsed bladder will experience symptoms, and the severity of the symptoms can vary depending on the degree of prolapse.
So, How Is It Diagnosed?
Prolapse bladder is typically not detected during routine screenings, such as a Pap test or pelvic exam unless you have symptoms or risk factors for prolapse. Instead, it is diagnosed when you visit your healthcare provider with symptoms that suggest prolapse bladder. The healthcare provider will typically perform a pelvic exam to check for signs of prolapse. The healthcare provider will visually inspect the vagina and cervix during the exam. In addition, you may be asked to bear down, which can help to reveal any bulging or protrusion of the bladder.
In some cases, your healthcare provider may also perform a urodynamic test, which involves measuring the pressure and flow of urine in the bladder. This can help assess the bladder’s function and determine any problems with urinary incontinence or other urinary symptoms.
Depending on the severity of the prolapse and your symptoms, additional tests or imaging studies may be ordered to evaluate the bladder and other pelvic organs, such as an ultrasound or MRI.
How Does A Bladder Prolapse Impact Sleep?
While prolapse bladder is not a life-threatening condition, it can cause discomfort and potentially interfere with your quality of life, including your sleep quality.
A symptom of prolapse bladder is urinary incontinence, which can cause urine leakage during the night and make it necessary to get up and change clothing or bedding. This can be inconvenient and embarrassing, disrupting sleep and rest.
There is adequate evidence reported in a study that showed a high prevalence of sleep disturbance among women seeking care for pelvic organ prolapse. Some women may experience discomfort or pain in their pelvic area while lying down. Others may find that they need to get up frequently during the night to go to the bathroom (nocturia micturition), disrupting their sleep and leaving them tired or groggy during the day.
In addition, women with prolapsed bladder may experience anxiety or stress related to their condition, which can also interfere with their ability to fall or stay asleep.
Overall, the inconvenience of prolapsed bladder relative to sleep quality and rest can be significant. Still, there are treatments available that can help to alleviate symptoms.
The 2 Best Sleeping Positions When You Have A Prolapsed Bladder
Sleeping with a prolapsed bladder can be uncomfortable, but sleeping in certain positions can make it easier.
Pay attention to your sleeping positions. Know that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, as everyone’s experience with the condition differs. However, be sure to adjust and find one that you are most comfortable with, and that also helps alleviate prolapse symptoms at night.
Side Sleeping
Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your legs can help alleviate pressure on the bladder and pelvic area. Place a pillow between your legs, lengthwise to align your hips and pelvis, which can help relieve strain on your pelvic floor.
Sleeping On Your Back
Sleeping on your back is also a comfortable position for many women who have a prolapsed bladder. If you prefer to sleep on your back, put a pillow under your knees to elevate your legs slightly and take pressure off your pelvic floor.
For both positions, ensure you use an appropriate-sized bed pillow to support your head and neck in a neutral position. Using a pillow that is too high or too low can cause a strain on your neck and upper back. Instead, find one that allows your head to fall in line with your neck and shoulders.
It’s also important to use good pillows for support. Placing a pillow between your knees can help align your hips and take pressure off your pelvic area while placing a small pillow or rolled-up towel under your lower back can provide additional support.
Other Tips To Help You Sleep Better With A Prolapsed Bladder
Preparing for a good night’s sleep starts during the day. Having good bladder habits during the day is crucial to prevent prolapse from worsening during the night. This includes going to the bathroom regularly, avoiding heavy lifting, and doing pelvic floor exercises as your doctor or physical therapist recommends.
It’s also important to avoid drinking too many fluids before bed, especially caffeine and alcohol, as these can increase your urge to urinate and make it more difficult to get a good night’s sleep.
Practice good sleep hygiene, which means sticking to a regular sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, and creating a comfortable sleep environment conducive to sleep.
Another thing to consider is your sleep environment. Make sure your bedroom is calm, dark, and quiet, as this can help promote deeper, more restful sleep. You might also want to invest in a good-quality mattress and pillows that adequately support your body, especially your pelvic area.
Pelvic floor exercises, such as Kegels, are easy to do and can be done throughout the day and even before you sleep, to help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and alleviate prolapse symptoms. However, it’s important to perform Kegels correctly and avoid over-exercising the pelvic floor muscles, as this can lead to further strain and discomfort.
In fact, knowing how to relax the pelvic floor is just as important as strengthening it. Try some of these relaxation poses before bed to relieve some of the pelvic floor pressure from the day.
A Restful Sleep Is Possible
Prolapse bladder is already a challenging condition to deal with during the day. While it may disturb your sleep at night, there are some things you can do to get a good rest and sleep quality.
Again, it’s important to remember that everyone’s experience with prolapse bladder is different, so what works for one person may not work for another. It’s always a good idea to experiment with different sleeping positions and strategies and see what feels most comfortable and supportive for your body. And if you’re still having trouble sleeping despite your best efforts, consult your doctor and get their advice on managing your symptoms.
- https://www.news-medical.net/health/Pelvic-Organ-Prolapse-Prognosis.aspx
Fritel X, Varnoux N, Zins M, Breart G, Ringa V. Symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse at midlife, quality of life, and risk factors. Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Mar;113(3):609-616. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181985312. PMID: 19300324; PMCID: PMC2850374.
Ghetti C, Lee M, Oliphant S, Okun M, Lowder JL. Sleep quality in women seeking care for pelvic organ prolapse. Maturitas. 2015 Feb;80(2):155-61. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2014.10.015. Epub 2014 Nov 6. PMID: 25465518; PMCID: PMC4307380.
- https://profiles.wustl.edu/en/publications/sleep-quality-in-women-seeking-care-for-pelvic-organ-prolapse
- https://respectcaregivers.org/how-to-sleep-with-a-prolapse-bladder/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/bladder-and-bowel/how-to-perform-kegel-exercises
- https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/yes-you-really-can-do-too-many-kegels-heres-what-happens#Where-it-goes-wrong
