How to Sleep With a New Tattoo

Getting a tattoo is a matter of pride for everyone. Tattoos are in the mainstream; not only do they give a feeling of immense pride, but also they boost confidence.

Now that you have a new tattoo, it is critical that you allow your body to recover so that your tattoo heals properly. And sleep is one of the best ways to promote tattoo healing. However, how you sleep matters a lot.

We have discussed a lot about the importance of tattoo aftercare in our previous posts. In this post, we’re going to share some tips on how to sleep with a new tattoo safely and comfortably.

Ready to take a look at the tips.

Why is Good Sleep Critical for a New Tattoo?

You need to give your body what exactly it needs to heal! Know that proper sleep is crucial to your new tattoo. According to research, sleep impacts the immune system and promotes the healing ability of the body.

A new tattoo is no less than a wound. Like any wound, a new tattoo also requires time and care to heal properly. Knowing how to clean a new tattoo will keep the surface of your tattoo clean and healthy; however, understanding the importance of sleep will keep your body healing efficiently beneath the surface. During sleep, your body naturally restores itself by removing wastes, bacteria, and other pathogens. If you do not give your body the rest it requires while healing a wound, it may weaken your immune system and cause the healing process to take longer.

Besides giving your body the time to restore itself, you need to understand the importance of sleep along with how to lie with a new tattoo, what to do while sleeping with a new tattoo while traveling, etc. Below are the tips to follow while sleeping with a new tattoo.

1. Take sleep seriously

Do not underestimate the power of good sleep on wounds. Your new tattoo is essentially a wound that, besides proper care, also needs proper sleep as it promotes the healing process . It is essential to get at least 8 hours of sleep when your tattoo is new.

While you sleep, your body does the majority of its repairing. If you only get 5-6 hours of sleep per night, your tattoo healing process will be hampered and will take much longer.

Even if you aren’t usually the type to sleep for eight hours a day, sleeping 8 hours a day while your body is attempting to heal can help tremendously. So make sleep a priority during the first week.

2. Don’t sleep on your new tattoo

This is critical and also a tad bit difficult. Yes, if you tend to sleep in the same place, then you may find it difficult to sleep on another side. Sleeping on your tattoo can put unwanted pressure on your new piece. Sleep in a comfortable position that does not put pressure on your tattoo.

Actually, the idea is to keep your tattoo as far away from anything as possible and avoid lying on top of it so that it doesn’t press against your mattress. Not only does it cause the tattoo to stick to the sheets while you sleep, but also it deprives the area of oxygen, causing healing times to be delayed. Remember that your wound requires clean, fresh air to breathe and regenerate properly.

If your tattoo stays firmly pressed into your mattress all night, it is likely to become hot and sweaty, which could create a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. It is important to keep your tattoo as open and free as possible. That is why it is recommended to sleep in a position where your tattoo is unlikely to become entangled with any bedding.

3. Use only clean bed covers

Using a clean bed cover is as essential as keeping your tattoo clean. As said earlier, your new tattoo is actually a wound only, so it is imperative to keep your tattoo clean as much as possible to prevent bacteria from causing an infection .

That is why it is recommended to use freshly cleaned bed covers on the night you get your tattoo. Also, you should change the bed cover quite often until your new tattoo is fully healed.

Pro tip: Make sure you do not use your favorite bed cover while your tattoo is new. It is because your new tattoo will leak a mixture of ink, blood, and plasma for 1-2 nights. This mixture can seep into bed covers; once dried, it isn’t easy to get off.

4. Keep your tattoo clean

It is important to clean your tattoo and keep it moisturized. While sleeping, tossing around in bed, and rubbing your new tattoo against mattresses and bed sheets can make the sheets extract moisture from the area, potentially causing the tattoo to become dry and cracked; it’s not good for your new tattoo. Hence, it is vital to clean and moisturize it before hitting the bed.

Also, clean your new tattoo immediately after you wake up and apply a good tattoo-friendly moisturizing lotion . Keeping your tattoo moisturized promotes healing and prevents it from getting dry and itchy. You can use any vegan-friendly aftercare tattoo lotion. A good lotion will keep your tattoo well hydrated and moisturized.

You can also consider keeping a pack of sterilized tattoo wipes on hand. It will help you clean your tattoo as and when needed. You can also buy single-use cleansing tattoo towels, as they are good for on-the-go tattoo care.

5. Avoid drinking and smoking

Drinking and smoking is not a good idea when you have a new tattoo. Of course, alcohol has a negative impact on your sleep quality. You’re likely to have poor sleep quality after a few drinks. Besides that, there are chances that you may bump your tattoo against noxious objects. So to let your body heal faster, it’s advised to avoid alcohol at least during the initial days of your tattoo aftercare regimen.

On a similar note, smoking is also harmful when your tattoo is new. Not only does it constrict blood vessels, but it also reduces the amount of nutrients and oxygen delivered to the area, resulting in delayed healing and infection. So, it’s best to avoid smoking for the first few weeks of your tattooing process.

6. Don’t let your pets sleep with you

It’s a bit harder if you love sleeping with your pets; BUT, BUT, BUT, avoid sleeping with them. Not only do pets (dogs, cats, and any other animal) are home to a plethora of microbes, but they also enjoy sniffing and licking.

Undeniably, pets have an amazing sense of smell; they can easily make out the area seeping blood. They may start licking the area, which is not healthy at all. So, it’s better to keep your pet away while sleeping.

If you can’t sleep without your furry friends, make sure your tattoo is safe from their noses, paws, and tongues.

7. Remove stuck bedding with warm water.

Don’t rip off stuck bedding. Waking up with stuck bedding is normal in case of new tattoos. Someday you may wake up to a stuck tattoo. You may find that your tattoo has pressed against the bed cover, do not try to rip it off. Try to loosen the stuck bedding with warm water.

Simply take the sheet to the faucet and gently stream warm water over the area until it loosens. If you pull it off without first carefully loosening the area, you may unnecessarily pull ink from the tattoo, resulting in a slower healing process. Aside from that, it can pull the ink right out of your tattoo, leaving you with a blotchy and patchy tattoo.

Also, be gentle while you’re loosening the stuck bedding. Becoming harsh can cause harm to your newly etched tattoo design.

8. Do not remove tattoo bandage or adhesive wrap

After your tattoo is done, your tattoo artist will put an adhesive wrap on your tattoo. You will be asked to leave that on the tattoo for at least 24 hours. Removing the bandage can cause harm to your newly etched tattoo. Hence, let it stay in your tattooed area; it will protect both the ink of your new tattoo and your bedsheets.

9. Avoid rubbing, picking, or scratching tattooed area

Don’t rub, pick, or scratch your new tattoo. Doing so will not only hamper the healing process but also will make your wound worse. Rubbing your tattoo abrasively will damage it or affect it adversely. On that note, scratching also affects the tattoo negatively. The feeling of itching is normal when you have a new tattoo. Also, it’s not easy to resist itching, but scratching leads to seeping tattoos and distorted artwork on your body. To avoid any such feeling, keep your skin moisturized always.

10. Change your bed sheet

Keep changing your bed sheet until your tattoo is completely healed. Not only will this help to keep the tattoo clean, but it will also protect against germs, bacteria, etc., that may have accumulated on an unwashed sheet. Your bed sheet can have dust, residues, pet hair, etc.; all these are harmful to your new tattoo.

Closing Thought

These are the tips on how to sleep with a new tattoo. While the first week of sleeping may be more difficult than usual, keeping these important tips in mind will not only help you get some much-needed rest but also give your tattoo the best chance to heal perfectly and beautifully!

Once your tattoo has healed completely, you can stop worrying about the cleanliness of your bed covers. Because by then, your tattoo will have regenerated its protective layer of skin that will keep infection-causing bacteria out of the tattooed area.

Thank you for reading……!!