How to sleep better when pregnant

13 Ways To Sleep Better While Pregnant

When you’re pregnant, sleep is essential for your health and the health of your baby. The changes in your body, though, can make getting a good night’s rest more difficult than it should be.

During the first trimester, your body releases progesterone, a hormone that can act as a natural sedative. This can cause you to feel groggy all day long and interfere with your body’s natural sleep rhythms at night.

During the second and third trimesters, the changes in your body begin to become more pronounced. Besides a growing tummy, you have to deal with itchy skin, cramps, back pain, and stress.

Rest easy, though. Mustela is here to help. In this article, we share our favorite tips to improve your pregnant sleep so you can feel your best.

Tips For Better Pregnant Sleep

1) Head To Bed When You’re Sleepy

Your body goes through a lot of changes when you’re pregnant. One of those changes is the amount of sleep you need.

If you find yourself nodding off earlier than usual, don’t worry. It’s natural to feel sleepy earlier in the evening during pregnancy. It’s important to listen to your body while you’re pregnant, so adjust your bedtime by how you feel.

There’s nothing strange or wrong about going to bed at 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. if that’s what your body needs.

2) Avoid Caffeine After Lunch

Caffeine is a stimulant that can have several negative effects on your sleep patterns.

First, it can keep you awake long after your normal bedtime. Second, once you do fall asleep, it can cause you to wake up often throughout the night. Third, even small amounts of caffeine can keep your baby awake and moving around into the wee hours of the morning.

Any one of these results can have a profound effect on the quality and duration of the sleep you get each night.

The best option is to remove caffeine completely from your diet, but we know that you might need a pick-me-up during the day.

That’s why we recommend avoiding caffeine after lunch. Limiting your caffeine intake to the morning gives your body time to process the stimulant out of your system.

3) Get Some Sun During The Day

Your body needs exposure to sunlight during the day to keep its internal clock ticking properly. If you don’t get enough sun, melatonin secretion—the stuff that signals your body to sleep—can be disrupted.

How much sun do you need to keep everything running smoothly? We recommend twenty to thirty minutes per day.

If you go for a walk or a run, count that as your sun exposure for the day. If you want a less-active option, try reading a book outside or sitting by a window.

While you’re getting your Vitamin D, don’t forget to protect yourself! For maximum skin protection against the sun’s harmful UV rays, we recommend Mustela’s SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Lotion.

We make our sunblock with mineral UV filters rather than chemical UV filters and leave out the parabens, phthalates, and phenoxyethanol that do more harm than good.

4) Make Your Room As Dark As Possible

You need light during the day, but not at night. To help your body reach a deep sleep, make your room as dark as possible.

Cover the windows with heavy curtains and get rid of all light sources in your room. Turn off any digital clocks or electronics that glow. Even the light from a nightlight can inhibit the secretion of melatonin.

This melatonin helps you fall asleep. The lack of it can keep you awake long after your regular bedtime. Even if you do doze off, your brain will register that small amount of light through your eyelids and you won’t get the deep sleep you need.

5) Minimize Your Exposure To Blue Light At Night

Blue light—the light emitted by electronics with screens—can drastically affect your body’s ability to fall asleep at night.

It’s so disruptive because blue-wavelength light boosts attention, reaction time, and mood. The blue light is basically fooling your body into thinking it’s still daytime.

To minimize the influence that blue light has on your body at night, we suggest turning off all electronic devices at least an hour before going to bed. This gives your body time to relax and slow down so you are better prepared to fall asleep.

6) Be Active During The Day For Better Pregnant Sleep

Exercising your body during the day is a great way to improve your sleep while pregnant. There are plenty of options for safe pregnancy workouts.

We recommend low-impact activities like swimming, walking, or yoga to keep your body fit and active. Try to complete your physical exercise at least three hours before bedtime to give your body time to unwind.

7) Eat Lightly If Eating Before Bed

Too much food too close to lights out can disrupt your sleep. It increases body temperature and forces your stomach to digest when it wants to slow down.

Too little food, on the other hand, can cause hunger pains to wake you up in the middle of the night. Eat a healthy dinner to keep cravings under control.

If necessary, eat a small snack like a piece of fruit or handful of nuts two or three hours before bed. This gives your body time to digest while still providing enough calories to get you through the night.

8) Choose The Right Mattress

The mattress you choose can have a major influence on the quality of your sleep. A mattress that’s too firm means you’ll feel pressure points at your hips and shoulders. A mattress that’s too soft doesn’t provide enough support for your neck and back.

Get a new mattress if your current one isn’t working for you. Be sure to try out the mattress before you buy it so you find the one that is right for you.

9) Get Comfortable In Bed

Getting comfortable in bed can be tricky when you’re pregnant.

We suggest using pillows to elevate your legs when sleeping on your back (which should be only during the first trimester). When you turn on your side, place a pillow between your legs to take pressure off your hips and another pillow under your stomach to keep your body in a comfortable position.

Experiment with different positions and find one that works best for you. Be sure to try out different pillows for your neck and head, too. You may have slept with one type of pillow all your life, but when you get pregnant, your preference may change.

Note: Sleeping on your back is not recommended after the first trimester of pregnancy. It can be dangerous because it causes the weight of your growing uterus to rest on your intestines and your vena cava, the main vein that carries blood from your lower body to your heart.

10) Make Your Night Routine A Relaxing Event

A warm shower before bed can help your body relax and prepare you for a good night’s sleep. A warm shower can also loosen a stiff neck and shoulders and improve circulation, making it easier to get to sleep.

The minutes after your shower or bath are a great time to continue the relaxation by gently massaging your skin with a stretch marks oil or cream, like Mustela’s Stretch Marks Cream

Combining these activities not only gets you ready for bed, but it also helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks in the process.

11) Breathe Deeply Before Bed

After a long, hard day, you probably expect to fall asleep quickly and stay that way throughout the night.

But, all too often, the stress of the day and the expectations for tomorrow keep your mind running and your body on edge. That prevents you from drifting off to dreamland after you turn the lights out — even when you’re exhausted.

Then, to make matters worse, failing to fall asleep when you know you should only adds to your anxiety and keeps you awake well past your bedtime.

You can counteract this vicious cycle by focusing on a deep-breathing exercise to reduce stress before bed.

Here’s how you do it:

Place the tip of your tongue against the spot where the back of your front teeth and your gums meet. Keep your tongue there while you practice the breathing.
Exhale through your mouth while making a whooshing sound.
Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath for a count of seven.
Exhale through your mouth while making a whooshing sound for a count of eight.
That’s one cycle. Repeat steps 3-5 at least three more times for a total of four cycles.

The benefits of this technique are three-fold:

Breathing deep for the prescribed amount of time gives your brain something to focus on other than the big project at work.
Breathing deep slows your heart rate.
Breathing deep increases the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream and releases harmful carbon dioxide that can build up in your body.

For maximum benefits, try to keep your counting at the same pace throughout the inhale, hold, and exhale.

If you don’t have enough breath to exhale for a count of eight, or you can’t manage to hold your breath for a count of seven, don’t worry about it (that defeats the purpose of the whole exercise).

If you continue to practice, your lung capacity will improve so you can hit those numbers every time.

12) Use Aromatherapy To Sleep Better

While you’re practicing your deep breathing before bed, throw in a bit of aromatherapy to sleep better and more soundly throughout the night. Which scent should you use? Lavender!

Studies show that the scent of lavender inhaled before bed actually improves sleep patterns by:

Increasing deep, slow-wave sleep (SWS)
Increasing stage 2 (light) sleep
Decreasing rapid eye movement (REM)
Decreasing grogginess in the morning

Want to try incorporating aromatherapy into your nightly routine for better pregnant sleep? Here are a few suggestions:

Scent your room with fresh lavender or lavender essential oil
Use a lavender-scented dryer ball so your sheets, pillowcases, and blankets come out clean and fragrant
Keep a bottle of lavender oil by your bed and breathe in the aroma for two minutes

Combining aromatherapy and the deep breathing exercise in the previous step is a great way to relax after a long day and fall asleep faster.

13) Keep Your Room Cool

The suggested temperature for a good night’s sleep is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (with 65 degrees the number mentioned most often).

An ambient room temperature in this range allows your body to cool while you sleep. That, in turn, lets your body redirect the energy it uses to maintain a normal body temperature (around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) to other tasks, such as repair and rejuvenation.

Temperatures below and above the 60-67 degree range make it harder to fall asleep, lead to restlessness throughout the night, and affect the quality of the sleep you do experience.

Though you may set the temperature to the 70s during the day, turn it down before bed so that it’s within the suggested range when you turn out the lights.

Mustela Cares About You

Mustela wants you to enjoy your pregnancy, and we know that good sleep is essential for your health and the health of your baby.

If you’re having trouble falling asleep — or having trouble staying asleep throughout the night — implement these tips into your daily and nightly routine.

We suggest picking one or two of the ideas that most appeal to you and trying them out for a few nights. When you’re comfortable with those, pick one or two more and add them to your regular activity.

With time and practice, you can enjoy a restful and reinvigorating night’s sleep through all nine months of your pregnancy.

While you’re trying new things to make your pregnancy experience the best it can be, consider adding Mustela’s maternity skin care products to your routine for smooth, hydrated skin both day and night!

How to sleep better in pregnancy: 10 tips | Pregnancy articles & support

From your growing bump to heartburn and (what feels like) a constantly full bladder, it can be harder to get an undisturbed night’s sleep in pregnancy. Try our tips for a better night’s slumber.

Planning maternity leave, getting everything ready for your baby and navigating the last few months at work when your energy levels are plummeting… no wonder you need a rest when you’re pregnant. Ironically though, just as you need it most, sleep can become increasingly elusive.

Why can't I sleep in pregnancy?

It’s normal to feel tired in pregnancy (NHS, 2021a) so try not to get frustrated with yourself, as getting frustrated can cause more sleeplessness. Your baby is growing, and your expanding bump is understandably making it hard for you to get comfortable at night.

Changes in your hormones also add to tiredness in the first trimester. Experiencing heartburn, nausea and needing to wee more often are all normal symptoms (NHS, 2021a).

Also, you might have worries about what it’ll be like when your baby arrives, adding to those sleepless nights.

Why am I waking up at night?

Bladder problems can be twofold in pregnancy. Early on, you might still find you need to pee more often due to changes in your hormones during pregnancy (NHS 2021b).

Just as this is settling down in later pregnancy, your growing uterus puts pressure on your bladder – meaning more toilet trips again. However avoiding drinking completely before bed can lead to leg cramps, so be thoughtful but drink to make yourself comfortable.

Nearer the end of your pregnancy, as your baby’s head engages, your bladder might feel full even when you’ve just been to the loo. Try going to the loo before bed, leaning forward and exhaling to empty your bladder completely, then make yourself as comfortable as possible. At least the end is in sight – and if nothing else, it’ll prepare you for night awakenings to come…

Feeling hot in pregnancy

It’s normal for you to feel warmer than usual during pregnancy. This is due to hormonal changes and an increase in blood supply to the skin (NHS, 2021b).

You're also likely to sweat more. It can help if you wear loose clothing made of natural fibres to bed, as these are more absorbent and breathable than synthetic fibres. In warmer months, perhaps have a cool shower before bed, and try to keep your room cool with an open window or electric fan.

Restless legs syndrome

It’s estimated that between 10 and 25 per cent of women report symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) during pregnancy (RLS-UK, no date). This is when you feel an overwhelming urge to move your legs. Symptoms are more noticeable in the third trimester and might make it difficult for you to relax and fall asleep.

Thankfully, symptoms are often temporary. Some women find it useful to stretch their legs, or have a massage or warm bath before bed to relieve the symptoms.

The worry factor

Fears about the birth or what life will be like with a newborn have an annoying habit of whirling around your head at 2am.

Some women also have strange dreams or nightmares about the baby, labour or birth. This is completely normal in pregnancy (NHS, 2021a). Talking about them with your partner or midwife can help. Remember, just because you dream something, it doesn't mean it's going to happen.

In fact, it shows that your mind is preparing you for the enormous task of being a parent, and becoming more focussed on your baby. Relaxation and breathing techniques may be helpful in reducing any anxiety you might be feeling (Ozkan and Rathfisch, 2018).

Attending an antenatal class like an NCT course and visiting the birthing centre or hospital you’re going to have your baby in can help you learn about what to expect. If you’re planning a home birth, talk to your midwife about what’s likely to happen and what you might need.

Occasionally, sleeplessness – when accompanied by other symptoms – can be a sign of depression (NHS, 2021a). If you have any of the other symptoms of depression, such as feeling hopeless and losing interest in the things you used to enjoy, speak to your doctor or midwife. There is treatment that can help (NHS, 2021c).

Top tips for getting a better night's sleep in pregnancy

1. Fresh air and exercise

Getting lots of fresh air and doing moderate exercise for as long as you feel comfortable might help you feel sleepier at night. There are other benefits, too.

One study found that 35-90 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week during pregnancy is associated with a higher chance of vaginal birth and a lower chance of gestational diabetes and high blood pressure (Di Mascio et al, 2016).

2. Relaxation

Practicing relaxation techniques, such as yoga before bed may help with fewer awakenings and help to lower anxiety.

Jenny Barrett, an NCT antenatal teacher, says:

‘Some pregnant mums find that classes such as Yoga for Pregnancy can really help in getting some gentle exercise and learning some relaxation techniques. You could get your partner to give you a massage to help you relax – this is a good way to practice techniques that you could use during labour.’

3. Cutting the caffeine

Cut down or cut out caffeine, especially later in the day, and remember that caffeine is also present in tea, chocolate, soft drinks, energy drinks, and some medicines, such as cold and flu remedies (NHS, 2020b).

4. No alcohol for me thanks

Alcohol is associated with more disrupted sleep, so you may decide to cut down or cut out alcohol during pregnancy (NHS, 2021d).

5. Healthy eating

Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruit and veg, and you might find that herbal teas can help you unwind in the evening. Do some research before you sip though – while ginger and peppermint teas can help to ease morning sickness, green tea contains the same amount of caffeine as regular tea (NHS, 2020d).

6. Sleeping comfortably: a pregnancy pillow might help

Pregnancy pillows, or just an extra regular pillow, are often the favourite sleep aid of expectant mums. They can help support your bump or legs in bed and make you more comfy as your tummy gets bigger. You can also use them to relax on the sofa while you’re reading or watching TV.

You may fall in love with your big maternity pillows so much that you want to carry on using them after your baby is born. And coincidentally, they make great breastfeeding support cushions too! If that doesn't leave much room in the bed for your partner, they might find it easier to sleep in a separate room to get a better night's rest.

7. Helping the heartburn

Mums-to-be who’ve never suffered from indigestion before can be surprised when they get it badly during pregnancy. It’s caused by the valve between your stomach and the tube leading to it relaxing during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. This means stomach acid can pass into the tube and cause the burning feeling. In later stages of pregnancy, your growing uterus can press on your stomach and make the problem worse (NHS, 2020e).

It can come on when you’re going to bed, or you might even wake up with it in the middle of the night. Some people find avoiding spicy foods or eating too much at one meal can help, especially near bedtime. Eating little and often is the name of the game in the later stages of pregnancy, and try not to eat in a rush.

It can also help to raise the head of your bed by 10 to 15cm, or sleep propped up on lots of pillows (NHS, 2020e). If it won’t go away and stops you sleeping, ask your GP or midwife for advice. Your heartburn may not be completely relieved by medication but your doctor or midwife can prescribe an antacid that is safe during pregnancy (NHS, 2020e).

8.

Morning sickness affects nearly 70% of women and is not limited only to the morning (Einarson et al 2013). In fact, morning sickness – or nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) as it’s known too – can happen at any time of day or night (NHS, 2018).

It can help to eat small quantities of plain food, like toast or rice crackers, before you go to bed, as having an empty stomach can make you feel more sick. Keeping hydrated can help as well. Avoid very greasy or sugary food, as this can be harder to digest and make you feel more sick (that’ll help avoid heartburn too) (NHS, 2018).

9. Try to get help with older children

If you have other children, you could ask your partner to help when older children wake up at night. It can be hard enough to get a good night’s sleep in pregnancy, let alone if you’ve already got a little one who wakes up in the night or climbs into bed with you just as you’ve managed to drift off.

Tell your partner if you’re having difficulty sleeping, and encourage them to help deal with your other children in the night. Or, they could get up with them in the morning to give you a bit of a lie-in.

If older siblings sleep through but need constant attention during the day, try to get some sleep or rest whenever you can. Jenny says:

‘If the older child goes to bed in the evening, you could also go to bed earlier, even if only for a couple of evenings in the week to catch up. If your partner is able to take the older child out for a few hours at the weekend you could get some rest then.’

10. A healthy bedtime routine checklist

It’s a good idea to have a good routine for sleep hygiene. (NICE, 2020). So here is a suggested checklist for a healthy bed time routine to promote a restful night’s sleep:

Take up gentle exercise during the day.
Avoid caffeine a couple of hours before bed.
Avoid heavy meals that could aggravate heartburn.
Avoid drinking fluids a couple of hours before bed (but this does increase the chance of leg cramps) (NHS, 2020n).
Reduce activity before sleep.
Practice relaxation techniques or yoga.
Go to the loo to empty your bladder before you get into bed.
Wear light clothing from natural fibres to avoid getting too hot.
Use a pillow to support your bump or legs and lie on your side.

Safe pregnancy sleep positions

Around the middle of your pregnancy, start to get into the habit of going to sleep on your side. This is because research found that mothers whose baby was stillborn were twice as likely to report falling asleep on their back the night before. This may be to do with the flow of blood and oxygen to the baby (Heazell et al, 2017).

Don't worry if you wake up on your back – the research looked at the position women fell asleep in, as this is the position we keep for longest. If you wake up on your back, just turn over and go to sleep again on your side (NHS, 2021a).

And just remember, it's not forever. One new NCT mum says: ‘Even though my baby often wakes me up in the night now, the sleep I do get in-between feeds is so much better than when I was heavily pregnant and just couldn’t get comfortable. ’

This page was last reviewed in March 2021.

Further Information

Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: 0300 330 0700.

We also offer antenatal courses which are a great way to find out more about birth, labour and life with a new baby.

Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby.

How to sleep during pregnancy

It is difficult to overestimate the role of sleep in the life of every person. A complete healthy rest allows you to fully restore the functioning of the nervous system, relieve stress, improve performance and increase activity. Chronic sleep deprivation is the cause of many diseases. What can we say about a woman who is at the stage of bearing a baby. During this period, more than ever, she needs a healthy, long and full sleep. However, unfortunately, it is during this period that one can only dream of a restful sleep. nine0003

As soon as a woman finds out about her new position, she has to give up a lot for the sake of the health of her unborn baby. And you need to give up not only bad habits: alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, but also from a comfortable sleep.

The cause of insomnia can be :

Anxiety;
Frequent urination;
Fears and phobias before a new stage of one's life;
Nervousness and irritability;
Digestive disorder; nine0012
Toxicosis;
Physical indisposition;
Uncomfortable posture.

During the period of bearing a child, the female body experiences an extraordinary load, especially in the last trimester. The need for more sleep increases, because the body expends much more energy. Therefore, healthy sleep and pregnancy are inextricably linked.

Let's try to figure out how to sleep during pregnancy, so as not only not to harm the health of your unborn baby, but to sleep well.

Looking for a comfortable sleeping position

Each person has his own favorite position, in which it is easy to fall asleep and sleep. Many do not imagine a comfortable rest on their backs, accustomed to sleeping on their stomachs. This habit will have to be sacrificed, as it is unsafe for the normal development of the fetus. If in the first three months of pregnancy a woman can still sleep in the position in which she is used to and feels comfortable, then after the first trimester the growing belly will not allow her to lie safely in this position. Despite the natural protection of the baby in the form of amniotic fluid, there is a high probability of injuring the baby in a dream, squeezing it. But what is the right way to sleep during pregnancy? nine0003

Back position

Even if you are used to sleeping in a Spartan position, on your back, with your arms spread wide, from the 28th week you will have to radically change your lifestyle. The fact is that as the fetus grows, the load on the intestines and vena cava will increase significantly, blocking the access of oxygen to the baby.

If you sleep on your back during pregnancy, you may experience the following problems:

Dizziness;
Nausea;
Convulsions;
Numb limbs;
Pressure reduction;
Hemorrhoids;
Heaviness of breathing.

If you feel these symptoms or the baby gives persistent signals, you need to urgently change your position, so squeezing the vena cava is fraught not only with poor health for the mother, but also with a lack of oxygen supply to the fetus. nine0003

Stomach position

One of the most beloved positions for many people, which allows you to quickly fall asleep while hugging a pillow. Many women, as soon as they find out about the change in their lives, are interested in the question, is it possible to sleep on your stomach during pregnancy? Doctors recommend abandoning this position already in the first weeks, even before the enlarged belly makes it impossible to fall asleep peacefully.

If you are afraid during sleep, without controlling your movements, to arbitrarily roll over on your stomach, you can put a large pillow that does not allow you to change position. nine0003

Side position

In order to normalize your sleep and not harm the health of the baby, experts recommend sleeping on your side during pregnancy. And if at first this option seems unacceptable to many, after the second trimester, lying on your side is the only possible one. But here the question arises, on which side to sleep in order to ensure the safety of the fetus?

Sleeping on the right side can cause squeezing of the kidney, which can have dire consequences. The ideal posture is lying on the left side. Thus, you not only do not injure the unborn baby, but also improve blood flow along with oxygen to the placenta. nine0003

But one should not ignore the individual characteristics of each organism and the position of the fetus in the uterus. When the baby is in a transverse position, choose the side where the baby's head is. And with a breech presentation, doctors recommend changing the position several times a night.

If you still cannot improve your sleep, you feel unwell and you are tormented by insomnia, then it is better to consult a specialist. A good gynecologist will analyze the situation and help solve the problem. If necessary, he will prescribe a safe sedative that stabilizes the emotional state and helps to fall asleep calmly, resting and restoring the nervous system in a dream. nine0003

Help pillow

Fortunately, now modern manufacturers help women survive the pregnancy period with great comfort by offering special pillows. They are made taking into account the physiological characteristics of a woman in this period and allow you to find a comfortable position for relaxation.

You can buy two pillows and put one under your stomach and the other under your knees, looking for your best option. And you can buy a long banana-shaped pillow, which allows you to throw your leg on it while sleeping, which improves well-being and relieves the main load from the lower back and abdomen. Already in the last weeks of pregnancy, when the growing belly does not allow you to breathe normally, the pillow will allow you to take a comfortable half-sitting position. nine0003

Remember that pregnancy is your opportunity to gain strength and fully relax before the most crucial period in your life. Childbirth and the first weeks of caring for your baby will require a lot of energy from you, so good luck and sound sleep!

Pregnancy and sleep - recommendations from an obstetrician-gynecologist

Contents of the page

Pregnancy is a special condition that affects the entire body. Hormonal changes, weight gain, fetal growth - all this increases energy costs. To make up for them, it is very important for the expectant mother to observe the rest regimen and, first of all, she needs a good sleep. nine0003

The duration of sleep should be at least 8-8.5 hours, of which 1 hour should be for daytime rest. At the same time, you need to go to bed at the same time every day. For a good restful sleep, you need to find a comfortable position.

Right side or left side? How to choose the best sleeping position.

If in the first 3 months of pregnancy a woman can still sleep in the position in which she is used to and feels comfortable, then after the first trimester she should not sleep on her stomach. Indeed, after 11-12 weeks, the uterus extends beyond the small pelvis. And starting from 15-16 weeks, it is necessary to abandon the position on the back, since the growing uterus compresses the inferior vena cava that passes behind it, which negatively affects the condition of the mother and child. nine0003

The most comfortable postures are on the right and left sides. You can sleep on your left side in any trimester. On the right side - this position is suitable as a change position at the end of the second and third trimesters.
From 25 weeks on, a pillow can be placed under the abdomen for comfortable sleep. There are special pillows for pregnant women, which are made taking into account the physiological characteristics of a woman in this period and allow her to find a comfortable position for relaxation. In the last weeks of pregnancy, the pillow will allow you to take a comfortable half-sitting position. For better sleep, you should not eat immediately before bedtime, you should not engage in intense mental activity, watch TV. nine0012
Soft, calm and pleasant music will help you relax and get ready for a night's rest. Useful before going to bed walking in the fresh air, a warm shower 20-30 minutes before bedtime, airing the bedroom. Keep the humidity in the sleeping area at least 50%.

Why do sleep disorders occur? What to do?

Changes in a woman's body that occur in a woman's body during pregnancy, physical discomfort and emotional stress, often lead to sleep disturbances. During this period, falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night can be difficult. Sleep research shows that 9out of 10 pregnant women experience insomnia.

Why is this happening?

In the first months after conception, the level of progesterone rises sharply, which results in constant feelings of drowsiness, as well as frequent urination, making it difficult to fall asleep and disturbing night sleep.

In order to cope with this, it is necessary to reduce the amount of liquid consumed in the evenings. It is better to replenish the water balance in the morning. nine0003

Another factor that disturbs sleep can be nausea. Due to the soreness of the mammary glands during this period, it is also difficult for a woman to find a comfortable position for sleeping.
If you can't get enough sleep at night, you should definitely rest during the day. In the second trimester of pregnancy, the expectant mother usually feels better. And in recent months, the quality of sleep has been deteriorating. She falls asleep worse, wakes up more often at night.

Most often, sleep disorders are physiological: increased weight and a grown belly make it difficult to find a comfortable position; fetal movement; frequent nighttime urge to urinate; heartburn; leg cramps. Nervous tension, fear of upcoming changes, anxiety for the child, experience before childbirth are psychological reasons that most often deprive a woman of sleep. nine0003

How to deal with insomnia?

Maintain good sleep hygiene - create optimal conditions for falling asleep, close the windows, choose a comfortable mattress, and also do not spend time in bed during which you are awake.
During the day, avoid overexertion, because fatigue does not always lead to sound sleep.
Try to discuss your fears with loved ones, a psychologist or a doctor.
During the day, perform simple physical exercises, depending on the duration of pregnancy and health, take a walk. nine0012
Avoid late meals.
Take a warm shower before bed.
Try to drink less in the evening. Before going to bed, it is recommended to drink a cup of warm milk, because it contains tryptophan, a mild natural sleeping pill.
Foot and neck massage will give you the opportunity to relax before going to bed. The bedroom should be cool.
Use special pillows for pregnant women, put them under the side, under the neck, clamp between the legs.

Under no circumstances should you take sleeping pills yourself. The decision to take sleeping pills can only be taken by your obstetrician-gynecologist! Taking potent sleeping pills, sedatives can adversely affect the formation of the fetal nervous system.

In many ways, the well-being and sleep of the expectant mother depends on her environment, warmth and support of others, care and patience.

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