Most pregnant women experience difficulties with sleep at some point. The changes in your body and mind during pregnancy may cause problems with your sleep pattern. The first trimester of pregnancy may be a good time for you to sleep. But as your pregnancy progresses, you might have trouble falling asleep. Find out the causes of troubled sleep in pregnancy and how to overcome it in this blog
Sleep in pregnancy
Sleep pattern changes normally in each trimester of pregnancy
First trimester
In this period, women usually want a lot of sleep as the baby and placenta grows. The mother may have frequent urination also.
Second trimester
In this stage, the amount of sleep returns to what it was before you were pregnant.
Third trimester
During this period, women will have a poor quality of sleep. Their normal sleep will be disturbed due to the following factors
- Urge to urinate more frequently
- Shortness of breath
- Back pain
- Heartburn
- Baby is more active at night.
- Worries regarding your baby and delivery – pregnancy FAQs
- Leg cramps
- Strange dreams
How can you sleep better?
As your pregnancy progresses, the comfortable and best position to sleep is usually on your side with your knees bent. Avoid lying flat on your back when you are sleeping. Try placing pillows between your legs and beneath your belly. Additionally, applying a bunched-up pillow or rolled-up blanket to your back may help to reduce pressure.
Sleeping tips
You can get better sleep by using the following tips.
- Maintain a consistent bedtime and wake-up time.
- Raising your head while you sleep can help with breathing problems.
- Limit your intake of caffeine (tea, coffee etc) – Know the foods to avoid in pregnancy.
- Drink a lot of water to avoid leg cramps.
- Take short naps during the day where you will feel energetic and you can compensate for your lost night’s sleep.
- Avoid consuming a large meal or drinking a lot of fluids before you go to bed.
- Don’t exercise three hours before bedtime.
- Avoid screens before going to bed and keep electronics out of your eyesight
Can you take any sleep aids ?
Don’t use any sleep aids. Pregnant women are advised against using them. Without consulting your doctor, avoid taking any sleeping medications in pregnancy.
What if I’m still having trouble falling asleep?
If you find having trouble sleeping after following the above tips, try calming down yourself by reading a book, listening to music, or looking through a magazine. You’ll start to feel tired enough to get back to sleep.
To summarize
If you continue to have trouble getting enough sleep in pregnancy, consult your doctor. They can offer further suggestions for overcoming it and help in finding the root of the problem.
