Sleep disturbances are common during pregnancy, and they are in most instances as a result of stress and anxiety. The expanding belly also makes it hard to find a comfortable sleep position, and so most women will spend many hours turning in bed trying to fall asleep.
Sleep is vital for the health of the mother and the developing fetus, and so it is important to ensure that you get enough of it. Luckily, there are many things that you can do during your pregnancy to ensure that you sleep well and get enough rest. Here are five simple and actionable sleep tips to help you out.
#1 Reduce Anxiety/Stress
There is always one or more things to worry about during pregnancy, and the hormonal changes only make things worse. But this stress and anxiety are what keep most women awake at night. And so before anything else you should find a way to deal with them. There are many ways of dealing with them but meditation, yoga and praying work well for most ladies. Talking to friends and family about your fears and concerns can also help. But if everything else does not seem to work you can also seek professional help so that you can get the vital rest that you require.
#2 Don’t Drink a Lot of Water in the Evening
You need to take enough water during pregnancy because dehydration can affect your fetus. However, if you want to sleep well, you should make sure that you do not take too much of it late in the day. A good rule should be to take as much water as possible during the day and hold your consumption after four pm. Taking a lot of water late in the evening means that you have to make several trips to the bathroom. And this not only interferes with your sleep cycle but it also leads to fragmented and low quality sleep.
#3 Make Your Bed Comfortable
A comfortable bed will make it easy for you to snooze and so you should make sure that yours is as comfortable as possible. And for this to be so, you might need to buy a new mattress or buy a topper or pad if you do not want to spend money on a new mattress. As an expectant mom, you also need to make sure that you have some soft bedsheets and something warm and cozy to cover up your body as you sleep. A pregnancy pillow will also come in handy, and there are many types to choose from in the market. Also, having a husband pillow is a good idea because reading a book or magazine in bed will help you fall asleep faster.
#4 Exercise and Stay Active
If you spend the whole day lazing around or watching movies chances are that it will be hard for you to snooze at night. Doctor’s will always advise you to remain active for a healthy pregnancy. And although there are many other benefits that you get from this it will also help you fall asleep fast and ensure that you rest for long. Staying active and exercising will make you tired and so you will sleep almost immediately you lay your head on the pillow. But it is also important to talk to your doctor before you start exercising when you are pregnant and also ensure that you do not do it just before bed because the adrenaline may keep you awake for many hours.
#5 Be Careful with What you Eat
What you eat and this is more so just before bed might determine whether you will sleep well or not. Heartburn and indigestion are common problems for pregnant ladies, and they are not only uncomfortable but also make it tough for them to sleep. To make sure that they do not affect your snooze you should avoid eating fatty and spicy foods before bed. Also, make sure that you do not eat a lot of food for dinner because the body will spend more time digesting it meaning that you will remain awake for long. Eating a lot of food before bed will also make it hard for you to get a comfortable sleep position.
Conclusion
Pregnancy might come with a lot of stress and anxiety, but you should not let them keep you awake every other night. Getting enough rest is vital to ensure that the fetus develops well. The tips above will help you get the rest that you need. But the idea is to keep trying until you find something that will work for you when it comes to getting some snooze.
I hardly slept at all when I was pregnant and I do think some of the problem was due to Anxiety/Stress. I was very uncomfortable also. These are good tips!