Pregnancy And Insomnia. Why You Can’t Sleep..
December 2nd, 2011
Are you pregnant and frustrated by sleeplessness? Most pregnant women suffer from sleeplessness at some stage during their pregnancy. This can happen for a variety of reasons and while it may feel hopeless, there are plenty of things you can take to beat theinsomniaand get that well-deserved sleep.
Emotional Causes
Pregnancy is a turbulent time; all those hormones whizzing around your body amplify normal psychological responses and can turn any happy expectant Mother’s journey into an emotional rollercoaster. A fusion of thrill and concern is completely normal for nearly all of us when pregnant and all of these feelings can really make it hard to get to sleep.
At the end of a long day, it is often only when you finally get into bed, when things are dark and quiet, that all the worries and feelings of excitement that are suppressed during a busy day come to the surface. Suddenly your head is full of thoughts and you are left tossing and turning or pacing the floor, or you fall asleep only to be woken by nightmares or fretfulness, leaving you feeling worse than ever…
Don’t forget that it is very much normal to get anxious, agitated and excited (often all within a few minutes!) when you are pregnant. It is not unusual to feel like your head is spinning. Those endless to-do lists that preoccupy you are a natural response to pregnancy; your body and your mind both want to prepare in every way possible for the arrival of your baby.
This is a good thing. Accepting that practically everything you think and feel when pregnant is actually very normal can help to take away a lot of the fear you may have about how you are feeling. Why not chat with some of your pregnant friends about what they are feeling? You will all feel a great deal better about your own feelings and realize that the symptoms that were worrying you are perfectly normal. Pregnancy insomnia is totally normal and not the unusual illness that you were worrying about. And there are plenty of things you can do about it.
Physical Causes
Your pregnancy insomnia is very likely due to a combination of emotional and physical issues. Rest assured, there are many things that you can do about the symptoms.
•Back stiffness – throughout pregnancy, you are likely to experience some backache, which may make getting comfortable very difficult. Try positioning a pillow between your knees. This could make a significant difference as helps your knees to align with your hips, reducing stress on the spine.
•Sore breasts – some pregnant women find that discomfort and pain in the breasts increases at night in bed (due to hormone levels, sleep position or removing your bra) causing discomfort and making it difficult to sleep. A soft, cotton, non-wired sleep bra can give you some support and help alleviate the pain.
•Difficulty turning over – it may sound silly, but not being able to turn over easily in bed can be one of the main causes of pregnancy insomnia. Are you one of those women who would normally shift position in your sleep without waking? Well that lovely bump can make that an impossibility now that you are pregnant. You could try sleeping on a more slippery surface, for example a satin sheet or even a sleeping bag that has a shiny surface. This can give you the extra movement that will help you move more freely, getting to sleep quicker and staying asleep for longer.
•Indigestion, heartburn or acid reflux – digestive discomfort is one of the most common problems during pregnancy and heartburn or acid reflux when lying down has to be one of the biggest causes of insomnia during pregnancy. Don’t accept heartburn as something you just have to put up with; if you can’t sleep because of your indigestion, see your medical professional. He may prescribe an antacid such as Gaviscon. You can also use cushions or pillows to prop yourself up and stop the acidic stomach juices from leaking back up the esophagus. Avoiding big drinks (sipping lots of water slowly is better than gulping it down) and eating smaller meals throughout the day can regulate your acid and make a big difference to your night.
•Trips to the Bathroom – the too-frequent trips to the bathroom at night can be infuriating. You rush to the bathroom, pee a little or not at all, and return to bed only to find a few hours or minutes later that you have to go again. It just isn’t conducive to a good night’s sleep! This is called Nocturia, and it is very common. Be careful not to drink too many liquids too close to bedroom. Tea and coffee, in particular are diuretics and will make you need to pee more often.
Other Action You Can Take
There are other things you can do, especially when you are expecting and want to avoid drugs and chemical intervention, to help beat pregnancy insomnia;
•Avoid stimulants – avoid all caffeinated drinks, including sodas, coffee and tea, especially in the evening before bedtime. Try chamomile tea instead of your usual tea or coffee as it is known for its relaxing properties.
•Exercise – help get into a relaxed mood by taking a walk or other gentle exercize before bed. But make sure there is enough time before you retire to bed so that you are not all fired up by the exertion!
•Aromatherapy – gentle aromatherapy sessions from a qualified practitioner can help both with anxiety and with pain, helping you to relax. Lavender, ylang ylang and chamomile all promote good sleep but lavender use should be limited when you are in your first trimester.
•Relaxation Classes – using gentle exercise, visualization techniques and helping you to understand and control your body’s response to stress can really help during pregnancy and even during birth and beyond (knowing how to de-stress will come in very handy when your little one arrives!).
•Diet – make sure you are eating a healthy, balanced diet and that you are not eating too late at night. Getting enough vitamin B is essential for good sleep so try increasing your intake of unprocessed whole foods like whole grains, bananas, beans, lentils etc. Make sure that you are not eating too much of any one thing. Watch out for cravings!
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