Struggling to Sleep While Pregnant? Here’s What Doctors DON’T Tell You!

Pregnancy will affect your sleep qualities in several ways, most mothers usually get the best sleep after the fourth trimester of pregnancy when the baby has been born. During pregnancy, you may find yourself sleeping on one side of your body and even waking up every hour to go to the toilet, but when you follow certain simple guidelines, you can increase your sleep quality drastically.

You should avoid lying on your back during pregnancy , however, sleeping on your side can actually improve blood flow to the Uterus, kidneys, as well as the growing fetus, thus giving you a much better quality sleep.

How pregnancy affects your sleep qualities

There are various forms of sleep disturbances you will notice at different trimester of your pregnancy, these re highlighted below;

First trimester – During the first trimester, progesterone hormones, which are sleep inducers will significantly surge in the body, and this may force the extra fluids in your body to get you to the bathroom several times a day and night, thus affecting your sleep significantly. It can be q little difficult to get comfortable at this stage.

Second trimester- In the second trimester, you will notice a dramatic improvement in sleep , and along with this is a significant energy boost . You must enjoy this occasional reprieve, because the quality of your sleep may go low once again in your third trimester.

In the third trimester , your belly will be probably too large to get comfortable and a decent sleep, you may have to rely on a comfortable recliner to achieve a comfortable position that will help you induce sleep. Similarly, your bladder will be subjected to several pressures at this trimester, because the baby is putting more pressure on the bladder. Cutting back on your fluids, especially in latter part of the day and trying to empty your bladder completely on your visits to the toilet can help ease off such pressures.

The basics of getting better sleep quality during pregnancy

Pregnancy will normally bring certain sleep disturbances, most especially nausea, leg cramps, and heart burn, these can become more prominent with bad sleep habits. Here are some tips to help you get better, quality sleep at all trimesters of pregnancy;

Tip #1: Cut down or abstain from caffeine consumption- Drinks and foods that contain high amounts of caffeine can worsen or trigger lack of sleep during pregnancy, these foods include; tea, soda, coffee and chocolate. You may consume them in moderation within the morning and mid-afternoon but , make sure you abstain from them after 1PM in the afternoon.

Tip #2: Consume less fluids in the afternoon and evening- You should increase your water intake in earlier part of the day , while reducing fluid intake mostly in the evenings, this will help you limit your bathroom breaks all through the day.

Tip #3: avoid the consumption of heavy meals and spicy foods before bed time- The consumption of acidic and chili foods, including tomatoes, may trigger indigestion and heartburn later in the night. Make sure you consume lighter meals earlier in the day , if heartburn is a real problem to you, and allow 2-3 hours for digestion of meals before you retire to bed.

Learn the relaxation techniques or tips to improve sleep during pregnancy

Certain relaxation techniques and tips can help you reduce the risks of sleep apnea during pregnancy, these include the following;

Tip #1: Learn to take occasional naps , during the day – having a 30-60 minute nap during the day (especially in the afternoon), can increase your mental alertness, reduce feelings of fatigue, and increase your mental sharpness. Do not nap late in the day , this may interfere with your night sleep.

Tip #2: Do not work-out too close to your bed time- working out too close to bed time can make you stay alert for several hours , and that may rob you of deep quality sleep . If you have to work out, make sure you do some at least 4 hours before you go to bed.

Tip #3: Practice relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques such as ;

Yoga ,
Deep breathing,
Massage,
Progressive muscle relation techniques, and
Guided imagery,

Have been found to be very helpful in sleep inducement.

Yoga and other stretching exercises will help you toned up and helps your body remain flexible , during pregnancy. Try and stretch your muscles gently during the day and a couple of hours before bed time , to achieve the best results. Having a deep massage from your spouse can help relax tense and stiff muscles. Aim at having foot, hand, and neck massage, to achieve the best result.

Deep breathing, or rhythmic control of breathing , can ease off muscle tension, and help lower your heart beat rates, thus you can have a much better sleep. You can do this by laying down on a flat surface and then extend your legs. You may lie down on your left side during the second trimester, and then wedge a pillow below the right side of your back , thus making you to tilt slightly to the left. You can place an extra pillow , in-between your legs for some extra support.

Conclusion: You don’t have to stress too much about inducing sleep during the different stages of pregnancy, simple techniques highlighted above as well as a generally improved personal discipline can help you achieve deep quality sleep.

Make sure you consume diets that are nutrient dense and also induce sleep quickly- for instance , the consumption of spinach and some other dark green vegetables can induce sleep quickly in the body, making you to reduce the number of times you go to the toilet and stay awake. One of your aims is to increase blood flow to all parts of your body during pregnancy, this will help your brain to function normally and your hormones become better regulated.