There are several things that may contribute to difficulty getting
or staying asleep during pregnancy. “Morning
sickness” can often occur at night as blood sugar levels decrease. Increased blood volume and pressure on the
bladder make urination more frequent. Changes
in hormones, plus the increasing size of the baby, can make it hard to find a
comfortable sleeping position, contribute to leg cramps and backaches, and contribute
to heartburn and acid reflux at night. Changes and pressure on the
respiratory system during pregnancy can also worsen certain conditions such as asthma
and sleep apnea.
Stress can interfere with sleep, too. Concerns about baby's health, feeling anxious
about your future ability to parent, or feeling nervous about the impending
delivery day can keep you up at night. Many pregnant women report that their
dreams become more vivid than usual, and some even experience nightmares. All of these feelings and experiences are
normal. However, if you find sadness, worry,
or anxiety is restricting your ability to cope with day to day life, talk to
your care provider or a counselor who can help you with ways to manage these
feelings, before and after baby comes.
Try these suggestions to find what
works best for you:
- o Create a bedtime ritual: journaling, meditation, prayer, singing to baby, writing letters to baby, painting with watercolors. Whatever relaxes you and help you to release worries of the day. Keep your ritual “unplugged” as light and electronics can stimulate your eyes and brain.
- o Keep crackers or dry cereal by your bed for night time nausea. Eating protein like yogurt before bed can help keep blood sugar stable through the night (but keep the portion small to prevent heartburn).
- o Avoid caffeine, carbonation, citrus, or spicy foods at night- especially before bed.
- o Do yoga or go on a walk. Stretching of the muscles, and light repetitive activity are great to prepare your body for sleep.
- o Sleep on your side. The left side for best blood flow to baby, but if uncomfortable try the right side.
- o Put pillows between your knees, behind your back, or try a body pillow with a soft cover.
- o Use a saline nasal spray like “Xlear” to relieve stuffiness.
- o Keep the room cool and dark- try 68 degrees and adjust down for comfort.
- o Play white noise or nature sounds.
- o Take a warm bath with epsom or bath salts.
- o Drink chamomile tea or warm milk with honey and vanilla.
- o Try skullcap tincture under the tongue. Start with 5-10 drops, and increase up to 2 dropperfuls if needed.
- o Diffuse lavender or other calming essential oil blends.
- o Run a fan for air flow.
- o Practice deep breathing
- o Do muscle tense/release exercises such as these: http://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files/MuscleRelaxation.pdf
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