5 Tips That Help You Sleep Better During Pregnancy
You may think that before the arrival of your little one, you must eat healthily and sleep better. But the latter may not happen all the time. Sleep disturbances are common during pregnancy and here are 5 simple ways that help you sleep better during your pregnancy.
Why Sleep Disturbances During Pregnancy?
Getting a good sleep during pregnancy is a challenging one because of the cramping legs, your need to go to the bathrooms, heartburn, and the increasing size of the fetus. But good sleep is highly important during pregnancy. It’s during sleep the blood vessels restore themselves. Good sleep helps your immunity work well, keeps your blood sugar under control, and helps prevent mental problems.
Here we are discussing the best sleeping positions during pregnancy, and a few other things that help you sleep better.
Sleeping Pattern During Pregnancy
A pregnant woman, Credits: pixabay
Your sleeping pattern may vary during each trimester of the pregnancy.
First Trimester: You may feel sleepier all day. Take short naps and get the rest that your body requires.
Second trimester: The amount of sleep that you may require will be as normal before your pregnancy. As the abdomen grows your need to go to the bathroom increases and this may affect your sleep.
Third Trimester: During this stage, you may become tired. There may be sleep disturbances due to back pain, baby kicks, leg cramps, substantial weight gain, and congestion associated with late-term pregnancy.
Five Tips that Help you Sleep Better
Here are five tips that help you sleep better during your pregnancy.
Sleep on Your Side (SOS)
Diet
Avoid Gadgets
Relax
Spot the Issue
Sleep on Your Side (SOS)
The best sleeping position during pregnancy is sleeping on your left side. When you sleep on your left, you may have reduced swelling, better circulation, and kidney function. More importantly, your baby will be able to get enough oxygen and nutrients.
You should avoid lying flat on your back all night long. This position disturbs your blood circulation and makes you dizzy. You can place pillows between your legs and behind your back, to relieve stress on your back and to make your position comfortable.
Diet
Avoid greasy foods, Credits: pixabay
Try to eat at least two hours before your bedtime. Avoid spicy, greasy, and citrusy foods. As caffeine and sugary drinks can affect your sleep, it is better to limit their intake after 3pm.During pregnancy, not more than 200mg of caffeine is recommended.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. But limit the intake of fluids two hours before bedtime, so that you can avoid the very frequent visits to the bathroom.
Avoid Gadgets
Avoid gadgets, Credits: pixabay
Avoid the use of tablets, computers, and phones at least one hour before your bedtime. The light from these devices can alter sleepiness and alertness and is also known to suppress the levels of the sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin.
Relax
Pregnant women doing exercises, Credits: pixabay
Try to stay active throughout the day. Practice meditation and breathing exercises to calm down the central nervous system.
You can do exercises for 30 minutes. Exercises help you sleep better but avoid exercises within four hours of bedtime.
A warm bath, foot, and shoulder massage can also help you relax and provide better sleep during the night.
Spot the Issue
If you feel that the underlying cause of your sleep disturbances is your leg cramps, you may talk to your healthcare provider. She may recommend magnesium or calcium-magnesium supplements, as they provide you natural muscle-relaxing powers.
Almost 15% of women may have restless leg syndrome (RLS) in their third trimester. Some foods can trigger RLS and sometimes anemia may cause RLS. Your doctor may find the cause of the issue and treat it accordingly.
Take-Home Message
Sleep disturbances are common during pregnancy. Design your ways to get a good sleep.