8 Tips For Better Sleep During Pregnancy
It’s a common reality for most new parents that sleep becomes a luxury, when you’re bundle of joy arrives home. Where the practice really begins to take place for expecting mothers, is actually during the pregnancy itself. There are many different reasons why this new experience may bring on a lack of sleep, whether it’s difficulty falling asleep altogether, or even finding yourself consistently waking up throughout the night.
As each individual can become sensitive to an array of different things, it may take some time at first, to establish the primary reasons why you find yourself tossing and turning at night. The initial temptation may be to resort to sleeping medication to help soothe this issue. We highly recommend during any pregnancy to consult with your medical physician before consuming any medication of any kind, and perhaps begin with some at-home remedy solutions first. Here, share 8 Tips for Better sleep during pregnancy and how to keep it!
Develop a Consistent Bedtime Routine
One of the best things you can do to establish predictability for sleep is to create a bedtime routine and schedule. Your body naturally develops muscle memory and has a tendency to remember, react, and repeat the things that we do consistently. For that reason, we suggest following a nightly routine that will allow your body to be prompted to slow down, when it’s close to bedtime.
It’s not always ideal to be able to go to sleep at the exact same time every single night, but it’s best to set a preferred bedtime, if possible. How you decide to prepare for the next day, how you occupy your time in the evening hours, and the order in which you begin preparing for bedtime, are all factors and play a large part in the routine you develop for yourself.So if your sleep schedule is off, then it is important you fix your bedtime routine in order to get the rest your body and baby need!
Set the Tone
It is important to consider the conditions around you at night that lead and allow for a consistent sleep throughout the night. Don’t hesitate to set the tone and mood for what relaxes you, and helps you fall asleep. One highly recommended suggestion would be to avoid excess amounts of electronics in your bedroom. Having lots of blinking lights, buzzing devices, or blue light from television and computer screens, are typically a huge factor why people have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep—consider making your bedroom a no-electronic zone.
Another idea to set the tone, would be to add a diffuser or humidifier. Not only could these devices be extremely helpful to your breathing throughout the night, but adding some essential oils of your preference can help calm your tension, and make your sleeping space one you can look forward to winding down in. Perhaps you can even consider playing some soft relaxation music if you really have a hard time slowing down your mind.
Avoid Electronic Screentime
As mentioned above, electronics tend to keep our minds active and in receiving mode. Not only can it be harmful to your eyes if you’re looking at a screen in a dark room, but your mind has a very high chance of staying alert for a while afterward. This may be the very reason you may find yourself staying awake and restless in bed.
Studies have concluded that electronic devices should in fact be put away at least one hour prior to your bedtime. This allows your brain to begin slowing down, and the rest of your body to prepare for the sleep it needs. Consider instead, reading a book or magazine before going down for the night. Avoiding the use of electronics will also help you get more quality deep sleep, ensuring that you hit your REM cycles which are essential for cognitive function, and regulating hormone levels.
Try Relaxation Exercises
There are a number of ways to relax your muscles, slow down your breathing, and prepare your mind to call it a night. One idea would be to engage in mindful meditation. This will help you to quiet all the activity in your mind from the day, and ultimate will surely help relax your breathing during this activity, too.
Another approach to physical relaxation would be massage therapy or slow subtle stretches before bed. It’s common during pregnancies, that most women find discomfort in specific areas of their body, and ultimately a tightness or muscle spasm may keep them from receiving good quality sleep. These activities help to open and warm the muscles and joints that may be stiff, and will actually allow for better circulation while you sleep.
Hydrate to Reduce the Chances of Leg Cramping
Yes, it’s a real thing! Almost half of all pregnant ladies are said to have experienced this rather annoying side-effect. Although the exact reason why this happens is still unknown, it’s said that the fluctuation in weight gain, decrease in circulation, a reduction in calcium levels, or even increase of phosphorus levels in the blood may all be factors to why this may occur.
Although quite common, there are ways in which you can try to avoid it altogether. Staying hydrated throughout your pregnancy is always recommended, and water is no doubt, the best way to go about it. Drinking too much right before bed may cause a consistent urge to use the bathroom throughout the night, but drinking water an hour or two before bed will certainly help. Elevating your legs with the use of pillows is said to help reduce the probability of cramping when sitting or laying down.
If You’re Hungry, Keep it Healthy and Intentional
Hunger urges at night will most likely happen…especially when you’re pregnant! It’s normal with a growing baby and hormonal changes, that you’ll find yourself craving snacks, and sometimes very specific foods. Although it’s important to listen to what your body is craving and/or missing nutritionally, there are some key factors to consider, if you decide to indulge in snacking before bed.
Try eating your last full meal if possible at least three to four hours before your regular bedtime. This will help you sleep better when your stomach isn’t as full, and reduce the chances of indigestion or heartburn. We also suggest eating smaller meals and snacks throughout the day as opposed to only three large meals.
Eating specific foods, especially late at night, can in turn give you acid reflux. A great way to avoid the probability of getting it before bed is to avoid eating citrus, carbonated drinks, tomatoes, peppermint, and fatty or spicy foods. Of course, caffeine is always discouraged during any pregnancy, as it may have serious consequences on the overall production of your baby, but it inevitably keeps you up at night. We encourage you to stay as far away from caffeinated beverages throughout the duration of your pregnancy.
Take a Warm Bath
Sometimes a nice, warm bath is the best cure for your insomnia. Warm water has a tendency to relax our muscles, while the steam can help clear our nasal passages, too. Refrain from using too much hot water and keep it at a relaxing warm temperature. If you don’t have a lot of time, consider a warm shower, but a bath always comes recommended, if you have the available time.
Essential oils, natural soaps, or clean bath salts can add extra benefits to your body, and even add an element of relaxation to your overall experience. This experience is sure to relax the tension your body is carrying with the additional weight of your baby, and increase the flow of your circulation. Your muscles will ultimately relax, and cause ease into the rest that lays ahead.
Prepare Your Foundation
Yes, what you sleep on has a big role to play in the overall quality of your sleep—mindblowing, we know! If you find that you’re constantly waking up sore in the morning, perhaps it’s time to consider if you’re actually getting the right amount of support and comfort from your mattress. Foundation is where anything great needs to begin!
Everyone has different styles of sleeping, and prefers very different densities in their mattress, too. But ensuring you have the right support around your back, hips, and stomach is crucial when you’re pregnant. Use pillows to help support and cushion you where you need it most at night. If you’re considering a new mattress, but are tight on cash, consider getting a memory foam topper instead. This is a cost-effective decision that makes all the difference on your existing mattress, without the financial guilt!
Investing in a good box spring and knowing when to replace your box spring foundation is also crucial, as this will effect how well your mattress performs for your body while you sleep.
Conclusion
Motherhood is an important and exciting step in life! Don’t get discouraged and frustrated because of the lack of sleep that you may be experiencing. We care about your sleep, especially when pregnant—it has an ultimate toll on both your health and your baby’s. In order to have a smooth pregnancy, and prepare for the journey ahead, good quality of sleep is important to consider and recommended to put into practice before the baby arrives. Avoid waking up frequently, sleeping longer, and falling asleep faster with these home remedies. If your insomnia continues and persists, it may be time to speak to your family physician about some alternative options that may be best for you and your little one.
