Whether you are in your first, second or third trimester or at the beginning of the labour, the pregnancy can have profound effects on your ability to sleep. The pre-existing sleep difficulties may worsen, and new sleeping complicacies can show up, introducing new challenges.
There are a lot of do’s and don’ts during pregnancy. The truth is that there are some things that potentially harmful and other those are not that worrisome. The good news is that the position of the sleep is something that you can control. The sleeping disturbance is mostly due to anxiety, stress, hormonal changes and physical discomfort.
The effect of pregnancy on sleep
Pregnancy brings many changes to your body. Those who have the underlying sleep disorder, this condition may worsen. Pregnancy sleep can be a frightening experience for some women. Now that you are aware of the effect of sleep at the time of pregnancy, you must be wondering the cause and the reasons of the sleepless night. All the causes of sleep-deprived results in excessive daytime and sleepiness and fatigue.
HORMONAL CHANGES –
There are dramatic hormonal changes that pregnant women go through. These changes affect the mood emotional and physical, brain, body and metabolism. The hormone includes –
- Progesterone – This hormone relaxes smooth muscles and can contribute to nasal congestion, heartburn and frequent urination. All this affects the sleeping pattern in pregnant women.
- Estrogens – This hormone can also disturb the sleeping pattern if it contributes to the process of vasodilation. It leads to swelling in the feet and lungs. It can also affect the breathing during sleep.
- Oxytocin – When the oxytocin level increases, it results in contractions which affect sleep.
What are the Common problems during pregnancy?
- Frequent Urination –The higher level of pregnancy hormones leads to frequent urination. The frequent urination problem can cause a disturbance in sleep patterns. The growing size of the foetus increases the pressure on the bladder, and the kidney must filter 50% more blood pressure than usual.
- General Discomfort –Because of the growing belly finding a comfortable sleeping position may be difficult.
- Heartburn – During the 29th week or the third trimester, the birthday bump can worsen it. The hormonal changes also instigate heartburn.
- Leg Cramps – As your leg carry excessive weight during pregnancy, compression of blood vessels in your leg and fatigue can cause cramps.
- Nasal Congestion –The nasal congestion causes discomfort and coughing at night. Higher estrogens and progesterone level increase the blood volume, which results in nasal congestion.
- Sleep Apnoea –In this condition, breathing is interrupted, which cause the problem of sleep deprivation.
- Itching –If you are pregnant, please ensure that your surrounding is pest free, especially with the bed bugs. The bed bug when bites a pregnant woman, it leads to itchiness and other problems.
To prevent yourself from bed bugs you can also go for natural remedies, use of HEPA filters etc. If the home remedies do not work for you, alternatively you can also go for bed bug control.
Tips for Better sleep while you are pregnant –
- Fix a Bedtime Routine – If you can establish a consistent, soothing and comfortable routine, it will help to improve your sleep with more ease. Reading, relaxing and a short warm water bath help you to unwind and put you in early sleep.
- Drink Liquids during the day – Ensure to drink plenty of liquids during the daytime to stay hydrated. But cut down during night time to avoid frequent urination.
- Eat a Balanced Meal – Feed yourself with a healthy dinner and try to eliminate caffeine from your diet to prevent from insomnia. Eat a light snack, if required involve all the protein-rich food, to ensure your blood sugar level is steady at night. Avoid all the sugary, greasy, acidic and spicy food.
- Sleeping space comfortable – The most important is to make your sleeping space comfortable to get a nice sleep. Keep your room dark and use a nightlight in the bathroom because bright light can hinder your sleep. During the 29th week, sleep on your left side to allow for the best blood flow to the foetus and your uterus and kidneys. Avoid lying flat on your back for a long time.
Are you still confuse what to do?
If you are still concerned about your insomnia, talk to your doctor. He or she can help you understand what’s going on and how to contribute to identifying the risk or non –risk to your baby.
Sleeping with relaxation and stress-free during pregnancy is challenging. However, planning and prioritising sleep can help you to deal with your challenges.