Pregnancy insomnia – List of Problems and solutions One Should Must Know
Whether it’s because of nausea, needing to pee every couple of hours, restless legs, difficulty finding a comfy position or even disturbed dreams, many expectant women suffer from some form of pregnancy insomnia: an inability to fall asleep or remain asleep for an adequate length of time.
Problem: Increased Bathroom Visits. Your high progesterone level, along with a growing uterus pushing against the bladder, means more frequent peeing.
Possible solution: Cut down on fluids after 6 pm. This should lessen the number of night time bathroom visits.
Problem: Uncomfortable. Swollen breasts and maybe even pelvic cramping can aggravate pregnancy insomnia.
Possible solution: Get as comfy as possible nesting in lots of pillows around you and your bump and breasts. Now is a good time to invest in a new, comfortable mattress.
Problem: Nausea. Sickness can strike during any hour of the night causing pregnancy insomnia.
Possible solution: Keep some plain biscuits or crackers by your bedside. These may help with the queasiness.
Problem: Just can’t get to sleep or stay asleep
Possible solution: Don’t go to bed until you are tired. Going to bed before you are sleepy is a recipe for pregnancy insomnia. Also plan and control your daytime catnap time and try to take short snoozes, and not after 4pm, otherwise it may prevent you falling asleep at night (two 30-minute catnaps are better than a one hour sleep during the day).
Physical activity in the morning, afternoon and early evening should help you sleep soundly. Avoid late evening exercise.
Make sure your room temperature is just right. Being too hot or too cold will keep you awake.
Problem: Heartburn. Caused by the growing uterus pressing on the stomach, forcing acid up into the esophagus. Lying down in bed can make it worse.
Possible solution: Sitting up for several hours after eating will keep stomach acids where they belong. So try not to eat your last meal of the day too late. You may want to start eating as the old saying suggests: “breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper”. Also avoid spicy, fried and acidic foods, including tomatoes, citrus fruits and juices and coffee.
Problem: Leg Cramps. Often starting in the third trimester, commonly in the calf. Can be painful enough to keep you awake even after they’ve subsided.
Possible solution: Limit your fizzy drinks. A calcium imbalance can lead to leg cramps. Also make sure you’re getting enough calcium from dairy products, dark-green, leafy vegetables and canned fish with bones.
Problem: Vivid Dreams Stressing about your unborn baby, whether or not you’ll be a good mum, whether you can afford this baby or worries about stopping work can all produce some disturbing dreams which will spoil your night’s sleep.
Possible Solutions: Wind down before going to bed. Try meditation, prenatal yoga or other relaxation techniques, massage or soaking in a warm bath before bed. Try not to watch anything to stimulating on TV before sleeping.
Author Bio: Debra Aspinall is an experienced journalist and the editor and leading writer for the Emma’s Diary website, one of the UKs foremost pregnancy and baby websites. She writes on pregnancy insomnia, pregnancy forum, ectopic pregnancy symptoms and etc. If you are searching for free baby stuff, please visit us at Emmasdiary.co.uk.