Lack Of Sleep During Pregnancy: Why Can’t I Fall Asleep?
Pregnancy is one of the most complex processes that a woman’s body is able to undergo. Pregnancy involves many physiological and psychological changes that may seem surprising and unexpected and, at times, even alarming. Do not forget that it is normal to experience new things that might have seemed foreign even weeks ago; carrying a child makes a woman undergo many new physical developments and a variety of emotions that might seem confusing at times. Sleep and subsequent changes in one’s sleep cycle that come with pregnancy are quite common, and it is useful to know what can happen with your regular sleep-wake routine in those nine months that you are carrying a child. Lack of sleep and insomnia during pregnancy is very common, but there are many things that you can do in order to fight it!
You, as a future mother are most probably very excited about the little being that is about to become a huge part of your life! At the same time, however, you find yourself worried over little things in order to try and make the delivery and first few weeks as smooth as possible and minimize the amount of things to worry about after the baby is born. Remember, however, that it is very important to keep the stress levels to the minimum, even if sometimes it seems like there are too many things to handle and there is not enough time to do them all. Many times, pregnant women experience stress on a daily basis and it could lead to some particularly negative consequences like depression during pregnancy. High stress levels are one of the most common and typical causes for pregnancy insomnia.
Lack of sleep during pregnancy can be caused by many things, as mentioned before, probably the most basic one of them could be as simple as the increased amount of times that they need to go to the bathroom. Pregnant women are also much more like to sleep a lot more during the day which leaves them wide awake during night hours. And, of course, the high stress levels and many factors including your growing belly and subsequent discomfort, leg cramps and other pains contribute to insomnia throughout the entire pregnancy. If you are experiencing insomnia for no apparent reason or if you think your high stress levels and subsequent negative emotions that you feel could be potential causes for your lack of sleep, do not despair! There are things that you can do in order to help yourself and other women that find themselves in similar situations to the one you are in.
Tips For Fighting Lack of Sleep During Pregnancy
- Create a routine: waking up and falling asleep at similar times makes your body remember when to be awake and energized and when to feel tired. Also, beware of the dangers of snoozing in the morning!
- Exercise: working out has been proved to be quite effective during pregnancy for many reasons. It can also help with giving you a better quality sleep! Caution: do not exercise before bed!
- Bring in more comfort: More pillows can be used as support and can become a huge relief with your growing belly and bothering back pains.
- Relaxation and breathing techniques
- Diet: what you put in your body is very important, remember certain foods and beverages may increase your alertness, while others can help you cure your insomnia. Load up on those carbs in order to fall asleep and don’t miss on protein in order to avoid nightmares.
If all else fails, visit your doctor and share your concerns and find the best solution to your problem. Avoid buying over the counter sleeping pills because they could have negative consequences for your baby!
Valerie is a psychology student who is trying to pursue a career in Cognitive Neuroscience. She is passionate about the brain and finds it fascinating. She loves learning about new discoveries and research that is going on in the world of psychology and neuroscience. One day she hopes to contribute to the scientific community!
