Is pregnancy insomnia hitting you hard? It can have a huge impact on your day, especially if you are pregnant. These natural and safe remedies can help you with pregnancy insomnia.
What is insomnia?
Insomnia can be described as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early to feel tired. You may experience insomnia occasionally, but it is normal. Insomnia can be more common if you have a lot going on in your life, such as having a baby. If you have trouble sleeping for more than three nights per week, it may be chronic insomnia.
These sleep tips can help you optimize your sleep if you have had difficulty sleeping prior to getting pregnant.
What causes pregnancy insomnia?
As with other pregnancy-related issues, such as constipation and pregnancy acne, hormones are often the cause. Changes in hormones can lead to snoring and frequent trips to the bathroom, heartburn, congestion, and restless leg syndrome. This can make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
You might be waking up more frequently to go to the toilet, which could explain why you are having trouble falling asleep at night.
This could also be a problem of comfort. If you are a back or stomach sleeper, it can be difficult to sleep with a large belly. It can be difficult to fall asleep once you find your sweet spot. These awake times can be used by baby to exercise which can make it harder to fall asleep.
Some women, particularly first-time moms, can be anxious about pregnancy and giving birth.
Pregnant? Get weekly updates from me! Week by Week Promotion [In-article]
You can track your baby’s progress, discover safe and natural remedies, have fun, and keep it all in perspective!
Get Pregnancy Updates!
Natural remedies to treat pregnancy insomnia
Mama needs to get her sleep! These are some natural tips to optimize your pregnancy sleep.
Melatonin-rich foods
Your body produces melatonin in your pineal gland. It helps your body to know when it is time to get up and when it is time to go to bed. A review published in Nutrition Journal found that melatonin supplementation can be effective in helping overcome sleep-related problems such as jetlag and insomnia. The good news is that melatonin can be found in certain foods, such as tart cherry juice or pistachios.
Studies have shown that tart cherry juice can increase sleep time by as much as 90 minutes per night. It has the highest level of melatonin (the hormone that aids us sleeping) in any food on earth. For extra calcium and balance in blood sugar, you can take 1 ounce of tart concentrate twice daily (one at 3 p.m., the other at 8 p.m.). Mix it with yogurt or kefir. It usually works in a week to two weeks. Tart cherry juice is low in glycemic and high in antioxidants, making it healthy for pregnant women.
Pistachios have 660 nanograms of melatonin per gram, which makes them a powerful source of melatonin. The melatonin content of the nuts is not affected by roasting them, so enjoy a few handfuls and enjoy this delicious treat 1-2 times daily.
Magnesium supplementation
This mineral is essential for calming and restorative sleep. Here are some symptoms of a deficiency (hint: insomnia is one). Here’s how to increase your magnesium intake with food. Supplementation is important for most people. In this article, I discuss the best magnesium supplements for specific problems. For relaxation, you can take 200-400mg of this magnesium supplement. Talk to your midwife!
Magnesium supplements can also be found in spray form. This form of supplementation delivers magnesium directly to your skin instead of taking an oral one. It may feel tingling for some mamas as the magnesium starts to work. Tip: This spray is useful for mamas who have little ones experiencing growing pains.
Mamas are also enjoying 8 Sheep magnesium lotion. Organic and soothing, this creamy lotion helps to reduce sleeplessness and cramps in the legs. This lotion absorbs quickly, which is a bonus.
Essential oils
One drop of cedarwood was all I needed to help me sleep. I used to mix it in lotion, and then apply it to my big toes. It worked every time. Cedarwood essential oil isn’t the only one that is safe for pregnancy. You can also sleep better at night with Roman chamomile and lavender.
Epsom salt
Hot baths are not recommended for pregnant women, but you can take a warm bath in a lukewarm tub. Epsom salt can be added to your bathwater to help you sleep better. Why? Why?
Exercise
For a healthy pregnancy, it is crucial to get enough exercise. It can make labor easier and make your baby smarter. Not only can it improve your sleep, but also the quality of your exercise. Your body was designed to move and not be sat at a computer all day. Find ways to increase your activity during the day.
You’ll feel more tired if you exercise your body every day. To prepare for a good night’s sleep, it is advisable to get at least an hour of exercise each day.
Walking and swimming are low-impact exercises that can be done during pregnancy.
You should exercise in the morning, or early afternoon. Some mamas are sensitive and get an adrenaline rush if they do too much work out close to bedtime.
To nap or not?
It all depends. If you find napping to be a good option for you, then do it. If it doesn’t, don’t. How can you tell? First, remember that pregnancy can put a lot on your body so it is important to take naps throughout the pregnancy. If you have trouble sleeping at night, it could be due to your napping habits. Limit your sleep time to 20 minutes. You may find that a longer nap can disrupt your sleep rhythm. If even a brief nap is making it difficult to fall asleep at night, you can eliminate it and go to sleep earlier in the morning.
Meals
You already know that healthy eating should be a priority during pregnancy. You should choose pastured meats and poultry, wild caught (low-mercury) fish, organic fruits, and vegetables, and healthy fats. (Read more about the best prenatal diet). A whole-food prenatal vitamin is the best choice. Vitamin D and magnesium are important for healthy sleep. Studies have shown that they can be found in many foods.
What you eat is important, but so is how you look. When You should be careful what you eat, especially when it comes to your sleep. Avoid eating large meals before bed. This can cause heartburn and indigestion, which can keep your body awake. However, eating a small, easy to digest and blood-sugar-balancing snack (like gelatin treats) an hour before bed may help improve your sleep.
While it is good to limit caffeine in pregnancy, many women find that staying away from caffeine after lunch is crucial for good sleep. This includes chocolate!
Sleep positions
To combat pregnancy insomnia, getting comfortable is key. It is important to choose a safe position for pregnancy. This means that you should not sleep on your stomach in the last trimester. Side sleeping is best, but it can cause hip pain. Side sleeping is more comfortable if you have as many pillows as you can carry to support your back, legs, and head. You can also grab one of these guys.
Avoid nighttime blue light
Turn off the TV and put your iPhone away when the sun sets. It will make a huge difference in your sleep quality, even though it can seem difficult. Find out how to avoid blue light at night.
Blue light is emitted by electronic devices, much like the sun’s light. It signals to our bodies that it is time for us to wake up. It stimulates cortisol production and interrupts melatonin, which is the hormone that signals our bodies it’s time to go to sleep. Wear these strange orange glasses instead if this seems impossible. You can also use lamps at night instead of overhead lights… or, even better, candles.
Reduce the heat, turn down the A/C, or open a window
Our bodies prefer to sleep in cooler rooms, around 65 degrees. It’s possible to become restless if the temperature is too high or we’re wrapped in too many blankets. Our bodies also signal that it is time to go to bed when the temperature drops.
Relaxation techniques
Relaxation is important for a healthy pregnancy and can help with labor. So, it’s a good idea to learn some relaxation techniques!
Light stretching and yoga are great ways to get your body ready for sleep. You can relax your body and mind by doing simple poses such as lotus or child’s pose before you go to bed.
Deep breathing and stretching before bed is a great way of relaxing tight muscles and reducing swelling. Positive pregnancy affirmations can help calm your spirit and mind. You can also relax before bed by using guided imagery, meditation, prayer and prayer.
Reduce your bathroom trip wakefulness
We want to make it less likely that we have to get up to go to the toilet, which can make it more difficult to fall asleep again. Get your fluids in earlier in the day, and don’t drink more than half a cup of fluid before bed. Nature may still call, which happens when your bladder shrinks from baby compressing it. Get out of bed immediately, go to the bathroom and then get back in bed as soon as you can. Relaxation techniques can be used to help you fall asleep faster and prevent your brain from “turning off”.
Is it your bed or not?
It could be more than just pregnancy insomnia if you wake up every morning feeling sore. Your mattress could be to blame. Some mattresses don’t last more than a few years. They also emit off-gas hormone disrupting chemicals, which is not what you want during pregnancy. Find out which eco-friendly mattress is the best and which one we recommend if you feel it is time to replace your mattress.
Keep going!
You will get better sleep if you try all the remedies. Some say it will help you get through your sleepless nights once the baby is here. When the baby is 5 years old, you’ll be able again to sleep.
