Tips for Coping with Insomnia While Pregnant

Amanda Dyar
Insomnia is having difficulty falling to sleep, waking up frequently, or trouble returning back to sleep. There are several ways to deal with insomnia while pregnant. The first alternative is taking a warm bath. If a warm bath doesn't work alone you could try adding lavender which has calming effects that can help you drift off to sleep. You may have trouble sleeping when pregnant if you are not consuming enough calories and nutrients for yourself and your unborn child. It is crucial to drink enough water to keep you hydrated while pregnant. It is also helpful to eat well-balanced meals and to add healthy snacks throughout your day into your diet plan.

Sometimes soothing your mind with pleasant sounds and music can be helpful in dealing with insomnia. Insomnia can be caused from discomfort from the enlarging of the abdomen, back pains, heartburn, anxiety, frequent urination, anticipation of your baby being born and even frequent dreams. The changes that occur when pregnant can upset the balance of your body which is going to lead to many problems that will arise that will prevent you from having a good night's sleep.

If you are experiencing insomnia you may want to try new sleeping positions such as placing a pillow under your abdomen, propping your upper body with pillows, or try lying on your side. If you feel the urge to nap during the day than you should do it or try taking less naps during the day in order to sleep at night. Stress can also play a huge factor in insomnia and taking brisk walks during the day could be beneficial. Walking could help ease tension and restlessness. You can also try using earplugs at night to sleep and putting darker curtains in your bedroom. This will lessen the amount of noise and light that will affect you during sleep. Many people also find relief in practicing meditation which can also help with insomnia.

It is often inevitable to prevent insomnia and you may try activities such as watching television or writing till you start to feel sleepy. If your insomnia gets to the point of not getting much sleep at all you might want to check with your physician about over the counter medications or herbal remedies that would be safe to take while pregnant. It is always critical to find ways to ease your insomnia that doesn't involve taking medications since anything you consume also goes to your unborn child. Frequent insomnia can be a sign of other underlying conditions that you may also want to check with your physician about. It may be helpful to keep a journal to keep track of your activities during the day and before going to bed so that you may be able to pin point what might be leading to your insomnia.

Published by Amanda Dyar

Mental Health/Writing  View profile

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