Tips for Dealing with Insomnia While Pregnant

As tired as one might feel during pregnancy, sleeping issues such as insomnia may also tend to come up. There are a few reasons for this, such as hormonal changes, constantly having to go to the bathroom, and taking too long of naps during the day because of fatigue. There are some ways to safely combat insomnia, though, and get the nightly rest you need.

First of all, if you find yourself to be napping frequently and for long periods of time during the day, try to cut that out of your schedule. Such a habit has probably led to a major disruption when it comes to sleeping at night, and to get back on a proper schedule you need to try and keep yourself awake during the day. There is nothing wrong with a nap for a short period of time, such as half an hour; but any longer or several naps will probably lead to insomnia at night.

If you find it hard to stay awake during the day, there are a few things you can do to quickly make yourself feel more alert. Exercise, such as taking a walk around the neighborhood or pregnancy-friendly aerobics can help you to feel re-energized. Drinking plenty of water can also help, as lack of water may lead to fatigue. If you're still feeling sluggish during the day, try splashing some cold water on your face or taking a nice cool shower.

Drinking plenty of fluids - especially water - during the day is a good thing. However, the closer it gets to bedtime you should slow down on your liquid consumption. Drinking a lot of fluids before you go to bed can end up making you have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, and then make it hard to get back to sleep.

The same goes for exercise - you may notice that exercise can make you feel really alert and less likely to doze off during the day, but it also has the same effect at night. If you exercise close to the time when you should be going to bed, your body will feel pumped up and less likely to be able to relax and fall asleep.

When you do go to bed, try doing so at the same time each night. This helps your body develop a set pattern and makes it easier to fall asleep. Also, if you tend to feel tired earlier than you normally would when you weren't pregnant, make that your pattern. It may be earlier than you're used to, but holding off too long when you're tired can make you over-tired, and also more difficult to wind down.

Another thing that can lead to sleeping difficulties lies in the food you eat. If you consume a lot of spicy, fatty, acidic or fried foods - in other words, foods that may lead to heartburn and indigestion - you may very well likely be waking in the middle of the night in pain. Try to avoid these types of foods as much as possible.

Try not to watch television when bedtime nears, as this tends to make the mind more active even when your body is really tired. You may find it's hard to wind down afterwards. Also, don't watch TV in bed as you will start to associate bedtime with TV-watching!

If you're still having trouble sleeping at night, try taking a nice warm shower beforehand as part of your routine. It can help relax you, and even more so if you're feeling stress or anxiety during your pregnancy.

Another thing to try if you cannot fall asleep, is drinking warm milk if you can stomach it. Sometimes all it takes is one glass to make you feel sleepy enough to drift off.

If you're still experiencing insomnia even after trying these many methods, you should speak to your doctor. There are some sleeping aids that can be prescribed safely during pregnancy.