Pregnancy is a great thing, but the hardworking body that helps sustain life sometimes surprises pregnant women when it makes it harder to sleep at night. This chapter of life is life-altering, but it’s not always serene. Between hormonal imbalances, growing a baby bump, and worrisome thoughts, restful nights may feel harder to come by.
If you’re seeking safe, non-pharmacologic ways to sleep better, you’ve landed on the right page. Within our guide, we share 5 natural remedies for insomnia during pregnancy, each of which addresses comforting pregnancy-safe methods that you may discuss with your health care provider.
Pregnancy and sleep: why it suddenly gets harder
Most women feel normal and are able to sleep well during the first trimester until body changes become apparent and night becomes harder to sleep through. These may be due to:
- Hormonal Changes: Progesterone causes you to be sleepy during the day but not at night.
- Frequent Urination: A pressed bladder from a baby equals lots of bathroom runs.
- Anxiety or Racing Thoughts: Throughout this time, you might worry about so many things, such as parenting, giving birth, or all these life changes that will engage your mind when you need to rest.
- Physical Discomfort: These back aches, hip pains, and expanding belly make it difficult to get comfortable when lying down
A pregnancy sleeping pillow is usually one of the easiest first changes to incorporate in making sleeping easier. This is useful because it cradles the bump, hips, and back. With this pillow, you are able to relax and your body can settle into a resting position that is safe for not just you but also your baby.
Soothing movement, rather than stimulating
Excessive exercise near bedtime can get your system revved up; gentle movement throughout the day can do miracles for rest at night. The trick is selecting the activities that allow your body to relax and release tension without needing to exert yourself excessively. Below are some wonderful alternatives that you can perform:
- Prenatal Yoga – this workout is all about breathing, stretching and yet more on relaxation.
- Walking – it’s the simplest form of exercise, low impact and simple to incorporate into a routine.
- Swimming – this takes the strain off your joints and accommodates your expanding belly.
It’s best to try for at least 20 – 30 minutes of gentle movement throughout the day, but be sure to finish your activity a few hours prior to bedtime this is so that your body gets time to relax.
Herbal remedies — gentle options to discuss with your doctor
When we’re discussing and discovering all about the 5 natural cures for insomnia during pregnancy, almost every time that includes herbal aids it’s what comes to mind. It’s a great idea to speak with your healthcare professional prior to trying any new supplement. Some of the following are suggested and worth mentioning such as chamomile tea, which is allegedly to have soothing effects, Lavender relaxes, and lemon balm has sleep and mild anxiety associations.
But keep in mind that “natural” does not always translate to “safe in pregnancy.” Always try to obtain your provider’s approval for any tea or supplements that you want to take.
The strength of breath, stillness, and quiet rituals
Sleep begins in the mind, before it gets the body to respond. As it so happens, establishing a wind-worn habit can serve as a signal to your brain that it’s time to sleep. (Yes, nighttime routine still applies to grown-ups, too.)
What you can do is include:
- Deep Breathing: Breathe in for a count of four, out for a count of six.
- Warm Baths or Shower: This loosens muscles and reduces stress hormones.
- Guided Meditation: Apps and audio guides can assist you in relaxing and concentrating.
- Reading a Calming Book: Steer clear of thriller and emotionally charged novel reading close to bedtime.
Having these rituals along with the ease of a pregnancy sleeping pillow can assist your body and mind in collaborating to attain quality and sound sleep.
When daily discomfort gets you up
Many women suffer every night trying to find a pain-free position. Back pain, hip strain, and pressure on the ribs or belly can all make sleep difficult.
A pregnancy sleeping pillow is designed to relieve these problems by:
- Providing solid support to your belly so it doesn’t pull too much on your back.
- Aligning your hips to help decrease pelvic discomfort.
- Protecting you from rolling over into dangerous positions, such as flat on your back.
- Pilowing up your knees to help maintain spinal alignment.
If you are entering the late third trimester of pregnancy it is most advisable to switch to a side sleeping position. This is the best method for adequate blood flow, comfort, and a body pillow can make it much simpler to keep the position throughout the entire night.
Knowing what not to do (and when to back off the pressure)
Improved sleep might be as much a matter of adding something to your routine as it is about doing something not to do. If you suffer from insomnia, you should avoid:
- Caffeine in the afternoon or evening: Even small amounts quickly interfere with sleep.
- Screen time before bed: Phone or TV can give off blue light that will interfere with the production of melatonin.
- Over-scheduling: Stress and mental fatigue will stop your mind from relaxing and stop your mind from humming along once the lights are out.
- Heavy Meals just before sleeping: Eating heavy foods will bring on indigestion or heartburn.
It’s also necessary that you don’t exert yourself so hard to sleep perfectly each night. Pregnancy is a period of change and a period of transformation. Your sleeping habits will inevitably change and adjust. Rather than worrying about “loss” sleep, try to establish a system where you can excel, with supportive aids such as a pregnancy sleeping pillow and calming wind-down process.
Conclusion
If throughout your pregnancy you’ve been rolling back and forth and even having insomnia, these 5 natural remedies for insomnia during pregnancy offer safe and gentle ways to help improve your sleep. A calm environment, carefully chosen herbal remedies, soothing bedtime rituals, special comfort care, and avoiding common sleep breakers.
A pregnancy body pillow may be your night-time best friend, easing the physical pain you’re in and enabling you to sleep in a healthy position, especially towards the latter part of pregnancy.
Combine this with a considerate habit, and you’re giving yourself and your baby the present of quieter nights.
Yes, pregnancy will create moments of restlessness, but with the correct techniques, you’ll be able to reattain the comfort and peace you require in order to actually rest.
