Getting a good night's sleep during pregnancy seems almost impossible. As your pregnancy progresses, your belly weighs you down, and your baby puts more pressure on your bladder, causing you to urinate every half-hour. If you're facing sleep problems during pregnancy, here are some tips to help you get a comfortable night's sleep in all three trimesters.
If you develop a soothing, comforting, and consistent bedtime routine, you'll be able to fall asleep with more ease. Before bedtime, try a few of these relaxing bedtime rituals to see which one works best for you:
Getting into a relaxing bedtime routine will help your body prepare for sleep, and your body will feel more relaxed after these activities.
Keep a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends. Make sure you wake up and sleep at the same time every day. Don't make your body confused about your sleep cycle; otherwise, you'll be tossing and turning for hours. An irregular sleep cycle affects your body's natural production of melatonin – a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle and is vital for getting sleep.
Getting comfortable is the most challenging thing about going to bed when your baby bump starts to show. After 20 weeks, it's recommended that you sleep on your left side to increases the flow of blood and nutrients to the uterus. Although the right side is also perfectly acceptable, you should preferably sleep on the left side. Avoid lying on your back for extended periods.
Every day, take a 30-minute walk and perform low-impact, pregnancy-safe exercises to stay healthy, improve blood circulation, and reduce nighttime leg cramps. There is a strong correlation between exercise and better sleep habits. Staying active during the day helps you fall asleep quickly at night. However, make sure you don't work out too close to bedtime because it can spoil your sleep and make you awake at night.
Staying physically comfortable during the night is the key to enjoy a sound, restful sleep. Wear comfy maternity sleepwear that is soft, stretchy, and breathable and provide you utmost comfort during sleep. Since maternity nightwear are designed to accentuate your pregnancy curves, they keep you relaxed during bedtime to sleep peacefully at night. Also, consider wearing a maternity bra to ease the discomfort you may experience in your breasts during sleep time.
If you're not getting adequate sleep at night, take short naps during the day to combat fatigue. A quick 20 to 30 minutes of a daytime nap makes up for the rest you're losing at night. However, make sure you don't nap more than the specified period because it can make going to sleep at night more difficult. Also, if you snooze too close to bedtime, it may take away the sleep pressure built over the day.
Eating spicy foods and heavy meals before bedtime increase the chances of heartburn at night. If you're feeling hungry close to bedtime, consider eating light snacks such as crisps, crackers, dry fruits, banana, and cheese because they are easy to digest. Besides, it's a good idea to remove caffeine from your pregnancy diet because it stimulates the bladder, causing you to pee more at night.
Apart from the tips mentioned above, you should also avoid using electronic devices screen and urinate before you sleep.