For every married woman, pregnancy is the happiest phase of her life, but it comes at a cost. Nausea, fatigue, aversion to food, and insomnia are some of the most common manifestations of her physiological changes during pregnancy. It is common for pregnant women to spend nights without batting an eyelid. But spending night without sleep may also be strenuous for the mother and therefore on the baby. You have to look for ways to sleep better. Let’s go through some tips to sleep better during pregnancy.
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Tips to Sleep Better During Pregnancy
1} Sleep on one side
Lying on your back can be discomforting during pregnancy. Pregnant women usually find it comfortable to sleep on one side, especially on the left side. This position also increases the amount of nutrients reaching your baby through the placenta. To get a comfortable position, bent your knees. A bolster between the thighs may make it more comfortable for you.
2} Prop up your upper torso
Some women suffer more from heartburn than other symptoms during pregnancy. The reason for heartburn can be attributed to higher levels of progesterone as well as the growing size of the uterus. Though most moms-to-be suffer from this problem, some are more prone to it than others. If you are among them and heartburn is making you keep awake, then there is a way. Prop up your upper body with the help of pillows. Heartburn is caused by reflux of acid into the esophagus. If your upper body is at a higher elevation than your lower body, then the problem of acid reflux will come down. This will reduce your heartburn to some extent. This will also work if you are feeling difficulty in breathing.
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3} Avoid sleeping on your back
Sleeping on your back during pregnancy can increase your discomfort and pain. It can lead to increase in back pain, heartburn, breathing problem and a lot of other problems.
4} Massage
Massage helps in relaxation, reducing anxiety and depression and generating a sense of well-being. This is why massage can be a very good therapy during pregnancy. During pregnancy, women sometimes feel depressed, stressed, fatigued or tensed. With a perfect massage you can feel rejuvenated, less anxious and relaxed. In fact, you need to achieve a state of low anxiety, low stress and a sense of well-being. So a massage will help you to sleep better. But you should get the massage from a certified prenatal masseur since massaging during pregnancy demands experience and extra care and caution.
Read More: 11 Benefits of Prenatal Massages Therapy
5} Set a routine
If a soothing and consistent routine is established you are relaxed and can sleep with ease. Once bed time approaches you can read a pleasant book, have a cup of hot milk. These habits, make sure that your nerves are calm and you have a good sleep.
6} Eat small meals
Eating large meals during pregnancy can make you really uncomfortable. Your digestive system becomes slow during pregnancy. The growing uterus puts pressure on the gastrointestinal system and makes it slow. Acid reflux from stomach to esophagus makes matters worse. It will only compound your discomfort and disturb your sleep further. So eat small meals at regular intervals. If you are in your first trimester then you may well be passing through the phase of an aversion to food.
7} Reduce the levels of stress along with anxiety
Anxiety coupled with stress is stumbling blocks which does prevent you from having a good sleep. Do remember worrying about anything is going to compound all the problems, but opening your heart in front of someone solves the problem. Catch hold of a friend or if professional help is needed do not hesitate. There is someone who is going to listen to you and address your concerns in the best possible manner. The negative emotions will pave for positive thoughts which does make sure you have a good sleep.
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To sum it up, it is pretty common to face disturbances in sleeping patterns during pregnancy. You are not the first one or going to be the last one. This could rise to numerous reasons like hormonal imbalances, stress along with anxiety coupled with physical discomfort. All this makes it difficult for you to find a comfortable sleeping position. Seldom you will have breaks at the night time to empty your cramped bladder.
No need to lose hope! The above mentioned tips makes sure you have a great sleep and soothes your mind and body in the best possible way.
References
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/sleeping-positions-during-pregnancy/
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/prenatal-massage/
