Sleeplessness (Insomnia) During Pregnancy

Sleep problems are common during pregnancy. Learn more about the common causes of sleeplessness or insomnia during pregnancy and find tips for dealing with it.Are you trying to sleep hard but when you open your eyes, you find that the clock has already struck midnight, and you are still awake? Are you suffering with insomnia more often than ever? Sleeplessness or insomnia during pregnancy is very common and it affects more than 75% of the pregnant women. It is exhausting, disturbing, and very unfair as you do not get to sleep when you need it the most. In this articleFirst TrimesterSecond TrimesterThird TrimesterWhat Other Things Can Lead to Sleeplessness?How to Initially Deal with Sleeplessness?What Else Can You Do For a Nice Sleep?What Do You Need to Avoid?Sleep Changes during Different Stages of PregnancyLet us take a look at the changing sleep pattern during each trimester of pregnancy.First TrimesterDuring the first trimester of pregnancy, you need to wake up frequently for increased frequency of urination. You tend to sleep more in the daytime now.Second TrimesterDuring the second trimester of pregnancy, sleep may get better as frequency of urination becomes less, but quality of sleep remains poor due to the emotional stress and pre-birth anxiety.Third TrimesterDuring the third trimester or the last 3 months of pregnancy, you are likely to experience insomnia the most due to heartburn, nasal congestion, tender breasts, and leg cramps and return of increased frequency of urination.What Other Things Can Lead to Sleeplessness?A complicated combination of all the emotional, physical and hormonal changes leads to sleeplessness. You can also feel sleeplessness when you are tired. You may also dream strange things that can wake you up often in the middle of the sleep. You may feel uncomfortable for most of the time due to your growing belly – you need to toss and turn more frequently – which can cause sleeplessness. Your excitement and anxiety about your baby’s arrival will reach its height, which can again cause insomnia.How to Initially Deal with Sleeplessness?The main cause of insomnia is worrying that leads to emotional stress. There are many ways to fight your stress. The first thing to do is to stop worrying so often, which keeps you up all night like an owl. You have to chill, relax and let all your worries off to get a nice sleep. Talk out with your spouse or friends or other pregnant women and discuss your worries, which will definitely cut down as you share, and will surely help you beat insomnia. Jot down how you feel to feel light-hearted and sleep well.What Else Can You Do For a Nice Sleep?Have dinner much earlier than bedtime as full tummy is uncomfortable for a good sleep. Use heavy or dark-colored curtains to keep out unwanted light from your bedroom and sound machines can absorb external sound or noise coming from outside the room. Do things that make you feel comfortable and get relaxed. Before hitting the bed have a glass of warm milk, take a warm bath, listen to quiet music, use extra pillows or ask your partner to gently rub your feet. Make a bedtime routine. Do not wait for falling asleep in the bed, just get up and read a magazine or listen to music until you feel drowsy, and then get back in bed. Yoga and other exercise done under the supervision of certified trainer regularly also promote good sleep.What Do You Need to Avoid?Have a quick check on things you should certainly avoid for a good sleep. Caffeine keeps you. Avoid drinking coffee, tea and colas after midday as they contain caffeine and are known to interfere with sleep. Over-the-counter, prescription or herbal pills or even alcohol are dangerous during pregnancy, just avoid them at all costs.If all your basic steps fail, which is very rare, but still if you are fighting for your sleep, then it is better to consult your medical practitioner. At the same time, remember that insomnia is normal, so do not get worried or frustrated, just stay positive and relax.What are the common causes of sleeplessness during pregnancy? Are sleep problems during pregnancy harmful for the foetus? How to deal with sleeplessness or insomnia during pregnancy? Discuss here.