Discomfort, stress, insomnia… Since you became pregnant, your sleep has been disturbed and you feel increasingly tired. Our tips to help you get to sleep.
Tiredness is one of pregnancy symptoms the most common, and usually occurs in early and late pregnancy. A pregnant woman therefore feels constantly exhausted. But to this is added the difficulty falling asleep ! Insomnia, heartburn, imposing belly, nightmares… The nights of a pregnant woman are sometimes very rough and can even look like a real obstacle course. If there is no miracle recipe for successfully falling asleep, a few tips can still help you sleep more comfortably and fall into the arms of Morpheus.
1 – Avoid drinking after 5 p.m.
Pregnant women need to go to the bathroom more often, especially in early and late pregnancy. And for good reason: not only does the uterus take on volume and compresses the bladder, but in addition, you have to eliminate for two! Result: we get up in the middle of the night. To avoid waking up too often, it is better to limit liquids – water, herbal teas – after 5 p.m. Instead, remember to drink water regularly throughout the day and reduce the amounts after 5 p.m. Finally, remember that stimulants, which would prevent you from sleeping, such as tea and coffee, should be avoided.
2 – Naps, but not too much
Pregnant, it is better to refrain from taking too long naps, at the risk of not being able to sleep at night! If you are very tired, do not hesitate to rest, but avoid oversleeping. Short naps (no more than 20 minutes) are particularly effective for recovering some energy, without disrupting your sleep pattern. Last advice, avoid dozing off after 4 p.m.
3 – Stretch to eliminate pain
During pregnancy, you may experience back pain as well as muscle pain that can keep you from sleeping. So, do not hesitate to stretch your back as long as your belly is not too bulky. In the third trimester of pregnancy, you can also be a victim of restless leg syndrome. It is therefore important to stretch them regularly. To do this, stand up facing a wall. Take a step forward and place your hands on the wall at shoulder height. Then bend the leg you brought forward. Your back should stay straight and your heels glued to the ground. You should feel the back leg muscles stretch. Stay like this for 30 seconds and then switch legs. Your tensions will be immediately relieved.
4 – Pregnant, talk about your dreams and nightmares
During pregnancy, sleep may be disturbed by more numerous and frequent dreams. If some are positive, others can turn into a nightmare. Fear for the baby, fear of childbirth, change in the body… They actually reflect a unconscious worry about pregnancy. This is a completely normal phenomenon. But if certain distressing dreams come back too often, it is however preferable to speak about it to the future dad, your doctor and/or your midwife. Confiding in yourself should help you better face your fears.
5 – Learn to manage stress
Is pregnancy worrying and stressing you out? It’s time to take matters into your own hands! Cinema, manicure, reading… Take time for yourself and treat yourself. The main thing is that you do yourself good in morale and stop thinking about the negative. Also, do not hesitate to delegate certain tasks that take up your time and energy. To get rid of stress, why not opt for childbirth preparation based on sophrology or yoga? Sophrology helps in particular to better react to the unexpected, helps to understand the physical and psychological changes related to pregnancy, but also to reduce stress and pain.
6 – Eat light and split meals
To sleep well, it is better to avoid too large meals in the evening. It is indeed preferable to eat light two hours before going to bed in order to have time to digest better. Stimulants such as coffee, tea or Coke are of course to be avoided. Finally, to limit gastric reflux during pregnancy, it is also recommended to split meals. Eat smaller amounts, more often.
7 – A nursing pillow, ideal for finding the right position
The nursing pillow is not only used to breastfeed baby or to give him the bottle. Get yourself a model during pregnancy! In addition to making it profitable, it will help you find the right position to sleep better. Its length allows you to place the nursing pillow all around you, but also to raise your legs if you have this feeling of heavy legs during pregnancy.
8 – Sleep at regular times
Getting a good night’s sleep when you’re pregnant can be a real obstacle course. To avoid insomnia, it is important to sleep at regular times. So try to go to bed at the same time every day, and too bad if your loved one doesn’t follow you. Plus, it’s good for you and your baby.
9 – Avoid screens at night
A pregnant woman can obviously stay in front of a screen during her pregnancy. However, it is preferable for her to go away in the evening if she has sleeping troubles. The screens being very bright, they stimulate the organism. So turn off your computer and your television an hour before you sleep and don’t stay on your smartphone for hours before closing your eyes. Finally, if you can’t fall asleep, avoid tossing and turning in all directions. Take the opportunity to read!
10 – A massage for soothing sleep
The little ailments of pregnancy are sometimes difficult to bear for future mothers. Between back pain, heavy legs and circulatory problems, it’s hard to find sleep! And if we asked the future dad to massage us to relieve the pain and thus sleep, a little more peacefully?