Insomnia during pregnancy is a common complaint among women. It is caused by the physical and emotional changes associated with the pregnancy and can lead to a number of issues. Fortunately, there are various remedies available to help pregnant women combat this condition.
Highlights:
- Many women experience insomnia during pregnancy, due to stress and hormonal changes.
- Natural remedies for insomnia during pregnancy include yoga, taking a warm bath, exercise, massage, limiting your coffee intake and so on.
- These are a great way for expecting mothers to help improve their sleep quality without turning to prescription medications.
- Before trying any natural remedies, pregnant women should always consult their gynecologist to determine the best course of action.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the ways to control insomnia during pregnancy, as well as how to manage the impact it can have on your life.
8 Natural and Effective Home Remedies for Insomnia During Pregnancy
There are several natural remedies that can help treat insomnia during pregnancy.
Did You Know: According to studies, up to 78% of pregnant women experience sleep problems.
1. Improve Your Sleep Hygiene:
The term “sleep hygiene” refers to routines that facilitate and make it easy to sleep. Adopting good sleep habits tells the brain it’s time to relax and sleep. Stress may harm your physical and emotional health and impact your unborn baby, so a massage to release stress or a warm bath before bed are two more sleep-promoting routines.
2. Yoga:
Consider taking a prenatal yoga class if your pregnancy has been causing sleep problems. According to studies, prenatal yoga may help pregnant women fall and stay asleep. Yoga is a natural stress reliever since it progresses from focused breathing to gentle stretching and postures to a cool down (savasana).
Practicing yoga helps to control our sleep cycle, which makes it easier to fall asleep every night.
Also Read: 8 Natural Remedies for Anxiety During Pregnancy
3. Melatonin Food:
The hormone melatonin’s role is to assist your body in determining when to sleep and when to get up. According to research, using melatonin supplements can help people who struggle with sleep problems like insomnia.
Some foods, such as tart cherry juice and pistachios, contain melatonin. According to research, tart cherry juice might add up to 90 minutes to your nightly sleep because it has the most excellent melatonin level of any meal in the entire globe.
4. Exercise:
While exercise might assist with labor ease, it can also help you sleep better, which is crucial for a healthy pregnancy. You’ll feel physically exhausted if you exercise every day and be more likely to fall asleep at night.
The best thing you can do to get ready for a good night’s sleep is to work your way up to at least an hour of physical activity. In the third trimester, regular exercise is beneficial for treating pregnancy insomnia.
5. Pregnancy Safe Meal:
Before bed, choosing pregnancy-safe meals that support sleep makes it easier for you to fall asleep. You might be surprised by some foods, like bananas, walnuts, kale, and rice, that have unique qualities and can serve as all-natural sleeping pills.
Almonds also promote quality sleep during pregnancy and dramatically influence the sleep cycle. Additionally, a little, simple-to-digest food that balances blood sugar, such as gelatin treats, may help you sleep better an hour before bed.
6. Limit your Caffeine Intake:
Your sleep may be disturbed by caffeine use. The stimulant can make it difficult for you to fall asleep, which is probably its most noticeable side effect. According to one study, caffeine can make your body clock run later. These effects will decrease your overall sleep time. Additionally, caffeine can lessen the quantity of deep sleep you get.
Also Read: Everything You Need To Know About Caffeine: Sources And Advantages.
7. Massage:
Significant benefits of massage therapy during pregnancy have been proven, including a sense of wellness, increased relaxation, and better sleep. Massage is one of the best things we can do to improve the quality of our sleep.
8. Taking a Warm Bath:
According to research, taking a warm bath an hour or two before bed can help manage core body temperature and increase sleep. Ensure the water isn’t too warm before entering because pregnant women shouldn’t let their core body temperature rise above 102.2°F.
A warm Epsom salt bath will help reduce pain and relax muscles if pregnancy body aches or leg cramps keep you awake at night.
Concluding Thoughts:
Everybody needs sleep, but pregnant women must ensure they get the sleep they require each night, as insomnia is common during pregnancy. It’s not advisable to take sleeping pills regularly in this condition. To get enough sleep, you can try the natural remedies mentioned above. Consult your gynecologist if you still have trouble sleeping even after using all of these natural home remedies.
FAQs:
1. Can lack of sleep during pregnancy affect the baby?
The amount of sleep you get during pregnancy not only affects you and your baby but may impact your labor and delivery as well. Lack of sleep during pregnancy has been associated with multiple complications, mainly preeclampsia (a condition that badly affects your blood pressure and kidneys).
2. When does pregnancy insomnia start?
There are multiple factors that contribute to insomnia during pregnancy. Pregnant women may start to have trouble sleeping in the first trimester when hormone levels begin to change.