Sleep Well During Pregnancy

There are many reasons why expectant mothers may have difficulty getting enough sleep while pregnant. Most pregnant women expect that their sleep will decrease after they have their baby, but they are not prepared for the sleepless nights that can develop during the pregnancy itself. Many factors can affect your sleep when you are pregnant, such as getting up frequently to urinate, anxiety about the pregnancy and upcoming birth, labor fears, and stomach problems such as heartburn. Depending on the cause of your sleeplessness, there are some things you can do to help you get a better night's sleep.

Steps

Making Diet Changes

  1. Watch what you eat. When you are pregnant, you need to watch the foods that you eat carefully, especially any that you consume shortly before going to bed. It is never a good idea to eat fatty spicy foods in the evening. These foods can increase your risk of being kept awake with heartburn.
    • It is generally a good idea to avoid eating anything within an hour or two of your bedtime. This includes liquids too, which can cause you to have to urinate a lot at night as well.[1][2]
  2. Eat smaller meals. In order to cut down on issues with food, such as indigestion and constipation, try splitting up your meals. Instead of eating three large meals, break them up into five or six smaller meals. This should definitely be the case with your dinner time meals, which should be smaller.
    • If you happen to get hungry at night, eat a small snack with protein and good carbs. Eat something like a few crackers and low fat cheese or a whole-grain granola bar and a glass of skim milk.[3]
  3. Drink non-caffeinated beverages. Avoid caffeinated beverages after noon. If you need to drink something, drink water or something relaxing, like a cup of decaffeinated hot tea. It is very important to keep yourself hydrated to avoid headaches and other problems that can be caused by dehydration.

Making Lifestyle Changes

  1. Exercise as much as you can. You should not neglect your exercise routine just because you are pregnant. Keeping a regular exercise routine can help to make you tired enough to fall asleep as soon as your head touches the pillow. It is important, however, not to exercise immediately before you go to bed. The adrenaline rush that comes with exercise can have the opposite effect of keeping you awake instead of tiring you out.
    • Women often experience leg cramps during their pregnancy. Exercise can be helpful in working out those leg muscles and keeping them from waking you up during the night.
    • Always listen to your doctor if he or she tells you to avoid strenuous exercise. If you are worried about what exercises are appropriate for you, talk to your doctor to get some suggestions.[4][1]
  2. Unwind at night. Instead of doing stressful or strenuous activities in the afternoon and at night, try to do more calming activities. This doesn't mean you can't do anything, it just means that you should take the two to three hours before bedtime to do something fun and relaxing. Don't stress about work or the future. This will only make you anxious and make it harder for you to go to sleep at night. Instead, read, meditate, or watch your favorite show.
    • You can also try yoga a few hours before you go to bed. This can help relax you as well as be counted as your daily exercise. Make sure you find a good prenatal routine that works for you.[1]
    • Ask your partner to give you a massage to ease your shoulders, neck, back, or feet.[5] This may help you relax and begin to feel sleepy.
    • In the half hour to hour before bed, steer clear of too much mental stimulation and light. The light from electronics can decrease the production of melatonin, a hormone your body produces to help you sleep. Try reading or listening to music instead of playing on your phone or computer or watching TV.
    • In the few minutes right before bed, just take a minute and relax with no stimulation at all. Stop reading, turn off the music, and just let your body finish unwinding for a good night's sleep.[2]
  3. Make sure that you keep up a regular daily routine. If you try to force yourself to go to bed at the same time each night, it will help your body develop a regular sleep pattern routine. By doing so, your body will become tired at the same time every night, thus making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.[1]
    • It is also okay to add a nap to your regular sleep routine, but only short ones. Napping for a short time during the day, around 30 minutes, can actually help you sleep better at night by making sure that you are not overly tired. Sometimes it can be hard to get to sleep when you are exhausted. Just make sure you don't sleep too long and substitute restful nighttime sleep for daytime napping.[4]
  4. Use your bed only for bedtime activities. Don't use your bed for work, paying bills, or any other activity that could make you associate your bed with stress or discomfort. Instead, only do those activities in your bed that belong there, such as sleep and sex. This way, your body will be conditioned to do associate your bed with restful, good things instead of stress.
    • It shouldn't be a problem if you read before bed while in your bed. Just make sure it's pleasure reading and not anything for work or class that might stress you out.[2]

Maintaining a Relaxing Sleep Environment

  1. Get some comfortable pajamas. You buy maternity clothes for day wear, so you should also buy them for nighttime wear. If you are sleeping in pajamas that don’t fit right or are too tight, this can hinder your good night’s sleep. Invest in some comfortable maternity pajamas to help you sleep more comfortably.
  2. Make a comfy bed. If you experienced discomfort on your mattress before you became pregnant, it is only going to get worse when you are pregnant. It may be a good time to invest in a new mattress that provides you with some good support. This can make all the difference in the world when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep.
    • If you can't afford a new mattress, try a mattress pad. This could help your back and legs when you sleep without much added expense.
    • Make sure your sheets and comforter are also comfortable. You don't want to have a great mattress ruined with bad bed covers. Make sure you get a fabric you like and a comforter or blanket that matches your temperature needs at night.[2]
  3. Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature. Pregnant women generate a lot of extra heat, so try to keep your room at a cooler temperature to accommodate this factor. Keep an extra blanket near you so that you can cover up if you get cooler during the night because of the cooler temperature.
    • It is better to be a little cold than too hot when it comes to sleeping. It is very hard to sleep comfortably when you are too hot.
    • This temperature may vary depending on your personal body temperature. Keep working at it to find the right temperature for you.[2] 68–69°F (20–20.6°C) seems to work for most people
  4. Find a sleep position that works for you. If you are used to sleeping on your back or stomach, you are going to have to adjust to a new sleeping position while you are pregnant, which can be very difficult at first. When you are pregnant, it is best to sleep on your left side, according to the American Pregnancy Association. This position helps increase blood and nutrient flow to the developing baby and it is comfortable for you.
    • It can also help to sleep with a cushion between your legs or with your legs propped up on a cushion or a couple of pillows. This can help to keep your blood circulating to you and the baby and help you sleep better.
    • Consider purchasing a body pillow designed especially for pregnant women.[2]
  5. Sleep in an upright position. If you tend to have heartburn no matter what you do, try to sleep in an upright position by using pillows to prop yourself up — just make sure you still sleep on your side. Also, keeping some TUMS close by during the night can help get heartburn under control if and when it strikes.
    • You can also try keeping a light snack like crackers near your bed so that you can snack on them if you are prone to waking up and feeling nausea during the night.
    • Taking TUMS is safe while pregnant. However, ask your doctor before taking other antacids that include sodium bicarbonate, such as Alka-Seltzer and Zegerid.[6][7]


Tips

  • If you are having a lot of problems with insomnia or just falling asleep at night in general, it is always a good idea to consult your doctor. Your doctor may be able to help you come up with a good sleep plan that is right for you.
  • If you have severe insomnia, ask your doctor about doxyalamine, which is safe during pregnancy. Doxyalamine can cause grogginess in the morning if you can't devote seven to eight hours to sleeping.

Related Articles

  • Sleep Better with Exercise

Sources and Citations