Darfashan
One of the things that all pregnant women complain about is lack of sleep. The bodily changes that happen during pregnancy are to blame for extreme sleep deprivation. When deprived of sleep, it’s only natural for one to get irritated, lethargic, and extremely tired. Add to it the problems associated with heartburn, muscle cramps, and a pressured bladder, and the picture of a highly distressed pregnant woman becomes complete!
How do we gain better sleep during pregnancy? This is something all pregnant women would surely be interested in finding out, especially when you think that more sleepless days are on the anvil once you move on to the phase of motherhood. Here are some great ways to get some all-needed peaceful sleep at night.
#Get Sleep by Exercising Your Body Adequately
The minute your pregnancy is announced to the world; congratulatory messages pour in, so do all the cautionary words from well wishes and elders, preventing you from doing even normal household chores. Women of today are only too happy to oblige!
Pregnant women, please do wake up and understand the importance of exercise during pregnancy. We all know that pregnancy is a stressful period when you have worries about your baby’s health, the impending labor and delivery, and the aftermath. Hence, exercise during pregnancy plays a vital role in keeping you healthy, fit and active.
The best way to tackle all these problems is to keep yourself busy when you are awake. If you are a working woman, walk to the bus stop instead of waiting for your spouse to escort you safely to the office. Buy some four-way stretch maternity yoga wear, enroll yourself in yoga classes or let the practitioner come home to give you some basic lessons. Do whatever you are comfortable with, but do exercise for better sleep!
#A Warm Bath Makes You Sleep Like a Baby
So you have been forced awake due to severe leg cramps, heartburn, and great strain on the back. We know that these symptoms surface way too often for you to ignore them completely. How about a soothing warm bath? Before you head off to sleep, lower yourself down the tub filled with warm water. This holy bath is indeed all that you need to relieve all your aches and pains. A warm bath helps relieve your muscle strain and leg cramps and prevents swelling in the ankles and legs.
#Prepone Your Dinner Time to Sleep Well
During pregnancy, eating earlier is of utmost importance to prevent several annoying ailments. Heartburn is a major problem that leaves you burning and totally restless. To prevent heartburn, avoid spicy food before sleep, and dinner must be had at least 3-4 hours before bedtime.
Having dinner earlier will give you enough time to digest what you have eaten and prevent heartburn. Acidic food, too, can provide you with trouble during the diet. Avoid acidic food or at least keep away from them to sleep uninterruptedly during pregnancy.
#Change Sleep Positions to Sleep Soundly
As your belly grows, you might have to change your comfort positions to something that will be comfortable and less uncomfortable for you and your fetus. Sleeping on your back could put tremendous strain on your back, causing backache. There is another more important reason why you must avoid sleeping on your back. It will result in a decreased amount of blood reaching the fetus and increase the chances of hemorrhoids, especially if you are overweight.
The best position to sleep during pregnancy is to sleep on the side. Sleeping on the left side is much more convenient and beneficial for the baby as it allows more blood flow to the fetus. Sleeping on the side will also help reduce the pressure on the spine, and the weight of the womb is not directly on the spine when you sleep on the side.
#Use Body Pillows for a Sound Sleep
Body pillows make pregnant women sleep much more comfortably and reduce pain in the knees and hip joints. Keeping a pillow between your knees will help the hip joints remain perfectly aligned, and the knees exert pressure on each other while you sleep.
There are also specially shaped pregnancy pillows that can support the abdomen, back, arms, and legs. Special body pillows come in very curious shapes but offer superb comfort for your body. Body pillows that support your head and neck are better options as they take care of the whole body.
Invest in a good one for complete support of your body and prevent aches and pains during pregnancy and in the coming years of motherhood. Above all, use body pillows for that perfect sleep!
#Comfortable Clothing for Sound Sleep
Just as important as sleeping on your side and using a body pillow are the clothes you wear during pregnancy. Clothes worn during pregnancy must be comfortable for you and the baby as well. Avoid tight clothes when you sleep, as they are bound to make you feel claustrophobic and suffocated.
Loose-fitting cotton maternity nightwear and pajamas are good during pregnancy as they help ease movement and space for air circulation. Tight lingerie must be avoided during sleep as they too can disrupt your sleep and cause breathing difficulties.
Clothes with elastic waists too could be avoided as they could cause irritation on the skin and leave your skin panting for blood. Ultra-comfortable maternity nighties and nightgowns are a good option while you sleep as they provide enough room for expansion and therefore are suitable for use throughout your pregnant months.
#Maternity Belts for Sleeping Better
If your hurting back prevents you from sleeping better, you might want to consider wearing a maternity belt while sleeping. Maternity belts support the back, relieving back pain and preventing back damage due to the weight of the womb. Hot bags too can be used while sleeping to relieve back pain.
If none of these changes facilitate good sleep for you, you can consult your gynecologist about sleep aids and medications that can be safely consumed during pregnancy.
