The Best Solutions for Better Sleep During Pregnancy

Have you been spending too many nights tossing and turning? The Doctor tells you that this is normal during pregnancy, especially in your first and third trimesters but that doesn’t make it any easier to bear when you’re desperate to get some shut-eye. Here are a few suggestions to help you get the sleep you crave:

1. You can use pillows to support your belly and back in bed, and they can mean the difference between a sleepless night and a peaceful slumber. Tucking a pillow between your legs supports your lower back and may make sleeping on your side (your only option, really, as pregnancy advances) more comfortable. Regular pillows work fine – you don’t need to buy anything special.

2. What you eat – and when you eat it – can affect the quality of your sleep. Avoid fried, spicy food and try to eat mostly natural food.

3. Drinking a glass of warm milk before bedtime is a time-tested way to bring on sleep. Experts believe that amino acid l-Tryptophan (found in milk and other foods such as eggs) makes eyelids heavy by raising the level of serotonin, a chemical found in the brain. According to others, the somnambulant effects of warm milk may all be in your head. But many moms swear by this tip.

4. If bad dreams, headaches, or full-body sweats are disturbing your sleep, you could be suffering from low blood sugar. Just before bed, munch a high-protein snack such as an egg, or some peanut butter to keep your blood sugar up during the night.

Relaxation for Better Sleep during Pregnancy

If you’re tense, anxious, or overtired, sleep can seem as hard to grab as your shadow. Try these simple, time-tested techniques to help calm your mind, relax your muscles, and put sleep within your grasp:

5. In addition to helping you relax, yoga and stretching have the added benefit of keeping you toned and flexible during pregnancy. Many gyms and health clubs offer yoga and stretch classes. Some are designed specifically for pregnant women. You can even create your own stretch routine with simple moves for your neck and shoulders, calves, hamstrings, back and waist. Although you don’t want to work up a sweat too close to bedtime, gently stretching your muscles during the day and before bedtime can make falling asleep a little easier.

6. A massage relaxes tense or tired muscles. If you visit a professional masseuse, make sure he or she has experience working with pregnant women and uses a table and pillow designed for that purpose. Hiring a masseuse can be expensive, but a foot, hand, or neck massage at home from your generous partner is a perfect way to wind down before bed.

7. Breathing deeply and rhythmically can ease muscle tension, lower your heart rate, and help you fall asleep faster. Lie down on the carpet or in or on your bed with your feet shoulder-width apart. (If you’re uncomfortable lying on your back, rest on your side with a pillow between your legs for support instead. In this sleeping position, you may not be able to breathe as deeply). With your mouth closed, breathe slowly through your nose, feeling your stomach rise as you gradually fill your diaphragm and lungs with air. Hold for one second before exhaling through your nose to the count of four.

8. It may take you several weeks to master progressive relaxation, but once you do, it can really help you sleep. Lying in bed, on top of your bed, or even on the floor, you can release tight muscles by first tensing and then completely relaxing them. Focus on one group of muscles at a time and alternate between your right and left side. Start by tensing and releasing your hand and forearm muscles, followed by your biceps and triceps, face and jaw, chest and shoulders, stomach, thighs, and so on until you reach your feet.

9. Picture yourself in a quiet, relaxing scene – lying on a warm sandy beach or walking in field of wildflowers. Now imagine every detail of the scene, including the sounds, smells, tastes, and textures around you. If you can’t picture a relaxing setting, use an image from a photograph or magazine and fill in the missing details. It may take some practice, but guided imagery can calm your restless or anxious mind and help you slip into a deep sleep.

10. Regular exercise during pregnancy makes you healthier both physically and mentally, and it can help you sleep better, too – provided you don’t exercise vigorously within four hours of bedtime. Working out too close to bedtime can rev you up and even rob you of deep sleep by interfering with your natural sleep cycle. Instead, work up a sweat in the late afternoon or early evening.

11. Herbal remedies come in many forms, including the fresh or dried plant, pills, tinctures, and powders. Although herbs are considered natural alternatives to certain drugs, they can be equally powerful – or even toxic. Consult with your doctor before taking any herbal remedy (even one as common as herbal tea), either on its own or in combination with other herbs or medications. Also, since the quality of herbs varies by manufacturer, ask an expert to recommend a brand name.

Ideally you should avoid all medications during pregnancy, since certain drugs can harm your growing baby and many have not been tested at all on pregnant women. If you have a severe sleep problem or disorder, your doctor may recommend a prescription or over-the-counter drug to use during your second or third trimester. However, you should never take any medication during pregnancy without first consulting your doctor. Prenatal classes are a great way to get some one on one advice on many doubts that you have regarding sleep and other issues during pregnancy.