It's common knowledge that once you have your newborn, you won’t get all that much sleep. However, that’s just one side of the truth. In reality, it's once you get pregnant that the sleepless nights will more than likely start. Pregnancy insomnia is real, with so many changes happening in your body it can be difficult transporting yourself to the land of nod. You have aches and pains, a growing bump, hormonal changes and more- not to mention the anxiety about motherhood that can keep many women awake at night. Nonetheless, it’s possible to achieve some good sleep while pregnant. Here are some of the ways you can help with your pregnancy insomnia.
Go to bed later than usual
Most pregnant women tend to hit the sack early on, but by doing so they could be conditioning themselves to try and sleep before their actual bedtime. But what happens in reality when you're not ready to sleep is that you toss and turn for hours and don't actually manage to drift off until much later. Try a different approach and go to bed later- wait until you genuinely tired and like you could sleep (and not just worn out- there's a difference). While staying up late, keep your activities light and quiet. Read a pregnancy book or listen to some soothing music- you could incorporate products such as Delta 8 oil into your routine which is safe for pregnancy and many people find relaxing. Don’t tinker on your phone, play games, or watch videos. We've all heart time and time again how the blue light emitting from your device makes it difficult for you to fall asleep later and it really is true. So, ditch the phone and stick to other activities.
Try out some relaxation routines
If it’s the anxiety that’s keeping you up at night, take control of your thoughts by trying some relaxation routines. Try not to occupy yourself with anxiety-riddled thoughts and instead, do something to help the way you're feeling. Yoga and stretching exercises have both been shown to be effective, not only will they keep your mind calm, but moving your body and improving your flexibility is no bad thing. Just note that before doing any exercise regimen, consult your midwife or GP- practitioners of obstetrics, Provo-based doctors are able to check family history and present health condition of pregnant women to determine which fitness routines are okay and which aren’t. If you’re okay with yoga, go sign up for classes at a local gym to learn some moves you can incorporate in your bedtime ritual. Deep breathing is also a good relaxation routine. It helps you doze off fast, as it relieves muscle tension and reduces your heart rate.
Get out of bed (and your head)
If you really can’t fall asleep, don’t just lay there. Pregnant or not, we've all been there- lying awake and watching the clock get later and later. If this is happening, get up. Try to get your mind off sleeping and again go back to doing some light activities. Yes, it’s frustrating, but, like “I’ll never have a decent sleep. Ever.” This negativity puts pressure on you and gets your mind all the more worked up. The last thing you need when trying to get some sleep. So, note the principle: when you really can’t sleep, get out of bed and out of your head.
The struggle is real for sleep deprived pregnant women. But don’t worry, just a few more months of enduring, and you’d finally meet your little one. All those sleepless nights will be so worth it.
