Suffering from Insomnia during your Pregnancy: Here are the Symptoms and Solutions

What causes Insomnia in early pregnancy?

You might have heard many things about pregnancy like nausea, indigestion, heartburn, body pain, fatigue. Have you ever imagined that insomnia could also peep in while you are pregnant? Insomnia or lack of sleep majorly occur due to hormonal changes and the resulting mental distress, physical restlessness, mood swings, increase in irritability, breast tenderness, shortness of breath and abdominal cramps. You might experience 360 degrees turn around in your day-night schedule, eating habits, likes & dislikes. Such conversion of lifestyle usually occurs in the early stages of pregnancy and gradually settles down with progressing pregnancy. But, disturbed or lack of sleep can emerge at any stage or trimester.

Insomnia, can also be considered as one of the many signs of pregnancy. But it is not always necessary that you are pregnant if you cannot sleep properly. To confirm pregnancy, please go for either a blood test or try using a home pregnancy test kit.

Pregnancy Insomnia second trimester occurs due to belly size, discomfort in settling at one position while sleeping and leg cramps. Pregnancy insomnia third trimester is related majorly to the levels of anxiety you possess. You might over think about the delivery and labor.

Does insomnia during pregnancy affect the baby?

Proper 8 hours of sleep keeps all our other body functions work efficiently. Lack of sleep can affect not only you but your baby as well. It might cause preeclampsia, high blood pressure, pre-term labor, gestational diabetes or even pre-mature birth. If you are restless, your body won’t respond to many internal functions thereby posing a threat to your baby. Now, that you understand how important it is to sleep, don’t hesitate to take naps during the day and try to set a routine for your complete 8- hour sleep.

Also read: Sleep Problems During Pregnancy: Causes, Types & Remedies

Insomnia in pregnancy treatment

Sleep apnea or insomnia or lack of sleep should be considered seriously if it exists for prolonged time. There are few symptoms that you should closely observe to decide whether it needs treatment or not.

• Swelling in hands, feet and ankles
• Severe headache
• Breathlessness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Blurred Vision
• Abdominal pain
• Decline in frequency of urination

If such conditions exist, then you should see a doctor. He might give you relaxants or anti-depressants to treat sleep disorder.

And, if you think matter is not that serious, that few lifestyle changes can take care of sleeplessness then it is always better to try home remedies.

5 natural remedies for insomnia during pregnancy

Better sleep habits: The easiest and the most effective way to cope up with sleep disorder is to bring a little discipline with the habits related to sleep. Like fixing up a time to sleep, making up your bed, having a warm water shower just before hitting the bed, grabbing a book, keeping a safe distance from screen (no mobile or TV) at sleep time, limiting your caffeine intake and restricting the fluid intake 3-4 hours before hitting the bed. These changes in your lifestyle might seem difficult at start but once adopted will make the life a lot easier.

You may also like: Loss of Sleep in Pregnancy

Food for Mind: Know your inner self! What brings a smile to your face even in the hardest of situations? Try to recreate that in your mind. You can even try Yoga & Meditation, which are best at healing a disturbed mind and body. Figure out if a good soothing music relaxes your nerves. You might also like ambient lighting with chants. So, it's time to read your mind and pamper it to make it light. Keep positive thoughts in your inner self and stay happy.

Exercise Regime: Pregnancy does not mean that you only need to sleep. Remember, an active mind and healthy body can only make you sleep peacefully. Have a routine for workout which could be as simple as a walk or you can ask for prenatal pregnancy exercises from a health expert.

Think before you eat: Make good choices for your dinner. Studies suggest that eating an early dinner is helpful but decide your meal intervals as per your body requirements. You should not go to sleep empty stomach and nor should you gulp in heavy, oily or spice food just before bed time. Take smaller bites & munch properly and slowly to avoid heartburn issues. A protein –rich meal will help your blood sugar levels under control and induce sleep.

Go Comfortable: Are you 37 weeks pregnant and can’t sleep at all? Up till this stage almost all bodily changes settle down and gets gelled up with our body system. Then what is it that is stopping you to sleep properly? Is it your clothes or the grown-up belly? Well! There’s a solution to both. By this stage your breast size increases along with baby bump. Pick up few maternity wear gowns, panties, bra or leggings that are specially curated for a pregnant body. Comfort is the key. So, you can grab a pregnancy pillow as well to support your whole body. It wraps up around the back and gives much needed support to the belly.

Try these ways for an improved sleep and healthy pregnancy.

References

1. Chang, J. J., Pien, G. W., Duntley, S. P., & Macones, G. A. (2010). Sleep deprivation during pregnancy and maternal and fetal outcomes: Is there a relationship? Sleep Medicine Reviews, 14(2), 107–114.

2. Felder, J. N., Mirchandaney, R., Harrison, J., Manber, R., Cuneo, J., Krystal, A., Epel, E., & Hecht, F. (2022). Examining Experiences of Poor Sleep During Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study to Inform the Development of a Prenatal Sleep Intervention. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 11, 2164957X2210876.