Pregnancy is a life-changing experience that both complicate the daily routines of the woman giving birth and is also her time to prepare for the joy of bringing a new life into the world.
In the midst of bouts of nausea, body transformations, and anxiety, women are understandably exhausted, and sleep becomes a harder task.
Unfortunately, sleep deprivation during the course of pregnancy can increase the risk of having preterm labor and a more painful, longer labor experience.
Before you feel that a good night’s sleep will become nearly impossible, have no fear. These are the best methods for sleeping with comfort as a pregnant mother-to-be.
1. Sleep on Your Side
First of all, in order to sleep comfortably while pregnant, be sure to sleep on your side and keep your head comfy with extra pillows during the next nine months of carrying a baby.
But don’t just start and stop with having a pillow under your head; add additional pillows underneath your belly to keep your alignment correct. If you are having difficulty supporting your head, use a neck pillow.
Sleeping on your side is incredibly important for pregnant mothers to avoid the risk of harming their babies. To have assistance in remaining in the sleeping on your side position throughout the night, buy a good quality memory foam knee pillow to get the job done.
2. Bedroom as Your Sanctuary
You want to sleep in a dark and peaceful room at a cool temperature to enable healthy, quality sleep during pregnancy.
Keeping your room dark alerts your body to the fact that it is time to rest, so block out any intruding daylight with curtains in your bedroom.
Along with a dim and cool environment for healthy sleep, you will need quiet, even if it has to come at the expense of a white noise machine to keep one consistent, calming sound going to mask disruptive noises outside or in other rooms of your home.
Sleep can also be encouraged with the scent of lavender by placing lavender essential oil into a diffuser.
3. Nightly Sleeping Habit
Start a regular nightly routine before you go to bed to help relax your mind and body for a more restful sleep while pregnant.
Light candles that bring you peace, meditate with your eyes closed at the edge of your bed or even take deep breaths for a minute or so.
Just a simple 15-minute habit each night can train you to unwind and prepare for bed on a regular basis.
4. Remain Active
Increasing your activity level while pregnant can lead to a lovely full night’s sleep.
Stay active with a daily 30-minute moderately intense workout to improve circulation and stay healthy during pregnancy.
Going for a walk is also a great way to keep your body busy so that it can rest better each night.
5. Watch What You Drink
Consumption of caffeine found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and several soft drinks should be reduced while you are pregnant so that you can get a more comfortable sleep during pregnancy.
Caffeine increases the production of adrenaline and blocks sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain. Give yourself a break from caffeine-fused beverages at least six hours before your typical bedtime.
It is recommended that pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to 200mg a day. What does 200mg look like when it is broken down into beverages? This would be approximately 2.6 shots of espresso and 2 ½ 8 Fl oz Red Bulls.
Caffeine isn’t the only liquid culprit that can interfere with your sleep while you are pregnant. Limit the amount of water that you drink before going to bed as well.
Keep in mind that while you are pregnant, you need to be drinking plenty of water to remain hydrated because your body has to be operating at a high capacity for not just you to function but for your unborn baby as well.
But if you put a stop to drinking water for the day a couple of hours before you go to bed, this will lessen the number of times that you are prompted to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, leading to a more peaceful sleep. a
Start your water intake earlier in the day.
Getting a proper amount of sleep each night is completely necessary for life, and especially while pregnant. Make sure you aren’t falling below the amount of five hours of sleep each night, and don’t forget to stay active and hydrated during the waking hours.
