How To Prevent Insomnia In Pregnancy

Risks Of Drinking Chamomile Tea During Pregnancy

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Chamomile tea contains anti-inflammatory agents. These may be dangerous during pregnancy. It depends on your medical history, how much you consume, and other factors.

Its important to remember that not all herbal teas are the same, and there are those that doctors tell their pregnant patients to stay away from.

As with anything in your diet during pregnancy, discuss drinking chamomile tea with your doctor. Some doctors may suggest limiting the amount you drink, while others may prefer that you not drink it at all.

You also want to be sure to use commercially prepared chamomile tea if you choose to drink it during your pregnancy. Herbal teas that are commercially processed use herbs from safe sources.

Sleep During The 2nd Trimester

The second trimester brings new challenges.

Many women get a blocked nose and feel stuffed up due to hormonal changes. Saline nasal sprays can help.

Leg cramps can also disrupt your sleep. Its not really understood why leg cramps happen, but there are a number of things you can do to ease them, such as stretching your calf muscles, being active during the day and drinking plenty of fluids.

Some women have more dreams than they would normally, or unusual dreams, or nightmares. Sometimes it can be related to stress, or it could be inconsistent sleep. Try to stick to a regular schedule and maybe try different sleep positions or use a pregnancy pillow. If you are having dreams that are disturbing you, it can help to talk to your partner or a friend, or consider talking to a counsellor.

Some start to snore for the first time in their lives. Sleeping on your side and keeping your head slightly elevated can help. Maintaining a healthy diet and not putting on too much weight can also help.

Causes Of Insomnia During Pregnancy:

Let us look at the various reasons behind the sleeping problem during pregnancy,

Pregnancy causes shifts in hormones in our body. Pregnancy hormones like progesterone and estrogen cause changes in respiration and physiology which disrupt sleep.

Digestive disorders like nausea, bloating, heartburn, indigestion etc. cause much uneasiness and keep us awake.

Anxiety and jitters about being a new mother, proper development of the baby in the womb, balancing work and motherhood are common fears that occupy our mind and disturb our sleep.

Pregnancy causes muscle cramps due to changes in physiology and stress on various muscles caused by the growing uterus. Back pain, leg cramps usually interfere with your ability to have a good nights sleep.

The growing baby pushing against your bladder causes frequent urges to urinate. This also goes on during the night, interrupting your sleep.

Heightened metabolism.

The growing baby bump makes it very difficult for you to find a comfortable position to lie down. This starts during the second trimester and gets worse in the third trimester when the baby is growing in full.

Breathing difficulties when lying down is another major cause of difficulty in sleeping. The pressure on the diaphragm by the growing uterus and hormonal changes cause shortness of breath and much restlessness.

Most women experience vivid and intense dreams due to fluctuations in pregnancy hormones. These dreams often wake you up during the night.

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Why Does Insomnia Occur In Pregnancy

Insomnia in pregnancy is closely related to hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy, and is therefore considered normal. In the first trimester it is more rare for women to have insomnia, however this can happen due to anxiety generated by pregnancy.

Insomnia is more common in the third trimester, as the amount of circulating hormones is already quite altered, in addition to the fact that the belly is larger, there may be pain and difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position, with insomnia.

Although insomnia during pregnancy does not harm the baby’s development, it can harm the health of the pregnant woman, who must sleep at least 8 hours a day, as the pregnant woman who sleeps insufficient hours will feel more drowsy during the day, difficulty concentrating and irritability, which end up affecting your well-being and creating anxiety and stress that make insomnia worse. Learn more about insomnia in pregnancy.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Or Cbt

A model of CBT therapy known as CBT for insomnia can help people manage their thoughts and feelings about sleep and sleeping while changing their behavior.

CBT for insomnia can treat people with severe sleep deprivation get better sleep. It can help a person:

understand their insomnia
talk through emotions that play a role in insomnia
make healthful changes that reduce insomnia

CBT may be particularly helpful for those facing anxiety or depression.

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Are Any Herbal Teas Safe To Drink During Pregnancy

Some herbal teas are considered safer than others for pregnant women. Nettle tea is used in many herbal teas and is generally considered to be pregnancy-safe. While some midwives may advise drinking red raspberry leaf tea, there is no strong evidence of its benefits for pregnant women, and a 2019 study suggested it may have adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes.

During pregnancy, you should stay away from any herbal teas that are marketed for weight loss or dieting, or those that can be used as laxatives. Also, dont drink those that contain any type of nutritional supplement. This is because the supplements can cause complications or interactions with other medications.

Keep in mind that even herbal teas labeled as pregnancy teas havent had enough studies done on them to be considered completely safe during pregnancy. Ask your doctor before trying out new types of tea.

Tips To Help You Get Better Sleep

Althoughits impossible for women to avoid many of the things;that limit sleepduring pregnancy, there are ways to get more rest:

Develop a relaxing bedtime routine.

Keep a regular bed and wake time.

Avoid electronics for at least an hour before bedtime. If thats not possible, turn down the screens brightness and avoid bright light.

Limit caffeine in your diet.

Relieve stress with yoga, mindfulness meditation or massage therapy.

Sleep on your side. You may need a maternity pillow to support your back and knees.

Limit breathing problems by elevating your head when you sleep.

Stay well-hydrated to help reduce leg cramping.

Ways To Cure Insomnia During Pregnancy

Stop stressing:;Pregnancy has no significant influence on your sleep other than the hormonal fluctuations. Stress further worsens the situation by creating a more severe hormonal misbalance and leaving you to stay awake the whole night. So worry less about it, there is nothing wrong with you or your pregnancy.

Discuss insomnia during pregnancy with your kin and partner:;Talking your heart out relieves you of a lot of mental strain, and you might get some old wives advice. Talking will also help your partner come to know of your needs. Making love should happen as a mutual desire and not as a daily drill.

Meditate and practice yoga before going to sleep:;Yoga can treat almost everything and even insomnia during pregnancy. Yoga and meditation help your mind to calm down. The hormonal fluctuations subside and all your systems will start running in harmony. Also, your circadian rhythm will get restored, and youll fall to sleep peacefully.

Wear comfortable clothes:;Most women become too conscious of their bodies and start wearing baggy clothes during their pregnancy. You should wear you like and if needed sleep barely clothed. There is a reason why one should take off intimate wear at night. Tight clothes may further make you uncomfortable.

Maintain a regular bedtime to prevent:;Just like hunger even sleep comes to you at intervals. If you skip it then you dont feel sleepy and hence will have trouble falling asleep for the entire night.

What Herbs Are Safe For Insomnia While Pregnant

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Some medications, vitamins, and herbal remedies can be harmful to a fetus and should not be taken while you are pregnant.

There are dozens of herbal products that claim to help you sleep, but most of them havent been studied to find out whether theyre safe to use while pregnant or breastfeeding. Dietary supplements arent regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so its best to avoid taking any extra vitamins or minerals during pregnancy unless your doctor has specifically told you to do so.

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Lifestyle Changes To Treat Insomnia

Lifestyle changes can safely improve your sleep. If you can, stick to a regular early bedtime, and keep your bedroom quiet, dark, and cool at night. Also, try to:

Limit caffeinated beverages.
Hydrate, but stop drinking a couple of hours before bedtime so you dont have to wake up to go to the bathroom.
Avoid heartburn triggers like chocolate and greasy or spicy foods, and avoid eating for a few hours before bed.
If anxiety is keeping you awake, talk through your worries with a loved one or therapist.
Gently stretch your leg muscles before bed if you have leg cramps at night.

Also, other over-the-counter sleep aids are considered safe for occasional use in pregnancy, including Unisom, Tylenol PM, Sominex, and Nytol, but always check with your doctor before taking these or any kinds of herbal preparations. You should also try not to take sleep aids every night.

Categories Of Medications For Use In Pregnancy

The following classification of the effects of medications during pregnancy is used:

Category B: Animal studies have not indicated a fetal risk but no controlled studies in pregnant women exist, or animal studies have shown an adverse fetal effect that is not confirmed in controlled studies in women in the first trimester. There is no evidence in later trimesters.
Category C: Animal studies have shown adverse fetal events, but no controlled studies in pregnant women exist, or studies in humans and animals are not available; thus, the medication is given if the potential benefit outweighs the risk.
Category D: Risk to fetus is present, but benefits may outweigh the risk if a life-threatening or serious disease exists.
Category X: Studies in animals or humans show fetal abnormalities; the drug is contraindicated for pregnant women.

Therefore, medications are deemed to be safer when additional research supporting safety in humans is available. However, an individuals risk with the use of any drug may still result in unacceptable consequences.

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Get Into A New Bedtime Routine

If you establish a consistent, soothing, and comforting evening routine, you’ll be able to relax and drift off to sleep with more ease.

As bedtime approaches, try a few of these soothing rituals to see if one sticks:

Drink a cup of caffeine-free tea or a warm cup of milk with honey
Have a small snack. Try a handful of peanuts and a few crackers or whole-grain cereal with skim milk. These combos of carbs and tryptophan are known sleep-promoters.
Read a chapter of a pleasant book
Take a warm shower

What To Do About Insomnia During Pregnancy

Sleeping while pregnant can already be difficult due to the large belly. Pregnancy insomnia can take this problem to a whole new level! Growing a human is already exhausting work without trying to do it with little rest. If you cant sleep and think you may be suffering from pregnancy insomnia try some of these remedies! Ive broken the list down into natural remedies, over the counter remedies, and last resort options.

Nothing in this post should be used as medical advice. Always consult your doctor before taking any medications, natural or otherwise. Everyones situation is unique and what may be safe for one person may not be safe for another. These are remedies I have personally used or been recommended by other pregnant women.

The first thing to know about pregnancy insomnia is that you are not alone. 40% of pregnant women experience some insomnia during pregnancy in the first and second trimesters and the number jumps to 64% in the third trimester according to a study from Science Daily. It can be caused by many different things and vary from the occasional night of sleeplessness to an every night ordeal.

My experience, unfortunately, has been the second so, believe me, I know your pain! Mine began somewhere around 30 weeks pregnant and was an issue almost every night until my daughter was born. Luckily with my first daughter, I had almost zero insomnia issues or I may have reconsidered getting pregnant again!

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Is Insomnia Harmful During Pregnancy

A lost night of sleep during pregnancy here and there isnt usually a big concern, but continued or chronic inadequate sleep has been linked to gestational diabetes, stress and depression. Insomnia and;frequent snoring also have been linked to an increased risk of giving birth to a baby thats too large or too small for its age, and sleep issues late in pregnancy have been linked to a longer labor and a greater need for a cesarean section.

How To Get Rid Of Insomnia In Early Pregnancy

For a new mom-to-be, experiencing sleep deprivation after the baby is born is an offered. However you probably didnt understand that it might also occur during the very first trimester of pregnancy. A lot of women experience sleep problems during pregnancy. Pregnant women tend to get more sleep throughout their very first trimesters however experience a huge drop in the quality of their sleep. It ends up that pregnancy can make you feel exhausted all day long. It can likewise trigger insomnia in the evening.

Here are a few of the most typical offenders for insomnia throughout early pregnancy, plus a few pointers to assist you get a much better nights sleep.

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Depression Anxiety And Insomnia

Insomnia strikes an estimated 3 in 4 women during late pregnancy. Principal drivers of insomnia in pregnant women include anxiety, depression, disturbed dreams, nighttime awakening, fetal kicking and other movements, and pain and discomfort from the baby bump. Frequent bathroom breaks due to overactive kidneys and the weight of the uterus against the bladder can also disrupt sleep.

Insomnia Tip #1: Acupuncture

Sleeping Problems During Pregnancy||Insomnia Causes And Insomnia Treatment||Sleep Remedies

Traditional Chinese Medicine has been around for so much longer than modern medicine and is recognised by the World Health Organization as a treatment for many conditions in pregnancy.

Theres nothing alternative about TCM. Acupuncture, for example, is a fantastic remedy for insomnia in pregnancy and for other health complaints where the body is out of balance.

Acupuncture is a service that has the added benefit of helping you to identify the underlying cause, as well as being able to diagnose any other;physical concerns you might have.

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What Can I Take For Insomnia During Pregnancy

Its best to avoid taking medications if possible, but if other options dont appear to be helping, you can try using a short-term sleep aid.

Over-the-counter sleep aids that are considered safe for occasional use in pregnancy include Unisom, Tylenol PM, Sominex, and Nytol, but always check with your doctor before taking these or any kinds of herbal preparations. Some safe sleep aids can be addictive even when taken short term.

Can You Take Melatonin During Pregnancy

Melatonin, a hormone that the body creates naturally to regulate sleep-wake cycles, might seem like an easy fix for a case of insomnia. But because its considered a dietary supplement in this country, the regulation of melatonin isnt as carefully overseen by the Food & Drug Administration the way other drugs are, and its impact hasnt been well studied in pregnancy. If you’re struggling with insomnia, your doctor may approve an occasional and very small dosage .

There are also other over-the-counter and prescription sleep aids that are considered safe for occasional use in pregnancy, including Unisom, Tylenol PM, Sominex and Nytol, but always check with your doctor before taking these or any kinds of herbal preparations. You should also try not to take sleep aids every night.

Sometimes, doctors recommended taking a magnesium supplement to combat constipation or leg cramps. If that’s the case for you, it makes sense to take it before bed, since magnesium has been touted for its natural muscle-relaxing powers and may help lull you to sleep.;Again, always ask your doctor before taking any over-the-counter or herbal sleep aid during pregnancy.

How To Calm Anxiety While Pregnant

Sometimes my efforts to prevent anxiety fail. There are so many factors out of my controllife being at the top of the list so I have to have an emergency plan in place. Whenever I find myself on the verge of an anxiety or panic attack, I immediately ask for help. Then I reference this post with tried and true ways to calm down during an anxiety attack.