Insomnia during pregnancy is a fairly common occurrence. Why sleep disorders occur during the period of expectation of the baby and how to deal with them, this article will describe in detail.

Causes of insomnia during pregnancy at different times

Sleep disorders can occur in expectant mothers both in the early and late stages. One of the main causes of insomnia in pregnant women is hormonal adjustment. The most pronounced hormonal changes are observed in the first and last trimesters. In addition, several other causes of sleep disturbance in pregnant women in different trimesters can be distinguished.

Specialists often attribute insomnia to the initial signs of pregnancy.

In addition to temporary malfunctions of the central nervous system caused by a change in the hormonal background, the causes of sleep disturbances in the first three months are:

  1. Toxicosis. The condition occurs in every third pregnant woman. Nausea and vomiting can occur not only in the daytime, but also at night, not allowing you to fall asleep.
  2. Pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen. This phenomenon is characteristic not only in the presence of pathologies, but also for a normal pregnancy.
  3. Experiences. Often, women, learning about their pregnancy, begin to worry about the health of the unborn baby. Heavy thoughts contribute to sleep disturbances.
  4. By the end of the first trimester, the uterus increases significantly and begins to put pressure on the bladder, causing frequent urge to urinate, including at night.

The second trimester, according to many mothers, is the calmest period of pregnancy.

Toxicosis recedes, the probability of losing a baby is significantly reduced, the mother calms down, and the body gets used to its new state, and the stomach is still not so big as to interfere with ordinary life. As a rule, insomnia also recedes in the second trimester.

Insomnia in the third trimester may have the following reasons:

  1. Baby movements. A growing child sometimes kicks and pushes tangibly in the womb, both in the daytime and at night.
  2. Inability to take a comfortable sleeping position. When the belly of a pregnant woman reaches an impressive size, there are not so many options for postures for sleeping. It is impossible to lie on the stomach, on the back is unacceptable, since the uterus in this position presses on large veins, worsening health. The only best option in the third trimester is to sleep on your side.
  3. Heartburn. A growing uterus leaves less and less space for the stomach, so many pregnant women complain of severe heartburn, which does not go away at night.
  4. Training fights. In the third trimester, the body of the expectant mother is actively preparing for the upcoming birth. Spontaneous painless contractions of the uterus in late pregnancy are called training contractions. The phenomenon is more often observed in the dark.
  5. Pain in the pelvic bones and back. Everyone knows that the spine is under heavy stress while bearing a child. Naturally, a woman can be bothered by back pain. As well as painful sensations often arise in the pelvic region, since its bones soften in late pregnancy, preparing for the upcoming birth.
  6. Experiences about the future birth. With the approach of the term of birth, the excitement of the expectant mother increases. Anxious thoughts provoke sleep disturbances.

What to do with sleep disorders

Insomnia during pregnancy should not be ignored. There are several ways to alleviate the condition.

It is important to remember that the use of pharmacy products, medicinal plants and other methods of treatment during the period of bearing a child is allowed only with the permission of the gynecologist conducting the pregnancy.

Drugs for the treatment of illness

Among the pharmacy drugs, there are several relatively safe agents that will help the expectant mother begin to sleep normally.

These include:

  • magnesium preparations (with a lack of it, irritability and insomnia are often observed);
  • glycine (tablets indicated for nervousness, anxiety, sleep disturbances);
  • tableted motherwort extract;
  • Valerian extract in tablets (it is important to remember that drugs based on this root are extremely undesirable to take during pregnancy in the early stages);
  • Nervohel, homeopathic remedy.

Depending on the causes of insomnia, the doctor may prescribe antacids for heartburn to a pregnant patient, antispasmodics for pain and cramping, as well as drugs to relieve toxicosis.

Folk remedies for sound sleep

Traditional medicine offers the following recipes for normalizing sleep in pregnant women:

  1. Warm milk and honey. If a pregnant woman is not allergic to bee products, in 200 ml of warm milk (not hot, but warmed up to 50 degrees), you can add 1 tablespoon of honey and drink a drink just before bedtime.
  2. Honey and water. A tablespoon of honey should be added to a glass of lukewarm water. After complete dissolution (no need to specifically stir), drink the mixture in a teaspoon overnight.
  3. Honey with lemon juice and walnuts. Take the ingredients in equal amounts. Grind the nut well. Mix everything and take a teaspoon before bedtime.
  4. Caraway, valerian and chamomile. It is necessary to take 1 tablespoon of each type of raw material and pour a glass of boiling water. Insist for 40 minutes. Drink in the morning and evening in a warm form for half a glass.

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Diet for insomnia

To reduce the likelihood of insomnia, a pregnant woman needs to eat right. The final meal should be no later than two hours before bedtime. If after some time after this there was a feeling of hunger, you can drink a glass of kefir or eat some fruit.

It is necessary to limit or completely exclude from the diet tea, coffee and products that can provoke digestive disorders (salty, fatty, etc.). In the last weeks of pregnancy, it is better to eat food often and little by little, since overeating can cause severe heartburn at night.

Do not drink excessive amounts of fluid in the afternoon. This will reduce the frequency of nightly urination.

It is believed that regular moderate consumption of certain foods helps to normalize sleep.

These include bananas, honey, salmon, nuts, cherries, oatmeal and others.

Physiotherapy as a method of treatment

Physiotherapy for insomnia in pregnant women requires caution. The use of any method is possible only after consulting a doctor.

The following methods are used to treat insomnia in expectant mothers:

  • massage (manual and hardware) on the limbs, head and neck (back massage during pregnancy is contraindicated);
  • electrophoresis, galvanization, electric sleep - safe methods of exposure to electric current;
  • acupuncture (acupuncture).

Aromatherapy

You can fight insomnia during pregnancy with aromatherapy. This is a type of treatment with essential oils that helps to relax and normalize sleep. The most popular aromatherapy for insomnia is lavender oil. By adding a few drops of it to any cosmetic oil (apricot, peach, olive, etc.), you can easily massage your whiskey by dripping a little of the mixture on your fingers.

Essential oils can be used in aroma lamps. To do this, pour water into the bowl of the device and add 2-3 drops of aromatic oil. You can also use aromatic medallions or take non-hot baths with the addition of essential oils.

From insomnia help oils of the following plants:

  • cypress;
  • bergamot;
  • mandarin;
  • orange;
  • chamomile;
  • sandalwood;
  • the Rose;
  • lavender;
  • neroli;
  • geranium;
  • ylang-ylang.

It is important to remember that the use of essential oils is possible only in the absence of allergies to the plants from which they were derived.

Pillows made from fragrant plants

To help the expectant mother with insomnia, you can make a pillow of herbs. It should be sewn from a dense fabric, so that the stuffing does not cause discomfort during sleep. As a filler, you can use such neutral raw materials as fluff of Ivan tea, sedge or straw.

The “active” plants of such a pillow can be:

  • lavender;
  • peppermint;
  • chamomile;
  • Melissa;
  • valerian;
  • geranium;
  • dill;
  • caraway.

It is important that the raw material of which the pillow is made is well dried.

And you can also make small pads and put them next to your head while you sleep. Their “shelf life” is about 12 months.

Possible consequences

A full night's sleep is crucial for pregnant women. Insomnia, which lasts a long time, can affect not only the mental and physical health of the mother, but also the condition of the unborn child.

Long-term sleep disturbances can cause hormonal imbalances, which, in turn, can increase uterine tone. And also as a result of insomnia, jumps in blood pressure are often observed, which is extremely undesirable during pregnancy.

Prevention

To reduce the likelihood of insomnia in pregnant women, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

  1. The bedroom should be well ventilated before bedtime.
  2. The room should maintain an optimal level of temperature (about 25 degrees) and humidity (about 50%).
  3. Noise sources must be eliminated.
  4. Do not overeat and drink plenty of fluids before bedtime.
  5. Daytime sleep should last no more than 1-1.5 hours.
  6. The bed should not be used as a place for work and rest, as this forms the wrong associations.
  7. You should take vitamin complexes for pregnant women throughout the entire period.

If anxiety and fear have become the cause of insomnia, the expectant mother needs to visit a psychologist. Currently, this specialist is in almost all antenatal clinics. It will help to cope with stress and restore sleep.

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