Pregnancy is all about recalibrating your body. Things that you liked before, you won’t necessarily like them now. Clothes that you could once fit into, not anymore. For people who simply drifted to sleep the moment their head hit the bed, not so much!
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Insomnia during pregnancy
If you are experiencing difficulty in sleeping or are not able to sleep for long periods of time, or wake up before your body gets is sleep fix, you are not alone.
Due to the hormonal changes that are occurring in your body, sleep can be the collateral damage. Similarly, the physical discomfort that your body is under can also be the reason for the sleepless nights.
Naturally, due to pregnancy, you cannot just take sleep aides without its implications for your health and that of the baby. Before taking up any remedy, you should clear with your gynecologist first.
There are ways that you can do to combat your insomnia. Some helpful tips include:
Bath
Just like you bathe babies before bed so they sleep easy, you should also consider a warm bath for yourself as well. It can help your body become relaxed. It can also ease the soreness and pain in the muscles that generally accompanies pregnancy.
However, be mindful of the temperature; it is pertinent that it be warm water, and not hot.
Get ready for bed
Your habit of watching television and using phone in bed might also be the reason why you have trouble sleeping. Screens emit blue light, that causes hormonal changes in the body, as light is associated with daytime by the body.
Rather than confusing your body’s rhythm, leave the screens before and when in bed.
Relax before bedtime
Sleep is also a state of mind. If you are having trouble sleeping, it may be due to mental or physical alertness as well. Therefore, start winding yourself down before bedtime.
Make sure that you do not stimulate your mind, starting in the evening. Caffeine is already off-limits during pregnancy, but if you are taking some at the discretion of your doctor, make sure that it is not during evenings or at night.
Similarly, your body might also be physically alert as well. To avoid this, you should not exercise before bedtime. Limit these invigorating activities to the morning.
Meditation and yoga
Another way to relax is by meditating. You may not realize it, but the stress in your mind and body may also be keeping you up, after all, bringing is a baby into the world is not an easy task.
Mediation and yoga are beneficial in this regard. They help in destressing the mind and the body. They can also help the body prepare for sleep.
Read
Many people watch television to entertain themselves after the long and arduous day. While it somewhat makes sense, but the entertainment comes at the cost of your sleep.
One excellent way to entertain yourself without exposing yourself to blue light, or screens for that matter, is by reading.
You do not necessarily have to read books about parenthood; it may rile your mind, but some fiction, or light read can serve to make your mind peaceful. It can also then easily lull you to sleep.
Snacking
You also may find it easier to fall asleep when after you snack. At times, hunger can also make it hard for you to sleep. You can, therefore, try to snack on something light to help you sleep better.
Warm milk is often relied on for peaceful sleep. Similarly, nuts like cashews and magnesium can also help you in sleeping better. Likewise, bananas also have melatonin, the hormone that helps with sleep.
However, be sure to not over-indulge, especially in spicy, fried, or cheesy food. They then might lead to heart burn, meriting a visit to the Best Gynecologist in Karachi then.