There are a lot of discomforts us women experience during pregnancy (nausea, back pain, heartburn, cramps…) and having a hard time sleeping was definitely one of them for me.
Maybe it’s to prepare us for all the sleep we are going to be missing when baby arrives? Not cool, Mother Nature…and how many times have you heard the saying “sleep as much as you can now, because you won’t when the baby comes!”
Pregnancy insomnia is quite common, especially in the third trimester when baby starts getting bigger and all your joints and organs are really feeling the impacts.
There is also a lot of stress and anxiety that can arise during pregnancy in terms of preparing for baby and worrying about labour, delivery and the health of your baby.
In any case, getting a good night’s sleep can be tough during this period, but there are a few things that can help you get some good old R.E.M. ‘s in if you just give them a try.
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1. Develop A Soothing Bedtime Routine
The best thing that you can do to manage insomnia, whether you’re pregnant or not, is get into good sleep habits. Make sure that you go to bed at roughly the same time each night and aim to wake up the same time each morning. What things or activities do you find relaxing?
Brainstorm a calming list of things you enjoy for relaxation and incorporate them into a routine that relaxes you before bed. Activities like taking a soothing bath (warm, not too hot for baby!), prenatal yoga or stretching, a warm foot soak or reading a chapter of a good book. I also have a full self care guide of tools that you can try out to promote relaxation and wellness before bed to get your list started.
Not only can soothing activities promote better sleep, but any activity that reduces anxiety can have a positive impact on your mental health, while stretching, light exercise or yoga can promote better physical health, comfort and promote better blood circulation to your sore joints.
2. Buy Plenty Of Pillows
Laying on your side tends to be the most comfortable sleep position for pregnant women. According to the American Pregnancy Association, it’s even better to sleep on your left side, as this increases the amount of blood and nutrients that reach your placenta and baby.
No matter which side you choose, having a lot of pillows for support can make you feel a lot more comfortable. You can also use pillows to elevate your head while you sleep to help reduce acid reflux, alleviate pressure on sore joints and promote better breathing.
If you suffer from swollen feet, putting a pillow under your feet to elevate them can help to reduce painful swelling overnight.
I would also recommend a full-length body pillow or u-shaped body pillow that can help re-align your hips or help prop up your back to make the night more comfortable, especially when things start to get achy in the third trimester. You can shop a few options below:
3.Use A Room Humidifier & Try A Sleep Mask
When your bedroom is too dry, it can significantly affect your shut-eye whether you’re pregnant or not. This is because the low humidity dries out your skin and nasal passages, which can affect your breathing throughout the night. It also leaves you more susceptible than you already are to catching a cold.
This weather advisory site suggests a number of ways to increase humidity in your home for a more comfortable environment.
Another thing I have really found helpful to falling and staying asleep is using a sleep mask; these help to block out all sources of light that can disrupt your sleep and I always sleep better when I use a sleep mask versus when I don’t sleep with one on – good when you’re pregnant or not!
4. Avoid Caffeine After Lunch
Most professionals would advise against drinking large amounts of caffeine during pregnancy (I didn’t drink any and still survived!). As well as potentially putting your little one at risk, caffeine can also make it harder for you to get a good night’s sleep and can also keep your baby awake, which means more kicking and rolling in your tummy!
Avoiding caffeine altogether is best, but, if this isn’t possible, then limit your consumption to mornings and consider a caffeine-free option in the evenings like a calming, sleepy tea.
5. Skip The Daytime Naps
Daytime sleepiness is common among pregnant women, especially in the first trimester. This is why many of them find themselves napping throughout the day. The problem with this is that the more you sleep during the day, the less you will at night. Because of this, you should try to keep yourself awake.
Instead of napping, try to keep active and head to bed an hour or two earlier than you usually would. You’ll find it much easier to nod off when you want to this way. If you still aren’t getting enough sleep, you can always find out how I fake looking more awake on a regular basis!
6. Avoid Electronics and Blue Light
If you’re like me, you love checking your phone or watching a YouTube makeup tutorial to catch up on the latest makeup trends before bed. But the blue light emitted from our phones, laptops and televisions can mess our sleep and make it harder fall asleep quickly.
Try to turn of all your devices an hour before bed or adjust the blue light level on your phone/tablet as a bare minimum.
7. Try Some Relaxing Music or White Noise
Music has also been something I’ve turned to to help me sleep. You can find some great relaxation playlists now on YouTube or many music apps to help you relax and think of all the fun you and baby will have together!
I personally love using Sleepa – a free mobile app that has 32 relaxing sounds broken into four groups (rain, city, nature, meditation) as well as white noise, pink noise and brown noise to promote meditation. My personal favourite is the sound of rain lightly tapping on the roof from the rain sounds feature. I use this app every night to help me sleep and it’s a lifesaver!
You can also consider a white noise machine for some relaxing sounds; these machines are also great once baby comes because infants actually prefer a bit of noise to sleep!
8. Avoid Foods That Bother You
Heartburn was a big issue for me in the third trimester, which meant that foods like onions and tomato sauce during dinner were a no go. If you suffer from heartburn at night or uncomfortable bloating, try to avoid foods that you know make these issues worse several hours before bed so they don’t disturb your rest.
Spicy foods can also cause stomach issues during this time, so cancel the jalapeno peppers on your nacho platter before bed too! I would also suggest avoiding going to bed on a full stomach, as indigestion is more likely to occur when your stomach is at max capacity.
RELATED READING: Six Foods That Can Help Get Rid Of Acid Reflux
9. Avoid Drinking Too Much At Night
During the third trimester, your enlarged uterus can put additional pressure on your bladder, so going to bed with a full bladder can lead to waking up to go pee.
Make sure you drink enough fluids during the day so you can cut back an hour before bed to avoid night time bathroom runs. If you do need to get up at night for any reason, make sure you keep a nightlight on so you don’t trip and injure yourself and baby.
Insomnia is common among pregnant women, but hopefully these tips help you catch some zzzzzz’s!
