It is of the utmost importance in the life of every person, needless to say. It is clear that during pregnancy it is doubly necessary: ​​without sleeping and not resting during the night, a woman feels irritable and tired during the day, and this has never been considered useful. But, besides the fact that the mother's body is exhausted and wears out during insomnia, the fetus experiences the same emotions and experiences the same sensations as the mother. This condition can be dangerous for both of you, so insomnia during pregnancy must be dealt with.

Why can't a pregnant woman sleep?

Statistics say that 78% of pregnant women experience difficulty sleeping during pregnancy and at least 97% of women suffer from insomnia in the third trimester of pregnancy. And there can be many reasons for this: both physiological and psychological. For many, sleep disturbance is noted from the first weeks of pregnancy. Some experts consider this, like the appearance of drowsiness, one of them and explain it with hormonal changes. But still, in most cases, insomnia begins to bother pregnant women in the third trimester. It becomes more and more difficult to comfortably lie down in bed, someone has shortness of breath or, many are tormented and or sideways, due to stretching, the skin itches terribly, the baby is too active and has fun for a long time, and everything else endlessly wants to go to the toilet. The situation is aggravated by chronic fatigue, fear of the upcoming birth and other situational factors. In the last stages, women often dream of a maternity hospital, obstetricians, the process of childbirth itself, and the like, or waves, a raging ocean, a whirlpool, which symbolizes pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Many wake up in seventh sweats from dreams in which they lost their baby. Experts say that you should not attach any importance to such nightmares, since they are fully justified - the psychological state of a woman in the third trimester changes under the weight of the upcoming birth and the responsibility of parenthood. But if the dream does not leave your head, discuss it with a loved one, and then you yourself will understand that nothing terrible has happened.

Yes, what is it!?

The state of insomnia is divided into three different types. When you can’t fall asleep for a long time in the evening, tossing and turning from side to side for hours, we are talking about the so-called starting insomnia. As a rule, a person in this case analyzes the events experienced during the day and reflects on the upcoming affairs. The inability to maintain a state of sleep is the second type of insomnia. You fall asleep, but are unable to stay asleep until the morning, because of which you constantly wake up during the night and the next morning you do not feel at all rested. And the third type - insomnia of the final phase - when, having woken up in the morning, it does not work out again.

During pregnancy, it is the starting insomnia that most often occurs - it becomes increasingly difficult to fall asleep with a big, heavy belly, in which life is "boiling", and even with all the "side effects" of pregnancy. But no matter when a pregnant woman does not sleep, it is necessary to learn how to cope with insomnia and provide yourself with rest. After all, it is during sleep that the body replenishes the energy reserves spent during the day, so it is absolutely necessary for us. Experts say that a person's daily need for sleep is 10 hours, and in order to avoid problems, regular sleep deprivation must be constantly compensated. Although, of course, each person has his own individual needs, including in rest. Sleep is a biological state in which many of the most important processes for the human body take place. And to preserve physical and psychological health, this chain must not be broken.

In order to learn to control sleep, you must roughly understand its nature for yourself. Like any other biological process, sleep is cyclic in nature, and all phases are repeated at intervals of 90-120 minutes. Fast and slow sleep replace each other 4-6 times a night. REM sleep lasts about 10 minutes. It is at this time that the brain becomes active, as if in a waking state, and the person dreams. If you wake him up in REM sleep, he will feel tired and sleepy all day. And what is interesting: these phases alternate every night at the same time, even if you are not sleeping. The strongest desire to sleep occurs just during the phase of REM sleep. Therefore, if you woke up in the middle of the night and cannot fall asleep in any way, know that after a maximum of 120 minutes, sleep will return to you. So by that time you can read some kind of "sleeping" book, knit or listen to a calm one. It has been proven that trying to fall asleep at all costs, knowing that you definitely need to get up in the morning, is a 100% way to finally wake up. So calmly respond to insomnia and learn how to deal with it.

How to deal with insomnia during pregnancy?

The most important thing is not to treat. Whoever advises you on the perfect cure for insomnia, no matter how this or that drug helped you before, do not take any sleeping pills without a doctor's prescription. Only a doctor can prescribe you a medicine and only in case of urgent need. But you can try to calm your nervous system with herbal remedies: motherwort, chamomile, valerian.

Pay attention to what and when you eat and drink. You should not overload the stomach at night, dinner should be light and not very late. Some nutritionists believe that protein in the evening helps to cope with insomnia due to the content of L-tryptophan, which reduces the time to fall asleep. Others believe that carbohydrates contribute to sleep better, because they are quickly digested, without causing strong intestinal motility and excitation of the nervous system. This is something everyone should check for themselves. Garden salad, asparagus, melon can also reduce nervous excitability and improve sleep. Feeling weak, lightheaded, and palpitating before bed can be a sign of low blood sugar. Be sure to tell your doctor about this, but for now treat yourself to sweet tea.

It is good to drink a glass of milk with honey before going to bed or herbal tea: from orange, lavender, lemon balm, licorice or savory, thyme and mint, chamomile. It is undesirable to use hops in decoctions. It is also recommended to take turnip, radish or beetroot juice with honey. To prepare it, you need to make a recess in the root crop, in which to put 1 teaspoon of honey. After a few hours, juice is formed - it is consumed before bedtime. An infusion of celery herb is also effective: 20 g of chopped herb is poured into 1 cup of boiling water and infused for 30 minutes. Then the infusion should be filtered and taken 1/3 cup 3 times a day. Black currant fruits in their natural form or a decoction of dried berries (2 teaspoons per glass of water) are also used in folk medicine as a sedative. But tonic drinks (regular tea or coffee) at night looking completely useless. As well as a lot of liquid in principle: frequent urination already gives mom no rest, so try to prevent endless nightly trips to the toilet by reducing fluid intake in the evening and at night.

Try to save yourself from overstrain, stress, scandals, showdowns and other emotional stress, especially during the night. But daily physical education will only improve blood circulation and have a good effect on the nervous system. If you are used to sleeping during the day, try to abandon daytime sleep in favor of nighttime sleep, or at least reduce its duration. The same goes for couch: learn to go to bed only to sleep, and not to watch TV or chat on the phone.

In order for sleep to be strong and calm, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for this. The room should be a little cool. It is ideal to sleep with an open window, but you can also sleep in a well-ventilated room. Just avoid hypothermia: your feet should be warm (you can even wear socks). Pajamas should be comfortable and made of natural fabric, do not press anywhere and do not constrain. To make it easier to take a comfortable position - put pillows around. One of them can additionally be placed under the head (to raise the upper body in relation to the lower), one - between the knees, and also under the back to relieve the load from the spine. Closer to childbirth, it is not recommended to sleep on your back, because the uterus presses on the inferior vena cava, which reduces blood flow to the heart and brain, and this can even cause fainting in the mother and. If the baby begins to beat hard or shows increased activity, try changing the position of the body. You may have cut off his oxygen supply. In general, experts recommend sleeping on the left side, which also prevents shortness of breath, but this is already individual. Or maybe the movements of the crumbs are connected with the fact that he decided to play - and this happens. Then you have to wait until he calms down.

Evening before bedtime in the fresh air has a beneficial effect on falling asleep. A light relaxing on the back, lower back and legs helps well. When cramps appear in the calf muscles, you need to pull the big toe towards you and do a leg massage, and to prevent cramps, you need to get enough trace elements, in particular magnesium.

A shower will help relieve fatigue. Try to resort to - arrange relaxing incense in the bathroom or bedroom or put a pillow stuffed with relaxing herbs at the head of the bed: buckwheat husk or thyme, leaves of noble laurel or hazel (hazel), immortelle flowers, pine needles, hop cones, geranium grass, rose petals. Pregnancy lotion will help relieve or prevent itching of the skin of the abdomen. And it helps many to speed up the arrival of Morpheus (it is clear if you have no contraindications to this). When you feel sleep approaching, try to breathe slowly and deeply.

Of course, you don't have to do everything at once. Choose one or two effective methods for yourself and learn how to sleep peacefully. This is essential for both you and your baby. After all, very soon you will have to work hard for glory. And for this you need to stock up on strength and energy.
Sleep tight and watch the most rosy dreams!

Especially for- Elena Kichak

From Guest

I wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep again. Only in the morning I fall asleep at 5 o'clock and then I have to get up at 7. Take the kids to school. It started for me at 36 weeks.

From Guest

They also suffer from goosebumps, nervousness of the legs, a hot shower for the legs saved (you pour it on your thighs gradually increasing the temperature of the water) you sit under the stream for 10 minutes, then you fall asleep peacefully until the morning)))

Express yourself insomnia during pregnancy starts in the first trimester of pregnancy. Many doctors put this indicator as one of the signs of pregnancy.
The second trimester of pregnancy, as a rule, passes without any complications, on the contrary, sleep becomes long and deep. Some pregnant women even complain that they are constantly sleepy.
And here is the highest peak insomnia during pregnancy comes in the third trimester. It has been scientifically proven that lack of sleep is a symptom, not a disease. Therefore, it is most important to know where it comes from and how to deal with it.

The main causes of insomnia during pregnancy:

• overriding reason insomnia during pregnancy Sleep is a hormonal change in a woman's body. He spends all his strength on bearing the fetus, so it is quite natural that it is very difficult to relax when the whole body is in the “combat readiness” stage.
• Frequent nighttime urge to urinate (due to the fact that the uterus, increasing in size, every day begins to put more and more pressure on the bladder).
• Heartburn, and it can manifest itself on any kind of food. There are no specific criteria for what foods to give up, so we advise women to analyze after what food they begin to work the gastrointestinal tract and, as a result, the appearance of heartburn.
• Pain in back and small of back from growing fetus.
• Movement of the baby in the tummy.
• The inconvenience of postures and the inability of the body to physically relax, due to the fact that the stomach has significantly increased in size and the body has grown larger.
• Cramps, especially of the legs, which manifest themselves most often at night.
• Shortness of breath, especially in the third trimester, when the body weight of the pregnant woman is too large, and besides, the uterus itself begins to put pressure on the lungs.
• Itching in the abdomen due to stretching of the skin.
• Chronic fatigue and irritability.
• Nervous tension and stress (worries about the course of pregnancy, before the upcoming birth, for the health of the baby, etc.)
• Nightmares

How to deal with insomnia during pregnancy?

From the tips below, try to choose only what suits your case, what you personally like.

During the day:

1. Avoid overvoltage. The fatigue accumulated during the day does not always lead to sound sleep, sometimes it turns out that after a hard day you are simply unable to relax.
2. If during the day you are used to sleeping for a while, try to give up this habit for a few days or at least reduce the time of daytime sleep - maybe nighttime sleep will be restored.
3. If you are tormented by nightmares that you cannot forget about later, talk about them with a loved one (husband, mother, girlfriend) in the morning or afternoon. Psychoanalysts consider the discussion of night dreams to be a very effective means of overcoming fear of them: firstly, loved ones will try to calm you down, and most likely they will succeed, and secondly, by putting into words the vague visions that tormented you, you yourself will find that there are no special reasons for fear.
4. During the day, find time and opportunity to do simple exercises that are within your power. Swimming, hiking and even dancing are considered very useful (in the latter case, of course, it all depends on the duration of pregnancy and your well-being).
5. Your body must get used to the fact that the bed is only a place for sleeping: get out of the habit of lying in bed - you should not read, watch TV, etc. while lying down.

In the evening, about two hours before bedtime, start preparing for the upcoming night to be calm and peaceful.
Experts talk about sleep hygiene, which includes a number of activities:

1. Do not eat heavy meals shortly before bedtime: on a full stomach, you will toss and turn until the morning.
2. Do not assign to the evening cases that require physical and intellectual effort.
3. Avoid emotional tension and stressful situations during this period of the day (do not appoint unpleasant conversations and stormy explanations for the evening, ask relatives and friends not to call you in the evening and, of course, do not watch action movies and thrillers at night).
4. Take a warm bath or shower before bed. You can add a decoction of chamomile or a few drops of some aromatic oil (for example, lavender) to the bath - this will help you relax.
5. Try to drink less in the evening (making sure that the total daily fluid intake is 6-8 glasses), this will help you cope with the cause of insomnia, the need to empty the bladder frequently.
6. Before you go to bed, drink a cup of warm milk (if you don’t like the taste of milk, you can add cinnamon, a little honey or sugar) or herbal tea (in this case, chamomile is often recommended, which has a relaxing effect).
7. You can eat a small sandwich with boiled turkey before going to bed (the meat of this bird is also rich in tryptophan).
8. If you feel weak, dizzy in the evening, your heart rate increases, perhaps the cause of your insomnia is hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). In this case, sweet tea, juice, or just a piece of sugar can help you (and be sure to tell your doctor about these symptoms so that he confirms or refutes this diagnosis and takes appropriate measures).
9. Before going to bed, apply lotion to the skin of the abdomen, this can prevent itching.
10. Ask your husband or someone close to give you a massage before going to bed: it will give you the opportunity to relax, relieve back and lower back pain, foot and ankle massage will help to avoid cramps. Shiatsu acupressure can also be effective, if someone in your family owns his technique, why not try it.
11. It is possible that homeopathic remedies properly selected by a specialist will help in the fight against insomnia.
12. Some people will fall asleep…sex. If you have no medical contraindications to having sex, you feel the desire and you know that usually after sex you are sleepy - why not?

But now the nightly ritual of preparation for sleep is completed, and you are already in bed. What to do at night so that a longed dream flies to you?

At night:

1. First of all - try not to be nervous, not to think that you will not be able to fall asleep, this will only worsen the situation.
2. The bedroom should be cool (however, it is necessary to avoid hypothermia of the legs - you can sleep in socks). If it is not possible to sleep with an open window, you need to ventilate the room well before going to bed.
3. Nightwear (shirt, pajamas) should be comfortable, made from natural materials, not restricting movement and breathing.
4. It is best to sleep on a comfortable mattress. Find out what is right for you - maybe a duvet cover, maybe a embossed mattress with a surface that resembles egg cartons, or maybe, on the contrary, it will be easier for you to sleep on a hard surface and you just need to put boards under the mattress.
5. A pregnant woman will need a lot of pillows (at least 3) of various shapes and sizes to sleep. Well, if you manage to get a special pillow for pregnant women - it has a wedge shape and is specially designed to put it under the stomach. After giving birth, you can use it while breastfeeding. Pillows can be placed under the side, under the neck, clamped between the legs; you can cover the entire mattress with pillows - such an improved bed will better take the shape of your body. You can put an extra pillow under your head - in some cases, this not only makes breathing easier, but also proves to be an effective remedy for heartburn.
6. Look for a comfortable position in which you can fall asleep. You will not be able to sleep on your stomach and on your back - which means you will have to lie on your side (some doctors believe that it is better on the left - this increases blood flow to the uterus). Put one pillow under your stomach, squeeze the other between your knees, if your back and lower back hurt, you can tuck another pillow under your side. Sometimes women are advised to sleep in the fetal position (it is unnecessary to remind how physiological it is, I will only say that, by stimulating blood circulation, it contributes to the maximum relaxation of all muscles).
7. However, it should be remembered that in the last months of pregnancy, it is not recommended to sleep on your back, since under the weight of the uterus, the inferior vena cava, which runs along the spine, can be pinched. This is the cause of loss of consciousness in a pregnant woman and oxygen starvation in a child.
8. When you feel sleep approaching, try to breathe slowly and deeply.
9. It is possible that aromatherapy will help you. A drop of lavender oil can be useful not only in the bath, but also in bed.
10. If you haven't been able to fall asleep within half an hour, get up, go to another room, leaf through a magazine or read a book that can induce sleep, start knitting, listen to soothing music, and go to bed only when you feel that sleep is coming.

Sleeping pills during pregnancy

Sleeping pills for insomnia during pregnancy are contraindicated.

Carrying a child is a difficult and truly important period in the life of a future mother. At this time, the woman's body is being rebuilt: the work of internal organs is intensifying, the hormonal background is changing, and a failure in the nervous system is possible. The latter leads to such a condition as insomnia during pregnancy - a common problem that manifests itself differently in all women. In medicine, insomnia is designated by a special term - insomnia.

In ordinary life, insomnia leads to an irregular daily routine, severe fatigue and experienced stress. In pregnant women, increased anxiety joins these reasons. They are worried about the health and safety of the unborn child, which only aggravates the situation. In this article, we will talk about the main causes of insomnia and help you cope with this difficult condition.

At first glance, insomnia is a pathology that manifests itself only by endless attempts to fall asleep and is not divided into different types. However, if you dig deeper, you will see that this is a serious violation that can have a number of manifestations and causes.

Doctors distinguish 10 types of insomnia (insomnia).

1. Adaptive. This type of insomnia refers to acute (temporary) disorders and is caused by stressful situations. Adaptive insomnia lasts for 3-5 nights, less often - a week or more. The main reason is the presence of noticeable stress. This may be a change in time zones or place of residence, an exam, or an acute illness that lasts for a short time. Other factors: uncomfortable sleeping place, uncomfortable temperature, excessive illumination of the room (for example, during the polar night in northern cities).
2. Paradoxical. This is a rare form of insomnia that occurs in 5% of patients. The patient complains of difficulty falling asleep, but in fact, the duration of sleep exceeds the norm up to 8 hours. Such a distortion of perception is observed in mental illness.
3. Idiopathic. It often occurs in children, but can worsen in adulthood. It is associated with a disorder of the nervous system, which does not work enough or too intensively.
4. Insomnia associated with a psychiatric disorder. In this case, many factors lead to insomnia. The most common are anxiety, schizophrenia, and depression.
5. Insomnia due to poor sleep hygiene. Such insomnia is caused by a number of reasons: lack of regimen, frequent daytime falling asleep, drinking alcohol, nicotine or caffeine shortly before bedtime and overexertion in the evening.
6. Organic. In this case, sleep problems are caused by poor health or a serious pathology leading to structural disorders of internal organs and systems.
7. Behavioral. It is observed in children who do not observe sleep hygiene (for example, with late going to bed and daytime falling asleep). Does not occur in adults.
8. Inorganic. In this case, mental illness, poor sleep hygiene and psychological factors lead to sleep disturbances.
9. Psychophysiological. Associated with increased anxiety and focus on unresolved issues.
10. Insomnia associated with medication. Some drugs can give a kind of side effect - an increase in the tone of the body. A similar effect is given by tea, coffee and energy drinks.

What type of insomnia occurs during pregnancy in a particular woman? This should be determined by a specialist by conducting the necessary examination and a number of diagnostic measures.

Causes of poor sleep at different times

In the first trimester

In the early stages of bearing a child, insomnia during pregnancy is not considered a deviation. In the body of the expectant mother, a large amount of progesterone is released - a hormone that is involved in the regulation of the menstrual cycle and the development of the embryo. This leads to severe fatigue, due to which a pregnant woman can fall asleep anywhere and in almost any position. Often this happens in the daytime, because of which the regime is violated.

Doctors note that insomnia is one of the first signs of an "interesting situation" that helps to detect pregnancy in the early stages of its development.

Another cause of insomnia is hormonal changes, which directly affect a woman's mood. Emotional instability is accompanied by irritability, restlessness and frequent anxiety.

Frequent urination is the reason why a pregnant woman is forced to go to the toilet at night. The uterus grows, descends and presses on the bladder, which leads to frequent urination. In the second trimester, the problem resolves on its own, as the uterus rises and the pressure on the bladder becomes noticeably less.

The second trimester is considered the most prosperous time when the woman's body adapts, and insomnia in pregnant women gradually disappears. However, the body of each person is individual, so insomnia can still manifest itself. The causes of this condition most often lie in reasons not related to pregnancy:

• wrong lifestyle. We are talking about "sleep hygiene" - a daily routine, a balanced diet, drinking coffee and tea only in the morning. It is not recommended to practice daytime sleep - in this case, the regimen will fail and falling asleep at night will be several times more difficult than usual;
• anemia. This is a condition in which the concentration of red blood cells decreases and hemoglobin falls. Anemia (another name for anemia) is associated with the active growth of the baby and is accompanied by chronic fatigue);
• external conditions that create physical discomfort. The room may be hot, extra light or cold enters the room. Perhaps the surface of the bed is uncomfortable for your body, and the pillow leads to neck fatigue.

In most cases, the normalization of sleep in the second trimester is not difficult. If you meet all the conditions, and insomnia does not go away, contact your doctor.

In the third trimester

The third trimester of childbearing is as important as the first. When the abdomen reaches an impressive size, insomnia returns. This usually happens around the 32nd, 36th, or 39th week of pregnancy. A growing belly presses on the internal organs, which is why a woman has difficulty sleeping.

It is becoming more and more difficult for the expectant mother to get settled in bed. Habitual postures are either forbidden or do not allow you to sleep with complete comfort. In addition, a woman may be distracted by natural urges or cramping sensations or convulsions. The child begins to push, which also makes it difficult to fall asleep. This explains the insomnia during pregnancy in the third trimester.

During pregnancy, a woman's body is rebuilt and works in an "emergency" mode. This leads to exhaustion and a noticeable decrease in immunity. The latter can lead to the emergence of infectious diseases, which will only aggravate the already difficult situation of a woman.

We offer you to familiarize yourself with a selection of methods that will help alleviate insomnia and normalize the functioning of the body.

Exercises

Exercises have a low level of complexity - you can perform them even in bed, without risking harm to health or causing premature birth:

• alternate between shallow and shallow breathing. It is also recommended to breathe with a delay of 20 seconds. Such exercises are best performed under the supervision of a specialist. You can fully master them at specialized courses for pregnant women;
• lie comfortably on your back, stretch your arms along the body, slightly raise your legs. Begin to perform movements that mimic normal walking. Due to moderate physical fatigue, you will be distracted from your problems and will not even notice how you fall asleep;
• if sleep does not come for more than half an hour, try to transfer your attention to something else. Get out of bed, go into another room, and start doing something monotonous. Start reading a difficult book or knitting. Go back to bed as soon as you feel sleepy again.

Try to normalize your breathing and calm down: inhale the air slowly and deeply. Combine the above exercises with counting to yourself. Over time, you will get tired of monotonous actions and fall asleep without noticing it yourself.

Relaxation

The purpose of relaxation is to relieve emotional stress. The following ways will help the expectant mother to relax and unwind:

• listening to calm instrumental music;
• aromatherapy (in the absence of intolerance to aromatic oils);
• light massage of the legs and lower back;
• walks in the open air;
• sex (in the absence of contraindications).

It is not necessary to complete all of the items listed on the same day. It is enough to choose what is right for you, and use it in the future to combat insomnia.

One way to relax is a hot water bath. However, during pregnancy, this method can be quite dangerous, as it leads to overheating of the internal organs and is able to form developmental abnormalities in the developing fetus.

During the period of bearing a baby, it is categorically not recommended to take most of the medicines. Sleeping pills can cross the placental barrier and cause developmental disorders in the unborn child. Alternatively, sedative medications can be used:

• motherwort (from 70 rubles);
• valerian (from 55 rubles);
• Glycine (from 50 rubles);
• Persen (from 400 rubles);
• Magne B6 Forte (from 700 rubles);
• Nervochel (from 400 rubles).

Do not forget that the body of each woman is individual, and drugs can be taken only after prior consultation with a doctor.

Folk remedies

The advantage of products prepared according to folk recipes is their availability and safety. They have almost no contraindications, therefore they are allowed even in the presence of concomitant diseases. The only point that needs to be considered in the first place is that tinctures should only be on water. Means containing alcohol are strictly contraindicated for pregnant women.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with the following recipes:

• take a teaspoon of honey and put it in warm water. Take before bed;
• mix honey and cranberries in a 1:1 ratio. Fill with warm water. Take as a sedative 3 times a day;
• take oregano and valerian in a ratio of 2:1. Transfer to a container with hot water and boil over a fire for about half an hour. Insist 1-2 hours, then take just before bedtime.

Choosing the optimal sleeping position

Another important point that will make life easier for a pregnant woman is the selection of the optimal sleeping position. It is not recommended to sleep on the stomach or back during this period due to the fact that the veins and internal organs are pinched.

Doctors believe that the most optimal position for sleeping during this period is on the left side, as this increases blood flow to the uterus. Another position recommended by experts is the fetal position. This position improves blood flow and promotes relaxation of all muscles.

Why is insomnia dangerous during pregnancy?

Some argue that poor sleep during pregnancy is a natural phenomenon that seems to help a woman prepare for the first years of caring for a baby. However, in practice, insomnia is quite dangerous and can lead to unpleasant consequences:

• depletion of the body and reduced immunity;
• mental health disorder;
• pathologically low weight in a newborn child.

Against the background of a weakened immune system, old diseases can worsen. The synthesis of cytokines, proteins responsible for the interaction of cells with each other, will increase. This can lead to miscarriage, premature birth, death of the child and mother.

Prevention of insomnia during pregnancy

To prevent insomnia, it is enough to follow a number of simple recommendations.

1. Maintain a daily routine. Try not to sleep during the day or use your bed as a place to work or relax. This forms the wrong associations, which will make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
2. Reduce your fluid intake in the afternoon. During pregnancy, the urge to urinate becomes more frequent and can bother you even at night. To prevent this from happening, drink water and various drinks in the morning. In the evening, the amount of fluid consumed should be reduced.
3. Create comfortable conditions. Ventilate the room regularly, eliminate extraneous sources of light or noise.

Do not forget about the internal consultation of a specialist. The doctor will help you cope with this problem, if necessary, prescribe approved medications and give the necessary recommendations.

The sleep of a pregnant woman has its own characteristics: if a woman often wants to sleep, then in the last trimester there is an absolutely opposite picture, and complaints most often relate to insomnia. What changes in the body cause sleep disorders and are there effective ways to combat insomnia during pregnancy?

The following types of insomnia during pregnancy are known:

• Some pregnant women cannot fall asleep for a long time, tossing and turning from side to side, that is, they have difficulty falling asleep - in this case, we are talking about starting insomnia;
• Others complain about the frequent interruption of sleep: the intervals of good rest are reduced - the division of sleep does not make it possible to fully rest;
• Sleep is interrupted in the early morning, and the woman loses several hours of good rest.

Let's take a look at the most common causes of sleep interruption during pregnancy and see how to deal with insomnia during pregnancy.

Features of sleep during pregnancy

Cause sleep disturbances throughout all trimesters can:

• hormonal changes;
• physiological changes in the body;
• woman's emotional state

1st trimester

During this period, women are more uncomfortable not with insomnia, but with a constant desire to sleep and low performance.

This is explained by the fact that in the first weeks of pregnancy, progesterone is intensively produced in the body. This hormone can be called a "protector of pregnancy" - it rebuilds all body systems in such a way as to reduce the activity of a woman who is carrying a baby. Excessive sleepiness at the beginning of pregnancy is one of the reminders that a woman needs more rest, not to overload her body.

Along with constant drowsiness, few women are concerned about early insomnia - what causes it and what to do in this case?

• Emotional insomnia

Insomnia can come from an overabundance of emotions that do not allow you to sleep at night: for some, the news of pregnancy is pleasant and expected, for others, the birth of a child comes as a surprise, and not always pleasant. Until a woman comes to terms with the news of her pregnancy, she may experience "emotional insomnia."

• Toxicosis

Nausea and vomiting can be one of the causes of early insomnia. Some women suffer from toxicosis even at night, preventing them from getting enough sleep.

• Frequent urination

An increase in the size of the uterus, which is observed in the early stages, causes frequent urination. After visiting the toilet, a pregnant woman often cannot sleep. These changes are also attributed to the factors that cause insomnia at the beginning of pregnancy.

II trimester

The number of pregnant women suffering from insomnia is decreasing.

This period is characterized by the most favorable period in terms of sleep:

• news about replenishment in the family is perceived;
• the hormonal background stabilizes (production of progesterone decreases);
• physiological changes do not yet cause discomfort.

The reasons for sleep disorders become much less than at the beginning of pregnancy.

Insomnia during pregnancy in the second trimester can most often be caused by external factors or emotional upheavals:

• Problems in the health of the pregnant woman herself or pathology in the development of the fetus, discovered during the diagnosis - thoughts that something will be wrong do not allow you to sleep peacefully;
• Also, external irritants can disturb the sleep of a pregnant woman: snoring, stuffiness or cold in the room;

III trimester

Most often, insomnia during pregnancy torments women in the last months before childbirth. The reasons that cause it are the following:

• Physiological inconveniences associated with the growth of the fetus - the stomach increases, it is not always possible to take a comfortable position for sleeping, urination becomes more frequent;
• In addition to physiological changes, there is increased anxiety before childbirth, that is, "emotional insomnia" develops.

How to deal with insomnia during pregnancy?

Sleep comfort

First, you need to observe sleep hygiene:

• Some experts advise eating protein foods containing tryptophan, which makes sleep peaceful; others recommend giving preference to carbohydrates that are absorbed faster;
• As the pregnant women themselves, who managed to overcome insomnia, advise, it is better not to eat at all before going to bed, but to limit yourself to a glass of warm milk (you can add honey) or herbal tea;
• You need to be careful when choosing herbs for soothing tea, as not all of them can be harmless for pregnant women. Melissa is allowed, if there are no problems with pressure, St. John's wort and valerian grass;
• The room should not be too hot or cold - it is important to monitor the temperature. The most optimal indicators are not higher than 18 - 20 degrees. By the way, this temperature will be the best for the room where the future baby will be;

Secondly, you need to follow the rule of "luxurious sleep":

• Create space for sleep. Nothing terrible will happen if for a while the husband gives up his place on the marital bed to his wife and goes to sleep on the sofa. The pregnant woman will have the opportunity to "lie down like a star";
• It is better to sleep on the left side. In this position, there is no disturbance of blood flow.
• A few pillows that need to be placed under the stomach, legs, and head will help create comfortable conditions. It is recommended to purchase a “banana pillow” for pregnant women, which will be useful for feeding the baby in the future;
• If you suffer from heartburn, it is recommended to put an extra pillow under your head.

Thirdly, it is necessary to avoid emotional overexcitation before going to bed: do not watch action-packed films, news, etc.

Medicines

When taking medications, you should be especially careful. So far, not a single drug has been developed for insomnia during pregnancy. On the contrary, history knows a case that occurred in the 70s. They released thalidomide, a drug for insomnia during pregnancy. As a result of taking this medicine, 10,000 children were born with pathologies of the nervous system. The drug has been withdrawn from sale. So you should be very careful with insomnia pills.

The only drug that is allowed during pregnancy is valerian tablets. It's not an insomnia pill, it's a sedative. It should be remembered that valerian has a cumulative effect. At the very beginning of the reception, you may not notice its effect. But after a couple of weeks, the sleep of pregnant women taking valerian improves.