Good Sleeping

While Pregnant

Good Sleeping is very important but with pregnancy comes a multitude of sleep disturbances, including nausea, heartburn, leg cramps, and snoring.

Sometimes these problems are further aggravated by poor sleep habits you developed before pregnancy.

These guidelines may be useful for improving your overall sleep habits.

good sleeping

Think about what and when you eat and drink...

Avoid smoking and alcohol. Nicotine and alcohol are harmful to you and your baby, and both can make it hard to get a good night’s sleep.

Cut back on caffeine. Reduce your intake of caffeinated substances such as coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate (consuming these excessively isn’t safe anyway), and cut them out entirely in the afternoon and evening.

Reduce your fluid intake in the late afternoon and evening. It is important to keep your fluid levels up while you’re pregnancy, but try drinking more in the morning. Drinking less in the late afternoon and evening will help reduce toilet breaks during the night.

Cut out heavy meals and spicy foods before bedtime. Heartburn and indigestion can be really uncomfortable during pregnancy, eating spicy or acidic foods only aggravates this as can eating a large meal before bed. Eat lighter meals earlier on in the day and allow your body up to three hours to digest your food.

More Good Sleeping Tips

Have a light snack before bedtime to ward off nausea. If you're suffering with nausea (common during the first trimester), try to keep your stomach full by frequently eating bland snacks such as crackers, particularly before bedtime.

Learn the art of relaxing

Take naps. Taking a short nap of thirty to sixty minutes will help you to feel more alert, boost your memory, and reduce the overall feelings of fatigue. The National Sleep Foundation carried out studies and found that over 50% of pregnant women take at least one nap during the work week, while 60 percent take at least one weekend nap. Don’t nap too late in the day though as this can interfere with a good night’s sleep.

Avoid exercise late in the day. Gentle exercise is beneficial for both your mental and physical health during pregnancy. Your body needs time to unwind after exercise so allow yourself at least three hours before you go to bed.

Practice relaxation techniques. Find out more about sleep-inducing techniques such as guided imagery, deep breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation.

Don’t take your problems to bed with you. If you have any worries or concerns that are keeping you awake, try keeping a notepad next to your bed. You may find that writing your worries down can help relieve your concerns and you can tackle them in the morning with a fresh mind.

Doing these mentioned tips regularly will enhance your efforts towards good sleeping.

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