Guide to sleep in pregnancy

In pregnancy, and in particular with the belly, sleep is disturbed for different reasons in each trimester .

So let’s see why sleep is important and what problems its lack can trigger, what happens quarter by quarter and finally what remedies to implement to recover a good night’s rest.

Why is sleep so important?

78% of women experience sleep problems in pregnancy.

Good sleep is believed to reduce complications in childbirth but also to reduce the likelihood of incurring a caesarean section.

Poor sleep is also thought to prolong the duration of labor.

Why do you sleep badly during pregnancy in the first trimester?

Fatigue and drowsiness are typical of the first trimester of pregnancy. This leads to too many naps during the day which then translates into restless nights.

Breast tenderness due to the increase in progesterone in the circulation can also be annoying.

Sleep is also interrupted by frequent urination which forces us to go back and forth from the bathroom.

Nausea can also make sleep fragmented if you have nocturnal attacks.

The emotional state of great joy or anxiety that can characterize the first weeks of pregnancy can make sleep restless.

Why do you sleep badly during pregnancy in the second trimester?

During the second trimester of pregnancy many women (30 to 50%) experience the annoying heartburn that often occurs late in the evening or when you are in bed.

Even nasal congestion (always stuffy nose) , typical of pregnancy, can worsen at night making it difficult to sleep.

Furthermore, in this trimester you may often have nightmares or very intense dreams that could often interrupt your peaceful sleep.

Why do you sleep badly during pregnancy in the third trimester?

15% of women in the third trimester of pregnancy experience restless legs syndrome . It is a localized discomfort usually between the knee and ankle and manifests itself with tingling or restlessness.

The “trips” to the bathroom are becoming more and more frequent due to the baby weighing on the bladder, but also due to the increased filtering activity of the kidneys. So during the night you could get up easily two or three times to pee, consequently interrupting the sleep.

Pain in the shoulders and back and neck due to the weight of the belly can also be annoying at night.

Due to the looser ligaments in preparation for childbirth, pain is experienced in the pelvis area.

Other causes of bad sleep in pregnancy:

• Backache
• Frequent breaths due to the pressure of the diaphragm on the lungs
• Increased heart rate
• Snoring: 30% of pregnant women snore from nasal congestion.

Therefore 97% of pregnant women wake up during the night for one reason or another.

What to do to promote sleep during pregnancy?

• Avoid sugar and caffeine before bed (including chocolate!)
• Drink enough liquids throughout the day
• Have a light snack before going to bed. A cup of hot milk or a decaffeinated tea may be sufficient
• Take a relaxing hot bath
• Keep the temperature in your room lower than you keep it in other rooms
• If there are no contraindications, make love with your partner, it promotes sleep in both
• Kindly ask your partner for a relaxing massage
• Do relaxation exercises before bedtime
• Avoid listening to music or turning on the lights before falling asleep
• Avoid heavy dinners and spicy foods to avoid heartburn
• Try to create a routine for falling asleep
• Take small but not too many naps during the day
• Use pregnancy pillows

Many also recommend relaxing through alternative activities that allow you to convey your emotions: such as painting, drawing, music or writing.

Regular exercise allowed during pregnancy allows you to sleep better and have more regular sounds than those who do not exercise at all.

The best sleeping position

We also remember the importance of the correct position while sleeping .

The belly forces you to sleep in different positions from the usual ones and this change does not help you fall asleep quickly.

You will therefore have to find your best position to sleep during pregnancy  , perhaps with the help of the famous pillows with special shapes for those who are pregnant.