8 tips to help you sleep during pregnancy

It is known that young children have a knack for making their parents sleep deprived during their first months (or years) of life. But sleep problems may still start in pregnancy.

Understanding how to promote sleep during the 9 months of gestation is not only helpful in recovering energy and being in a good mood but it is also important to reduce the likelihood of some complications that may arise.

During pregnancy, depending on the period you are experiencing, sleep problems can be different.

In the first trimester most women would like to fall asleep anywhere. You are more tired, you probably want to go to bed earlier, if it were possible you can introduce afternoon naps: the body needs rest and it is crying out for it!

In the second trimester things usually change and you return to the normal sleep needs you had before pregnancy, while in the third trimester you may have difficulty falling asleep.

The difficulty in having a good sleep in the last trimester of pregnancy is generally linked to some annoyances, such as:

• Backache
• Baby kicks
• Leg cramps
• Frequent need to pee
• Weight gain
• Stuffy nose

It is not possible to remedy all the causes that prevent good sleep, but there are some suggestions for better rest

8 useful tips to promote sleep during pregnancy

1. Developing a routine before going to sleep contributes to relaxation. It can be taking a bath or shower, reading a book…
2. Avoid tablets and cell phones for at least an hour before bedtime. If this is not possible, at least lower the brightness of the screen.
3. Limit caffeine in the diet.
4. Relieve stress with yoga or meditation or a massage
5. Don’t sleep on your back. It reduces the baby’s oxygen supply and puts pressure on the back.
6. Sleep on your side using pillows to support your abdomen and sides.
7. Limit breathing problems resulting from stuffy nose by trying to keep your head higher
8. Good hydration  helps reduce leg cramps

Sleeping little and badly during pregnancy not only brings tiredness but predisposes to a series of complications such as

• high blood pressure (and related heart problems)
• gestational diabetes
• anxiety and depression
• postpartum depression

There are also some situations that appear or worsen when you are pregnant and that do not allow you to sleep well

One of these is  restless legs syndrome (RLS). When this syndrome occurs during one pregnancy, it is likely to recur in subsequent pregnancies. However, symptoms return to normal (for preexisting cases) or disappear (for new cases) shortly after the baby is born.

Always talk to your doctor if you can’t sleep well because he can help you understand the cause and give you useful tips to overcome it.