Your sleep can be disrupted by a couple of factors when you’re pregnant. The growing belly can be a possible cause for a bad night’s sleep. Your body changes throughout the trimesters. Your belly bloats up and the pelvic area widens. The body is preparing for childbirth starting from week 12. Your rest at night will feel differently to you. Being able to sleep properly during pregnancy can be challenging. However, there are a few solutions for a sleep problem during pregnancy. Work out a little beforehand, for example. Being physically active helps being able to fall asleep easier. It’s best to work out early in the evening rather than an hour before you want to sleep. The room temperature also influences your quality of sleeping. Let’s take a look at the 7 causes of sleep problems during pregnancy. Further down this blog you will read about the solutions.
7 causes of sleep problems during pregnancy:
- Nausea.
- Frequently needing to pee.
- Tension, stress and worries about childbirth or your baby’s health.
- Engorgement. A sensation of restlessness in the pelvis or legs.
- An active or kicking baby that keeps you up at night.
- A growing belly. Difficulty finding a comfortable position. The belly is in the way.
- Physical issues like pelvic issues, pelvic pain, pelvic instability, back pain, pain in the groin, and incontinence issues that make it hard for you to sleep without pain or discomfort.
If you are still looking for information, advices or tips after reading this blog, feel free to look around on the website. There is still plenty to discover! It’s filled with in-depth information, a web shop and exercises when it comes to issues or problems in or around the pelvic area.
7 causes of sleep problems during pregnancy
A sleep issue during your pregnancy. It’s a common and underestimated issue among pregnant women, while sleeping is a crucial process. Especially during pregnancy. You need to be able to properly recover so that your baby is able to continue receiving nourishment while you rest. There are still a handful of factors that influence your sleep.
7 causes of sleep problems during pregnancy:
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- Nausea. Nausea often lingers around until week 12, but it can also be around for longer. Make sure that you aren’t eating too much at night, this can decrease being nauseated when you go to bed.
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- Frequently needing to pee. The belly is growing and the space for your organs is decreasing. The bladder is quick to be crushed by the growing belly. Make sure to properly urinate before you get into bed. Feel free to take a look at my blogs about toilet habits to decrease the frequency of needing to visit the toilet at night.
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- Tension, stress and worries about childbirth and your baby’s health. This is very normal. You’re worried. However, it is important to try to relax. Stress has a huge impact on your baby. If you have questions, make sure to contact your obstetrician during the day so that your worries have settled at night. You can also take a look at my relaxing exercises or other advices for sleeping.
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- Engorgement. A sensation of restlessness in the pelvis or legs. This is a sensation often being experienced when there has been a lot of physical activity before sleeping. The blood flows through the pelvis and legs and it can be described as a crushing or chafing sensation. Don’t work out or have sex an hour before you go to bed.
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- A kicking baby. Babies often wake up at night which can be annoying. Try to properly relax and hopefully the little one won’t kick you too hard.
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- A growing belly. Having difficulty finding a comfortable position. The belly is in the way. Laying sideways with bent legs is the most comfortable for when your belly is growing.
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- Physical issues like pelvic issues, pelvic pain, pelvic instability, back pain, pain in the groin, and incontinence issues. The pain or discomfort can disrupt your sleep. Take a look at my relaxation exercises or other advices for sleep to be able to relax while you’re in pain or discomfort as well.
9 advices for sleeping during pregnancy
I’m sure that you’ve already experienced a rough night, because everyone experiences one of the issues above when they’re pregnant, having a snoring partner aside. You can still do a lot yourself to make sure that the chances of having a bad night’s rest are as small as possible. Let’s take a look at the best advices for a good sleep during pregnancy.
Advice 1: Empty your bladder
Avoid drinking after having dinner. And no, I don’t mean alcohol of course, but every type of hydration is best to be avoided at the end of the day. Divide the hydration intake of 2L throughout the morning and afternoon. This will decrease the frequency of needing to go to the toilet at night.
Advice 2: Avoid caffeine
You will need to avoid a lot of little pleasures during your pregnancy. Caffeine is one of them. Caffeine can be found in tea, coffee but also in chocolate. Even an apple is filled with caffeine. It’s a bummer, but this also isn’t beneficial for your baby and especially not for your sleep. Stop with consuming caffeine and maybe consider decaf for a moment?
Advice 3: Be mindful of what you eat
Watch out for spices and don’t consume heavy meals or snacks after dinner. It’s best to not eat anything anymore 3 hours before you go to bed. If you still experience some nausea, it’s best to eat some lightweight crackers.
Advice 4: Relaxation
It sounds easy but it’s recommended to relax before you go to sleep. Take a warm shower or have a read before going to bed. Don’t expose yourself to too many stimulations. Don’t burden yourself, or your partner, with a heavy discussion or a difficult subject. Do you often worry at night? Do you have a whole list of what you have to do tomorrow? Write it down! This has always helped me a lot. Place pen and paper on the nightstand, then you can give all of your nightly ideas a place for the next day. Take a look at my relaxing exercises or other advices for sleeping to be able to relax while you’re in pain or experiencing discomfort as well.
Advice 5: Work out on time
Working out during pregnancy, is that even possible? Of course it is! Being in good shape is always a positive thing. There are a few terms and conditions when it comes to working out. The further you progress into your pregnancy, the more you need to keep the little one in mind. Take training your abdominal muscles, for example. Take a look at my blog about working out during pregnancy. Do let your body wind down a little before you immediately crawl under the bedsheets. Just like with eating, it’s best to do it 3 hours before sleeping.
Advice 6: Having a routine
Plan out your daily routine. This counts for resting moments but a solid bedtime is also a good thing to hold on to. Look for a combination that works out. Get comfortable in bed and have a read or watch some TV, but do try to sleep and wake up around the same time. Don’t initiate things that cause you to think or worry in bed. Try not to think about your pregnancy and read a lighthearted magazine or book.
Advice 7: A proper sleeping position
What is a good position to sleep in while your belly is growing? Good question. A lot of women experience difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position. The position that possibly works out the most for you is laying sideways with slightly bent legs. You can place a body pillow or another pillow between your legs so that your knees stay divided. That’s more comfortable for your pelvis and your hips won’t hang in your pelvic ligaments. If you experience pelvic issues or pelvic pain, this might be a suitable solution. Feel free to also have a read through my blog about sleeping with pelvic instability.
Advice 8: The right room temperature
Having a nice, cooled room does miracles for your sleep. It’s recommended to stay around 18C⁰/64F. You will frequently be incredibly warm in bed, so make sure you have a proper ventilated and cooler room. It can also be the case that you’re quicker to overheat or sweat when you’re pregnant. Having a proper ventilated room would be ideal.
Advice 9: Having a proper bed
Achieving a good sleep can be quite the challenge. The pregnancy can create another obstacle for you. You can also have a variety of issues that thwarts having a good night’s rest. Try out these advices and you will teach yourself a few tricks overtime as well. It’s also recommended to take a look at your bed. Isn’t it too high when you get in or out? And what is the density of the mattress? You will be in a tougher position with a bed that has a very soft mattress. If you have pelvic issues or pelvic pain, having a soft mattress could increase these problems. You will need a stable foundation that won’t collapse too much. Having a mattress that’s too solid isn’t recommended either. It’s smart to look for a mattress that suits you. The height of your bed is important as well. The more your belly grows, the more challenging it can be to get out of a bed that’s too low. So take a moment to stand still by your bed – is it suitable? And will it maintain suitable throughout pregnancy?
And lastly, are you looking for more information?
Hopefully this information was useful to you! If you’re still looking for some more information, feel free to take another look around on the website. It’s filled with in-depth information, tips, a web shop and also exercises. I still have a lot of articles with lots of information about other symptoms and issues. Feel free to click on the blue words to take you straight to the right page.
