Insomnia in pregnancy is a common phenomenon, debilitating around 78% of pregnant women. Although the unborn child is out of harm's way, insomnia in pregnancy can cause unimaginable discomfort for the soon-to-be mommy. It'll be nine eternities, er, months before you can return to your normal sleeping patterns, so you might as well try to make the most of your predicament. Perhaps the anxiety and excitement at giving birth to a baby is keeping you from much-needed zzz's, unlike before when you went off to dreamland as soon as your head hit the pillow. Because of some physical and hormonal shifts you will be experiencing, you can expect your sleep to be interrupted by back pains, discomfort as your abdomen grows, increased urinary frequency, heartburn, and even vivid dreams. Aside from the usual morning sickness, you will also have to contend with headaches, dizziness, nervousness, and irritability. A number of desk employees are known for being insomniacs because of lack of physical activity in their daily routine. Daytime exercise (but not 3 hours or less before bedtime) will help you relax and fall asleep. Don't do too much exertion just before preparing to sleep as the adrenalin from the exercise will only work to keep you awake. In having insomnia in pregnancy, as with any other instance of sleeplessness, getting the hang of relaxation is key. Take a nice warm bath, then have your husband or partner give you a firm but gentle massage to ease up muscle tension and relieve stress and fatigue. Surround yourself with gentle and lulling music, or recordings of relaxing sounds like a steady heartbeat or lapping ocean waves. Make sure your player turns off automatically though, because if you're going to have to get up to turn it off yourself, then it negates the purpose of listening to a recording to help you get to dreamland in the first place. Your bedroom must be suited for sleep. Not too warm or you'll feel uncomfortable from the heat, and not too cold which would make you shiver the whole night long. Your mattress should be firm and comfy, not hard or lumpy in places, that you end up with a stiff neck, a bad back, and other aches and pains in the morning. If it's not too cold, noisy, or dangerous, leave the window open to let in fresh air and proper circulation. Curtains and rugs encourage the absorption of light and sound, so the atmosphere is darker and quieter. Earplugs prove useful, too. And don't forget to turn off your phone. If you've tossed and turned but you're not in sleep mode yet, get out of bed and get yourself busy with some light activities like reading or needlework until you feel sleepy. The moment you feel sleepy already, you can now drift off to dreamland. Sleep on your side to alleviate back pain. Bend your knees and put a pillow between your legs. Try placing one under the small of your back, underneath your belly, for more support as well. Pile on even more to raise your upper body if you suffer from heartburn. Sleeping on your left side would be good for the baby as this causes blood and nutrients to surge to the placenta and your baby, but moving about and shifting positions is perfectly harmless. These changes will make your movement limited, though. You won't be able to sleep on your stomach for apparent reasons, while lying flat will only aggravate your back pain. With the weight of your belly pressing on you, sleeping on your back could even lead to digestive and respiratory problems, as well as low blood pressure and decreased circulation, which in turn affects not only your heart, but also your unborn child. Insomnia in pregnancy need not be a burden. At the very least, you need not be part of the demographics that experiences it. We hope that through these steps, you will not only expect a baby, but you'll sleep like one, too.
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