Bad sleep during pregnancy: reasons for what to do

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Pregnancy for a woman who wants to have a baby is a very joyful and at the same time disturbing event. Being under the pressure of a variety of new sensations, the expectant mother may experience excessive anxiety. After all, stress occurs not only against the background of negative situations, they can also be caused by positive emotions. For some successors of the human race, abrupt changes in life result in poor sleep during pregnancy. What to do in this case, you can learn from the material below. We will also talk about what factors can contribute to the disruption of night rest.

Unsafe problem

Some mistakenly believe that sleep disturbances and, as a result, the normal mode of life of the expectant mother pass without a trace. In fact, this is far from a safe phenomenon, which leads to functional disorders of many systems. Sooner or laterthe body will demand a return, the so-called debt, in the form of chronic fatigue, excessive overwork and constant drowsiness. Plus, you can add nervous exhaustion, headaches, absent-mindedness, memory problems and, possibly, diseases. Moreover, it is not so important in what guise this condition comprehends a pregnant woman: in the form of a lack of sleep as such or a restless night's rest. Consequences may be inevitable not only for the mother. The nervous tension of a woman during the bearing of the fetus will certainly affect the he alth of the baby.

Status Description

Insomnia is a disorder of the nervous system, accompanied by dissatisfaction with the quality of a night's rest or insufficient sleep over a long period. Sometimes these two conditions appear at the same time. At the same time, there are difficulties with falling asleep, and the long-awaited periods of rest become short-lived. In medicine, this condition is called asomnia. If a pregnant woman, for even a short period of time, often wakes up in the middle of the night and cannot fall asleep again, her body will be significantly exhausted mentally. This leads to irritability, the expectant mother may begin to act up for absolutely no reason, because of various trifles.

Forms of asomnia

In some cases, a bad dream is a signal of pregnancy. The first trimester is characterized by what happens in a woman's bodyincreased production of progesterone. At the same time, the restructuring of the hormonal background is accompanied by lethargy during the daytime and insufficient sleep at night. Thus, insomnia can be one of the first symptoms that indicate the onset of pregnancy. But it also happens that such an unpleasant manifestation accompanies the expectant mother throughout the entire period of gestation. There are three types of conditions associated with sleep disturbance:

• Situational asomnia. It has an episodic character, arises from a surge of experiences that provoke life's troubles. When such problems are solved, the woman sleeps peacefully again and her condition is restored. In this regard, it is important for the relatives and friends of the expectant mother to understand that she cannot be upset once again. This also implies silence about any unpleasant questions and negative information. It is necessary that a positive mood prevail in the family.
• Short-term. This is a more complex form of asomnia, which is often inevitable, because it is caused by a number of physiological changes that occur in the body of a pregnant woman. Such insomnia is caused by various diseases and the use of certain medications. It is characterized by a long period, therefore it is more dangerous, often observed in women suffering from heart disease. If it lasts more than 7 days, then you need to see a doctor for a history and further examination.
• Chronic insomnia is the most complex condition that occurs out of the blue. Figure out her reasons prettyproblematic. Although it is observed much less frequently, the consequences of this violation are deplorable. Poor sleep during pregnancy for a long time leads to serious mental disorders. Over time, the disease becomes chronic. The difficulty lies in the fact that for a pregnant woman, it will be necessary to adjust the therapy so that it does not harm the unborn child.

Insomnia in early pregnancy

Deep night sleep is the complete absence of wakefulness. This is the rest that a woman needs. Poor sleep during pregnancy in the first trimester is mainly due to a lot of experiences. They may be associated with concerns about personal well-being, the he alth of the unborn baby, and financial difficulties. If this is the first pregnancy, then the woman will worry even because of the fear of childbirth. At a young age, it may seem that caring for a child is a very difficult task. An unplanned pregnancy causes especially strong stress at this time, because you need to completely change your life plans.

However, it is during this period that special vigilance should be exercised in order not to reckon poor sleep during pregnancy only as a course of events. In the first trimester, hormonal changes in the body already begin. This must always be remembered. In addition, it is necessary to see a doctor regularly to rule out any diseases.

Difficulties in the second trimester

From a medical point of view, thisperiod is considered the most favorable. The flash of the first experiences goes away, the woman begins to get used to her condition. The stomach is still small at this time and does not interfere with taking a comfortable position. However, problems associated with the violation of night rest occur in the second trimester. Poor sleep during pregnancy can be caused either by the individual characteristics of the woman, or by the general reasons for which this condition occurs. They are described below.

Prenatal period

During this period, asomnia affects almost all future women in labor. It is not possible to get enough sleep in the usual position - for obvious reasons, a woman cannot lie on her stomach, and on her back is not recommended by doctors. In the latter case, there is a strong pressure on the genital veins from the uterus, as a result of which the state of he alth worsens, which can result in loss of consciousness. Therefore, the correct position at this time is considered to be sleeping on your side.

In the last weeks of pregnancy, pain in the back and pelvic bones increases, training contractions and heavy sweating are observed.

The movements of the baby become more tangible. In addition to physical activity, discomfort is also felt from the rapid increase in its size. Poor sleep during pregnancy in the third trimester is especially dangerous. Lack of nighttime rest may even result in spontaneous delivery.

Main factors causing insomnia

If poor sleep in early pregnancy is a phenomenon both coming and going, thenin the prenatal period, it manifests itself to a much greater extent and much more often. Asthenia has an internal nature and is growing in nature. If a woman had such a predisposition before her interesting position, then as the birth approaches, the ailment can make itself felt in the form of systemic disorders. According to the analysis of these disorders, there are several main factors that provoke poor sleep during pregnancy:

• emotional overstrain, increased irritability;
• due to the slow restructuring of the female body, failures occur at the hormonal level;
• development of diseases of the digestive tract and cardiovascular system;
• certain difficulties associated with the pregnancy itself;
• exacerbation of chronic ailments;
• mental disorders;
• frequent trips to the toilet due to pressure on the bladder;
• presence of toxicosis;
• taking medication;
• discomfort caused by household inconveniences;
• unsatisfactory atmosphere in the room;
• watching exciting films that negatively affect the psyche;
• difficulties at work and in the family.

Medication

Trying to get rid of such an obsessive condition as insomnia, many women resort to taking medication. Specialists often have to explain to them that this method of getting rid of the disease is highly undesirable. And it should only be used in emergency situations. Prescription of drugs is carried out with great care. There is nonea drug that is considered completely safe for the body of the mother and the unborn baby. Therefore, it is best to start the fight against insomnia with the most harmless methods. For example, drink some warm milk with honey at night. Such a drink relaxes and helps to fall asleep faster.

What can be done?

There is a certain set of exercises that can be done at any stage of pregnancy.

You need to lie on your back, place your hands along the torso. Then raise your legs and start imitating fast walking.

It is recommended to learn a special breathing technique. This helps relieve internal stress. You need to learn to alternate active breathing with its delay of 20 seconds. In this case, the stomach should be relaxed. If you focus on the very process of breathing, then the thoughts that do not allow you to fall asleep fade into the background.

It is important to understand that the sleep and rest regimen must be controlled. After all, the state of the nervous system of the future crumbs often depends on how the pregnancy will proceed in a woman. Poor sleep at night can be caused by many factors, including those that can be easily eliminated if desired.

What not to do?

Quite often, pregnant women themselves, without realizing it, provoke insomnia. In addition, some products and drugs used can cause irreversible harm to the development of the fetus. It would be good for every young mother to knowwhat is not recommended to do while carrying a child.

• In no case should you tone up the nervous system with strong tea or a lot of coffee.
• Take diuretic herbs and drugs as they dehydrate the body and irritate the urinary tract.
• Take an alcohol tincture of valerian roots or any other. Even from taking small doses of such drugs, the harm to the unborn baby can be greater than the therapeutic effect for the woman.

• Don't take sleeping pills to beat bad sleep. In the early stages of pregnancy, taking such medications can adversely affect the development of the fetus, lead to various diseases and even disruption of organogenesis.
• Do not overeat, especially in the evening. Preference should be given to carbohydrate food or light protein. It is allowed to drink herbal teas, but this does not mean that they can be prescribed independently, you should always consult a doctor.

Fresh vegetables and fruits should always be present in the diet.

Meaning of a favorable atmosphere

It is not enough to know why during pregnancy there is poor sleep, it is also important to follow the recommendations of specialists. So, you can significantly reduce the number of hours spent with insomnia. To make your stay comfortable, you must take the following measures:

• always ventilate the room;
• commitevening walks;
• wear appropriate sleepwear;
• keep quiet and preferably turn off all lights.

Another important condition for a good rest is the positive attitude of the woman herself. As noted, mothers who care more about the he alth of their unborn baby can keep their emotions under control and monitor their diet and sleep.