Sleep in late pregnancy. Why not sleep during pregnancy and what to do about it

Insomnia during pregnancy. It would seem that such a simple question, you don’t even need any medicines ... probably. I called my friend obstetrician-gynecologist Irina. And she says: with such questions it is better not to contact a doctor, but to sleep experts. So I set myself the task of finding a sleep expert. But she didn’t give up the idea of getting a comment from the doctor either.

Armed with a notepad, I came to the specialists with the following questions:

Insomnia during pregnancy early dates or later dates may have Negative consequences for a baby?

How to deal with poor sleep early/late?

What to do with long-term insomnia?

Helped fight insomnia obstetrician-gynecologist of the Maternity Hospital on the street. Truth Merkulova Maria Dmitrievna, project leader of consultations on children's sleep Sleep Expert Olga Dobrovolskaya and pregnancy and motherhood coach, author and leader of the Mama Mira project Katya Matveeva.

⁣Why does insomnia occur in different periods pregnancy and how to deal with it?

“Expectant mothers often complain of insomnia, especially at the beginning and end of pregnancy. And this is primarily due to powerful hormonal changes in the body of a woman. After all, he devotes the first trimester, figuratively speaking, to the restructuring of his own functions and learns to live in a new way. And in the third, the body is already systematically preparing for childbirth, says Katya Matveeva. - Both of these most complex processes in the life of the mother's body are quite lengthy and complex. And insomnia can be tiring and cause additional anxiety.

It must be said here that sleep disorders are often provoked precisely increased anxiety which accompanies especially the 1st and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. It's no secret that when a woman learns that she will become a mother, one way or another she is forced to think about a thousand moments related to the upcoming motherhood from the baby's health to "can I handle it." In the middle of pregnancy, everything settles down a bit, but in the third trimester, with the approach of childbirth, anxiety and fears increase again.

At the same time, you should not resort to pharmacological preparations and also get involved in herbs. This rule applies to any health problems of a pregnant woman, which is common knowledge.”

“Everyone knows that healthy and good sleep is of great importance in human life. Naturally, during pregnancy, it is doubly necessary, because the nervous system with insomnia is depleted and wears out. And you future baby will experience absolutely the same emotions and experience the same discomfort! This condition will have a negative impact on health, so it is necessary to fight against insomnia, ”Maria Dmitrievna Merkulova shared with me.

“Try it,” she continues. - Change the daily routine and avoid overexertion, stress. Incorporate outdoor activities into your schedule, especially in the evening before bed. A warm shower or bath will help you relax, after which you can drink a glass of warm milk or chamomile tea. Do not forget that comfort should surround you everywhere: the bedroom should have Fresh air Pajamas should be comfortable and made from natural materials. If you're worried drawing pains in the legs will help light massage- it will relax tense muscles and help reduce and alleviate swelling. By the way, you can add a drop essential oil such as an orange.

If, despite your efforts, the problem with insomnia persists, contact a specialist. After all, the causes of insomnia and the methods of its correction can be different, and in your case it all depends on the duration of pregnancy. Therefore your personal doctor – best helper and an ally in solving such problems.

So why is insomnia dangerous during pregnancy?

“A mother’s sleep pattern during pregnancy affects the baby’s sleep pattern when she is born. So mom has quite a lot of time to teach the baby that night is night and you need to go to bed early, and not after midnight, ”Katya Matveeva answers.
In addition, the baby in the tummy experiences the same emotions as the mother. Your stress is your baby's stress.

Insomnia in the first weeks of pregnancy

physiological (normal) loads. Insomnia - frequent complaint expectant mother from an early date Sleep disturbances in the first trimester are emotional in nature. If we talk about physiology, it just implies increased drowsiness: actively standing out protects pregnancy, forcing a woman to rest more often, ”says Olga Dobrovolskaya. - If already in the first weeks of pregnancy a woman complains of worsening sleep, she should evaluate her emotional background and the level of sleep hygiene. If it is sometimes difficult to cope with emotions, then the general rules of sleep are not difficult to follow:

1. Go to bed and (make sure) get up at the same time.

2. Be sure to start a bedtime ritual: showering, changing into pajamas, a paper book, meditating or writing a diary - anything that brings pleasure and helps to relax.

3. Watch your caffeine intake. If you have not yet abandoned its use, having learned about pregnancy (in small doses, it is acceptable - 1-2 cups per day), then in case of problems with sleep, you will have to do this.

4. Avoid using gadgets and watching TV before bed - the bright light of modern screens stimulates our brain to stay awake.

5. Learn relaxing breathing techniques. Try the 3-6-9 technique (inhale for 3 counts, pause for 6 counts, exhale for 9 counts).

6. If frequent trips to the toilet, typical for your pregnancy, become a factor in poor sleep, limit fluids before bedtime, try not to turn on bright lights when visiting the toilet so as not to destroy the sleep hormone melatonin - this will make it easier to fall asleep again.

Insomnia in the second trimester of pregnancy

“The second trimester is the most auspicious time pregnancy, and for sleep this is no exception, according to Olga Dobrovolskaya. - Difficulties here are caused emotional background or some drugs. Tell your doctor about these side effects to give you another remedy."

Insomnia in the third trimester of pregnancy

“The third semester increases the load on the body,” says Olga Dobrovolskaya. - A growing baby puts pressure on all organs abdominal cavity, reduces the volume of the lungs and in some situations worsens the blood supply to the extremities. Recommendations for general hygiene sleep remains objective even at this time, but now it is worth taking extra care of physiological comfort.

1. Sleep on your left side. This will help to fully supply nutrition and oxygen to both the baby and your organs, and will also reduce acid emissions from the stomach.

2. Try not to eat 2-3 hours before bed to full stomach did not release additional acid in the supine position - this will alleviate possible heartburn.

3. If your legs hurt, be sure to put a pillow under them - a slight rise will help the outflow venous blood and reduce swelling.

4. Feel free to ask your spouse to clear the bed for you alone. Habitual snoring that you didn't notice before can cause you to stay awake for many hours at night.

5. Take care of the darkness in early morning- the first rays of the sun wake up human body and if you've been awake half the night, you'll want to sleep in the morning.

6. Abdominal pain can be a reflection of lower back pain - try placing a pillow under your stomach or lower back. If additional support does not provide relief, see a doctor!”

⁣And two more important rules that will save you from insomnia during pregnancy:

Katya Matveeva shares:

1. “The first and most important thing for every pregnant woman to understand is that physical rest is strictly contraindicated for pregnant women. Especially, given the fact that the volume of blood, body weight, and, accordingly, the load on the muscles and ligaments is growing, which most often leads to pain in the legs and lower abdomen. And this suggests that the best prevention and treatment of sleep disorders associated with pain in the legs and lower abdomen is physical education!

2. With the growth of the uterus, you should try not to fall asleep on your back. The growing uterus compresses the inferior vena cava, which disrupts the circulation of venous blood in the legs and pelvic organs, and hence in the uterus. This causes hypoxia of the uterus, placenta and baby, which is really bad for both mom and baby and, of course, can provoke insomnia, pain and malaise at night.”

Almost every member of the fair sex in interesting position notices in himself periodic attacks insomnia. Sleep disturbances in pregnant women can occur at any period of bearing a baby and are the result of psychological, physiological or pathological causes. How to recognize given state, get rid of it and sleep at night as comfortably as possible? You will read about this and much more below.

Causes of insomnia during pregnancy

As modern medical statistics, already in the first trimester of pregnancy, 4 out of 5 future women in labor complain of sleep problems. Over time, their percentage even increases - by the third trimester, only 3 percent of pregnant women do not suffer from insomnia.

In the vast majority of cases, sleep disorders are not caused by pathologies and diseases, but by psychological and physiological causes.

Psychological factors:

Strong excitement for the condition of the fetus during gestation;
Nervous tension and stress;
Fear of future childbirth, especially if they become the first in a woman's life;
Regular nightmares.

Physiological factors:

Bad posture while sleeping. Often, pregnant women cannot fall asleep due to the lack of the proper level of comfort, especially in the later stages, more about comfortable;
Pain syndrome. Pulling discomfort in the back and sacrum, caused by restructuring bone structure And increased loads, do not allow you to quickly and easily fall asleep;
convulsions. Starting from the 2nd trimeter, the fair sex often complains of cramps in the calf muscles and other types of smooth tissues, which intensify in the evening and at night;

Labored breathing. With a high presentation of the fetus or large child, even in the middle stages of pregnancy, shortness of breath and problems with comfortable breathing are observed, which causes insomnia;
Frequent calls for small needs. Pregnant women feel frequent urge to empty the bladder, in some cases they can get up to 7-8 times a night, which worsens falling asleep and the overall quality of sleep;
Nausea, heartburn, itching. Three unpleasant symptoms of morning sickness during pregnancy can lead to poor sleep.

Features of sleep during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a special time of global restructuring of the whole body of a woman and preparing it for future childbirth. Sleep during this period is especially necessary for the fair sex to recuperate and has its own characteristics.

Insomnia in early pregnancy

Insomnia often haunts the fair sex during this period of time. From the first weeks, it may be associated with the beginning of hormonal changes in the body, which is actively preparing for the process of bearing a child for all subsequent months.

Some doctors, along with other early manifestations, attribute sleep disturbances to one of the signs of pregnancy.

Sooner or later, the expectant mother will find out what was born in her new life. She immediately begins a difficult psycho-emotional period associated with the first experiences regarding the fate of the baby - this is especially evident in those representatives of the fair sex who for the first time feel the joy of motherhood.

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Starting from the 5th week, a woman may show the first signs of toxicosis – bad feeling, nausea and vomiting, periodic itching and other negative manifestations that keep you from sleeping peacefully at night. The above manifestations are aggravated by the end of 1 trimeter due to excessive pressure on bladder- a woman often gets up for small needs, natural continuous night rest is violated.

Sleep problems and frequent waking lead to fatigue, discomfort and irritability during the daytime, which in turn negatively affects health and causes stress.

Sleep disturbances in the second trimester

The second trimester is the most convenient period of time for a woman, in which many unpleasant symptoms pregnancy. The emotional tension of the first weeks subsides, the toxicosis that has tormented the fair sex all this time disappears. At the same time, the baby himself is not very large, which does not create additional inconvenience during sleep.

As medical statistics show, in most pregnant women in the 2nd trimester, insomnia caused by physiological or psychological reasons partially or completely disappears, of course, if a woman adheres to basic principles normal sleep hygiene, and also has no serious chronic diseases or functional disorders.

Insomnia during pregnancy in the third trimester

After a relatively short period of rest from insomnia, toxicosis and other, not too pleasant manifestations of pregnancy, negative symptoms begins to disturb the woman again. It is in the 3rd trimester that almost every woman suffers from regular sleep disorders.

The main causative and provoking factors that worsen sleep in the above time period:

Uncomfortable sleeping position. The belly of a pregnant woman is already quite large and it is virtually impossible to sleep in the usual position on the stomach. In addition, doctors strongly do not recommend resting on your back at night, especially in the third trimester - this can cause a number of pathologies for the fetus, as well as cause great discomfort the most representative of the fair sex. There remains only the option of sleeping on the side - for many it is not very convenient, and the position itself does not contribute to falling asleep quickly;
Heartburn. Almost all women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy suffer from heartburn. Discomfort in the esophagus increases significantly in horizontal position, while classic antacids do not give desired effect getting rid of the problem. The process of falling asleep can be delayed for hours in this situation;
Fetal tremors. The unborn child is actively growing, moving and pushing, while his daily rhythms are in no way associated with routine mother's life. In some cases, the baby begins to push at night, which does not allow you to fall asleep quickly and wakes up the fair sex at the most inopportune moment;
Pain in the bones. The pelvic bones in late pregnancy are not only rebuilt for future childbirth, but also experience excessive pressure due to a shifted center of gravity. Serious loads throughout the day "respond" night pain in the area of the back and sacrum, which clearly does not contribute to comfortable falling asleep and healthy sleep;
Calls for "little need". In the small pelvis of the fair sex in the later stages, due to the increase in the size of the fetus, there is practically no room left for the bladder. Even with its small filling, a woman feels a strong urge to urinate, as a result of which she can rise at night 5, sometimes even 8 times. Such intermittent sleep does not give true rest to the body and in the short term leads to insomnia;
false contractions. Before childbirth, very soon, and the uterus prepares for this process by irregular contraction, especially when stationary during a night's rest. Such "training" sometimes leads to the beginning of false contractions, which can last several tens of minutes. This physiological process definitely will not let a pregnant woman fall asleep;
Psychological excitability. There are only a few days and weeks left before the birth - a woman, especially if she is expecting her first child, is very worried about this, especially when all the day's work is done and preparations are underway for a night's rest. Anxiety, worries, worries - this is the "food" for insomnia.

What to do with insomnia in pregnancy

Simply ignoring insomnia in late pregnancy and expecting sleep disturbances to disappear after childbirth is impossible. Poor sleep for even a few months can undermine the health of the expectant mother and adversely affect the baby.

However to the treatment of sleep disorders, it is necessary to switch from maximum care – the best option there will be an appeal to a specialized specialist, a comprehensive examination to identify the causes of insomnia.

Ensuring sleep comfort and optimal nutrition

Correct temperature regime . In the room where the pregnant woman rests at night, the optimum temperature in the range of 18 to 20 degrees above zero. As a rule, this indicator is violated upwards, especially in the autumn-winter period;
Optimum humidity. The air in the bedroom should not be dry - this provokes discomfort, insomnia, as well as nasal congestion and other unpleasant manifestations. Ventilate the room regularly, letting in fresh air, if necessary, use classic automatic humidifiers;
Carefully selected sleeping area . The bed for a pregnant woman should be wide and long, moreover, it should stand securely in place. It is better to refuse too low or high couches - the fair sex in an interesting position should be comfortable and safe to get up from the bed. Additionally, pay attention to bedding accessories - an orthopedic mattress and pillow, a blanket that has good hygroscopicity, air exchange and heat capacity, linen on natural materials and other accessories must be of high quality and fit the size;
Sleep position. The only anatomically correct and safe for the baby's health posture during a night's rest in pregnant women is on the left side. An alternative may be a semi-sitting position, as well as sleeping on the stomach until signs of an increase in the abdomen appear;
Removal of psycho-emotional arousal. You need to go to bed calm and collected - try to avoid stress and unrest, as you should, tune in for a future long rest;
Balanced diet. Give preference to light protein foods, vegetables and fruits, eat fractionally, a few hours before going to bed, refrain from eating food.

Medicines and folk remedies for insomnia during pregnancy

Can only be taken by doctor's prescription sedatives on plant-based – medicinal homeopathy(Persen, etc.) does not have a systemic effect on the body and can become an element complex therapy with sleep disorders.

An alternative to the above drugs can be traditional medicine recipes. Any of the options below, it is advisable to apply only after agreement with specialized specialist, making sure that there is no allergy to the components of the recipe, and also taking into account individual characteristics woman's body during pregnancy.

Herb tea. Take equal proportions of half a teaspoon of St. John's wort and lemon balm, brew them in a teapot, drink 1 glass before bedtime;
Milk with honey. An excellent remedy that relieves stress and fatigue, as well as fighting insomnia is a glass of warm milk with 1 teaspoon of honey, which should be consumed 15-20 minutes before going to bed;
An effective sedative that is safe for pregnant women - pharmacy valerian. It can be used in the absence of cardiovascular pathologies in a pregnant woman, but not in the form alcohol tincture, and by the usual brewing method - 1 teaspoon of the product per glass of water. The resulting, strained and cooled broth should be consumed before going to bed.

Relaxation

Before going to bed, you need to prepare your body for a night's rest, both physically and emotionally.

Sexual contact. It is recommended by doctors in the absence of contraindications and pathologies in the expectant mother;
Walks in the fresh air. 1 hour before bedtime, go out into the fresh air and take a leisurely walk for at least 20 minutes;
Warm shower. An excellent means of relaxation is a comfortable warm shower or bath, taken 30-40 minutes before the intended sleep;
Good for insomnia breathing exercises combined with basic exercise therapy in the prone position. Doing yoga during pregnancy is strictly not recommended, as is the use of aromatherapy, especially with pungent odors;
You can complete the list of relaxation activities with a comprehensive relaxing full body massage. Special attention should be given to the back and limbs.

What should not be done and consumed by pregnant women with insomnia?

Bad habits- down. During pregnancy, it is necessary to completely exclude the use of alcohol in any form, as well as smoking. These bad habits not only lead to insomnia, but also negatively affect both future mother, and on the fetus;
Rejection sleeping pills . The easiest way for a woman to fall asleep if she suffers from insomnia is to take classic sleeping pills. Unfortunately, during pregnancy, their use is strictly prohibited due to the large number side effects for woman and fetus. Use of homeopathic medicines is allowed with caution. medicines plant-based, and only on prescription;

Coffee and tea before bed- this is bad. Coffee and strong black tea contain a large amount of tonic substances that can disrupt the normal sleep. Refuse to use them at least 3 hours before a night's rest;
Moderate fluid intake and avoidance of diuretics. Try to lower daily intake fluids to the required physiological minimum (2 liters per day) - this will help fight swelling, leading to insomnia and disrupting normal physiological metabolic processes. In addition, it is forbidden to use diuretics - they not only dehydrate the body, but also greatly irritate the bladder, which is why a pregnant woman can walk more often for small needs at night;
High activity - only during the day. Do not show increased physical activity before a night's rest, limit yourself to an easy walk and not burdensome household chores;
Stress is the enemy of health. Avoid stress that leads to increased excitability. Try to fight depression, tune in to a benevolent mood and quarrel less with relatives - this will save your nerves and allow you to sleep more peacefully.

What is dangerous and harmful insomnia for pregnant women

Insomnia is not just bad sleep, it leads to mass unpleasant consequences especially in pregnant women.

Hormonal disorders. lack of healthy quality sleep leads to a violation of the hormonal background, which, together with the restructuring of the body during pregnancy, provokes increased tone uterus and increases the risk of miscarriage;
Violations of circadian rhythms. woman after sleepless night will feel overwhelmed all day, unable to cope with household and work affairs;
Provoking depression and psychosis. Even normally feeling pregnant women are prone to stress and frequent shifts moods. Insomnia only exacerbates this process, often provoking the development of depression and psychosis of a wide etiology. In some cases, the fair sex may even need qualified medical assistance from specialized specialists;
Cardiovascular pathologies. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to increased heart rate, blood pressure surges and, in the medium term, a wide range of cardiovascular pathologies.

Pregnancy proceeds in different ways, during this period women expect difficulties. Many complain that they have unreasonable insomnia during pregnancy, because of this weakness, drowsiness, lethargy, and generally poor health.

Bearing a fetus causes a restructuring of the hormonal background, a full sleep at such moments is simply necessary. If you do not get enough sleep periodically, do not rest during the night, irritability, nervousness, exhaustion of the body will appear over time, which negatively affects the development of the baby. Similar state dangerous, capable of provoking psychological, physical problems, so insomnia must be fought.

Types of insomnia during pregnancy

Depending on what particular night time poor sleep, or its complete absence, insomnia is conditionally divided into three types:

Evening (starting). Sleep does not come, the woman tosses and turns in the evening, turning from her back to her side. For hours he lies without closing his eyes, scrolling in his head what happened during the day, what will happen tomorrow. Usually a woman at such moments immediately feels that she will not be able to fall asleep, sleep will not come.
Loss of sleep state. In the evening, as if nothing had happened, the pregnant woman falls asleep. She sleeps calmly, it would seem that nothing worries her, does not bother, but after certain time, wakes up. She just opens her eyes and it's like she hasn't slept at all before. It’s impossible to sleep until the morning, someone manages to sleep for two hours, for someone a little more - 5, 6 hours during the night.
The final phase of morning insomnia. It's dawn, the night ends, it was not possible to fall asleep, in the morning drowsiness does not occur. There is a feeling of weakness, lethargy, weakness. Sometimes, on the contrary, in the morning there comes a strong drowsiness, which is very difficult to fight.

When carrying a fetus, most often expectant mothers complain about evening insomnia. They complain that the very state of pregnancy, discomfort, prevents them from falling asleep, big belly. Sensation of fetal movements. Regardless of which type of insomnia progresses, with unpleasant phenomenon you need to cope, properly and get enough rest. It is believed that during the day you need to sleep at least 10 hours, so "lack of sleep" must be compensated for at other times, for example, in the morning or afternoon.

Causes of insomnia during pregnancy

The anxiety caused at night, first of all, is of the nature of the internal state of a woman. No matter how it looks from the outside, future mommy, somewhere inside himself, deep in his soul, worries, constantly thinks about the future. Many cannot get used to their position at all, hence the nightly torment. Analyzing general state women at one stage or another of the development of the gestating fetus, there are several reasons that cause sleep disturbance during pregnancy:

hormonal failure caused by ongoing slow changes in the body;
emotional overstrain, nervousness;
developmental physical discomfort certain diseases(heart, digestion);
mental disorder;
severe pregnancy;
development of chronic pathologies;
discomfort provoked by an uncomfortable bed, coming sounds, noise, from the included light;
the room is stuffy, hot, cold, too humid air, dampness, dust;
at night a lot is eaten, tonic drinks are drunk;
a woman has been taking some medications affecting sleep;
frequent urge to go to the toilet;
sleeps a lot during the day;
the sides hurt from what is constantly lying in front of the TV, lying down reading.

Along with this, other single factors can be noted that can excite the nervous system and cause insomnia, for example, frequent viewing of horror films. restless labor activity unsettled family life.

Poor sleep during pregnancy in the first trimester

Most women sleep poorly during pregnancy due to hormonal changes in the body. Usually, this is noted in the early stages, attributed to the first signs of an "interesting" situation.

This phenomenon provokes anxiety, discomfort of night rest. There is heartburn, shortness of breath. The frequency of changing the position of the body causes lumbar pain, cramps of the limbs. All this leads to chronic fatigue, lethargy. Terrible thoughts come to mind, fear of the upcoming birth. At such moments, women are irritable, prone to nervousness, prone to stress. Some people aren't happy with what's going on.

In the second trimester

Closer to the second trimester, the main cause of insomnia remains the emotional imbalance of a woman. Anxiety increases, and with it irritation. Women, while contemplating the upcoming events of motherhood, still remain restless. It is impossible to rest properly at night, household issues capture the excitement.

The bulk of women complain of superficial sleep, too sensitive state in a dream, a clear perception of what is happening around. The stomach, as a rule, does not interfere with sleep yet, but the tension is growing. Given the characteristics of pregnancy, sleep disorders may be associated with them.

In the third trimester

Bad sleep in the third semester provokes nightmares. Some are tormented by dreams about the upcoming birth, obstetricians. Be restful sleep provokes profuse sweating, a woman in a dream seems to be experiencing a parallel reality, waking up in a sweat, complaining of chills and discomfort. This happens as a result mental state pregnant at this stage, fears, fear of the upcoming birth. Constantly thinking about the future, many people cannot fall asleep under such emotional influence, especially during pregnancy, because there are others. unpleasant factors family life.

start to appear physiological causes bad sleep. The uterus in the third trimester is already significantly enlarged, the stomach becomes quite large. Difficulties arise with how to lie down comfortably, especially on the 8th, 9th month. Lying on your back is uncomfortable, and in some cases generally undesirable. The fetus puts more and more pressure on the bladder, provoking frequent urination. It becomes difficult to breathe, as the fetus squeezes the respiratory organs. There is increased sweating, fever.

The child increasingly begins to move, the movement is more and more painfully reflected by discomfort, even pain in some organs. In addition, if the fetus becomes very active during sleep, you need to change the position of the body, since, most likely, the woman lay down uncomfortably and the child is uncomfortable, something is squeezing him.

What to do

Realizing that you can’t fall asleep properly for a long time, the state of sleep deprivation is chronic, you need to learn how to control your sleep. It is important to understand that it is impossible to treat the phenomenon in this position, take some drugs (sleeping pills) too, even if you constantly took them before pregnancy.

First you need to visit your doctor, consult, tell how the phenomenon manifests itself, which worries you. Together with a specialist, try to find out the cause of the phenomenon, and only after that he will tell you what to do. Sometimes, in extreme cases it is permissible to prescribe a certain number of drugs in order to improve the condition of the body, to return the lost sleep.

In such cases, it is recommended to drink sedative decoctions prepared on the basis of medicinal herbs: valerian, mint, chamomile, thyme, motherwort, licorice. Dry components must be steamed, brewed strictly following the manufacturer's recommendations. With a bad reaction to decoctions, stop taking it.
It is necessary to eat little in the evening, trying not to overload the stomach, which provokes poor sleep during pregnancy. Include in the menu fresh salads, radish, black currant, asparagus, beets, melon, it is believed that these products contribute to sound sleep. Generally rethink your daily ration nutrition.
Eliminate the use of tonic drinks, especially at night. In general, drink less liquid so as not to increase the urge to go to the toilet at night.
During the day, and especially in the evening, do not worry, do not get annoyed, avoid stressful situations. In general, a person “torn apart” by the evening will rarely be able to sleep peacefully, and even more so in this state.
If in the late afternoon the heartbeat begins to increase, shortness of breath appears, it is enough to drink a mug of sweet tea, but warn the doctor about such symptoms, especially if they are constant. Most likely there is a lack of sugar in the body, hence the reasons.
It is useful to eat a spoon shortly before bedtime natural juice turnips. They cook it simply, squeeze the turnip into pulp, add an equal amount of honey there. Insist a couple of days before taking, store in the refrigerator.
Take shortly before rest cold and hot shower. Warm up your feet in warm water.
In the morning you need to get up earlier, walk more in the fresh air, move, do not lead a passive lifestyle.

Faced with restless sleep, insomnia, you need to think about whether the pregnant woman has the right lifestyle in general. Perhaps a woman sleeps a lot during the day, gets up late in the morning. Perhaps, in general, throughout the day, a woman is inactive, passive, practically does not spend energy during the day, so sleep does not go.

Creating a favorable atmosphere

Only in the most favorable conditions, a night's rest will be useful and comfortable. Therefore, before going to bed, you need to:

ventilate the room;
put on appropriate pajamas so that it is not hot or vice versa not to freeze;
it is convenient to put pastel accessories, purchase a special orthopedic pillow for pregnant women;
It is better to turn off the light, the room should be calm and quiet.

Lying down in bed, you need to emotionally tune in that today's sleep will be good, try to fall asleep.

In general, when a woman, deciding to give birth to a child, is emotionally correct, does not worry much about anything, there are no problems with sleep, but what if future mom increasingly complains of poor sleep, then you need to tell the observing specialist about it. Why a pregnant woman can’t sleep at night, no one will immediately say, sometimes even a series of tests may be required to understand.

A specialist who often observes pregnancy advises to seek help from a psychologist, neurologist, somnologist and other doctors, who, after finding out the cause of anxiety, can establish a normal full-fledged night sleep. However, the problem becomes more serious when, along with nocturnal insomnia, other symptoms slowly appear. developing pathology. That is why such a phenomenon cannot be delayed. You should not deal with it yourself, in any case, you must first consult a doctor.

ABOUT essential, healthy full sleep in the life of any person, it is perhaps unnecessary to say. And of course, during pregnancy, sleep is doubly necessary: a woman who has not slept and not rested during the night feels tired, exhausted and irritable during the day, and this is harmful, even in her normal state. In addition to the fact that with insomnia, the mother's body works to wear and tear and is depleted, the fetus inside it experiences the same emotions and experiences the same sensations. Insomnia during pregnancy is dangerous for both, and at any time, and it must be fought.

Why can't pregnant women sleep?

According to statistics, 78% of pregnant women experience difficulty sleeping and 97% of women experience at least insomnia during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester. There can be many reasons for sleep disorders: both psychological and physiological.

Many have insomnia during early pregnancy. Some experts believe that insomnia in early pregnancy is one of the most early signs the onset of pregnancy. Its appearance is explained by hormonal changes in the body, which is more than logical. As a rule, insomnia in early pregnancy is the result of your experiences - you are always thinking about the future, weighing your options, evaluating the strengths and desires of your loved ones ...

However, insomnia in early pregnancy is a rare event, in most cases, its appearance is associated with the final, third stage, and insomnia during late pregnancy is a completely natural phenomenon. It becomes more and more difficult for a woman to comfortably lie down in a bed, someone begins to suffer from heartburn, and someone has shortness of breath, many suffer from pain in the side or lower back, cramps in the legs, the skin itches terribly due to stretching, the baby is overly active or prefers to have fun on at night, and besides, I constantly want to go to the toilet.

make the situation worse chronic fatigue, fear of the upcoming birth, excessive impressionability and emotionality of this period. Insomnia during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester can be caused by dreams about the hospital, the midwife, the birth process. often on last dates dreams of waves, a whirlpool, a raging ocean, symbolizing pregnancy, childbirth, etc. Many women wake up from the horror they saw in a dream that they have lost their baby. However, experts convince not to attach special significance like nightmares, because their appearance is fully justified - psychological condition in the third trimester of pregnancy is very difficult, because not only the body changes, but also consciousness, preparing for childbirth and parental responsibility. Remember: you should not worry, especially over trifles! If the dream still doesn’t leave your head, discuss what torments you with a loved one, and you will understand that nothing terrible has happened.

What is insomnia during pregnancy?

Insomnia during pregnancy, and in principle, there are three types. When in the evening you cannot fall asleep for a long time, tossing and turning from side to side for hours, this is the so-called starting insomnia. A person at this time, as a rule, analyzes the events experienced during the day, and reflects on the things that lie ahead. The second type of insomnia is the inability to maintain a state of sleep during the night. You fall asleep, but you constantly wake up, interrupting sleep, and in the morning you absolutely do not feel rested. The third type is insomnia of the final phase - waking up in the morning, falling asleep again, it doesn’t come out in any way.

Insomnia during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester is most often just the starting one - it becomes more and more difficult to fall asleep, having a large, heavy belly, in which life “boils” tirelessly. Colorfully complement the picture all sorts of " side effects» pregnancy. But regardless of when a pregnant woman can not sleep, you need to learn how to cope with these problems and provide the body with a good rest. After all, during sleep, he replenishes the energy reserves spent per day, normalizes the psyche, and ensures the normal development of the fetus. Experts say that a pregnant woman's need for sleep is 10 hours a day, and in order to avoid any problems, it is necessary to compensate regular lack of sleep. This, of course, is the average norm, and each person has his own individual needs, inherited and developed throughout life.

What is sleep and how does it happen?

To learn to control own dream, it is necessary to understand its nature. Sleep is cyclical in nature, with recurring sleep phases at intervals of approximately 90-120 minutes. During the night, slow and fast sleep alternate 4-6 times. Phase REM sleep lasts 10-20 minutes (the closer to the morning, the longer it is, and the slow phase is shorter). It is during these 10 minutes that the most important and amazing thing happens - the body is completely immobilized, and the brain becomes active, as in a state of wakefulness, that's when we dream. If you wake a person in REM sleep, then he will feel sleepy and tired all day. And if you do it constantly, you can get mental illness.

What is especially interesting: the phases of sleep alternate every night at the same intervals of time, even if you are not sleeping at that moment. The strongest desire to sleep overcomes just during the phase of REM sleep. Hence, a hint for those suffering from the second and third types of insomnia: if you woke up in the middle of the night or in the morning and cannot fall asleep, know that after 120 minutes maximum sleep will return to you. Therefore, you can not torment yourself, but, for example, read some kind of “sleeping pills” book, tie booties or listen to soothing music. 100% way wake up completely - try to force yourself to fall asleep, by all means, warming up with thoughts that you need to get up early in the morning and you need to get enough sleep. Therefore, we recommend that you react calmly to insomnia during pregnancy and learn how to deal with it.

Insomnia during pregnancy: how to deal with insomnia

Medicines for insomnia during pregnancy. The most important thing that you must learn is that you cannot treat insomnia during pregnancy, especially on your own! Do not take any sleeping pills without a doctor's prescription. Yes, and the doctor will prescribe you a medicine only in case of urgent need, if the sleep problems are so great that they threaten life and health. But if you really suffer from insomnia, what to do? After consulting with a doctor (required!), You can try herbal remedies to calm the nervous system: chamomile, motherwort, valerian. But these natural remedies from insomnia have side effects and restrictions on the timing of admission and quantities.

Insomnia, what can you do. Pay attention to the time and diet of your diet. You should not overload the stomach at night, especially during pregnancy, dinner should certainly be light and, of course, not very late. Otherwise, the body will be busy with work, and you definitely won’t be able to fall asleep. Some nutritionists claim that evening time protein food helps to improve sleep due to the content of L-tryptophan in it, which reduces the time to fall asleep. According to others, carbohydrates contribute to falling asleep better, due to rapid digestion, and minimal intestinal peristalsis, as well as excitation of the nervous system. Opinions are different, and both have the right to exist - everyone must find out the effectiveness for themselves individually. Definitely reduce nervous excitability and improve sleep asparagus, garden salad, melon for dinner. Feeling lightheaded, weak, and palpitating before bed can indicate a lack of blood sugar. This should be reported to the doctor, but for now you can treat yourself to sweet tea.

Folk remedies for insomnia:

1. It is good to drink a glass of slightly warmed milk with honey before going to bed.
2. Also suitable Herb tea made from orange, lemon balm, lavender, chamomile, licorice or savory, mint and thyme. Hops in decoctions during pregnancy are undesirable.
3. From insomnia, it is recommended to take beet, radish or turnip juice with honey: make a deepening in the root crop, and put 1 teaspoon of honey in it, after a couple of hours, drink the resulting juice.
4. An infusion of celery herb is also effective for normalizing sleep: pour 20 gr. chopped herbs 1 cup boiling water. Let it infuse for 30 minutes. Then strain and take the infusion three times a day for 1/3 cup.
5. Blackcurrant fruits in folk medicine are used as a sedative either in the form of a natural or in the form of a decoction of dried berries (2 teaspoons per glass of water).

Do not drink tonic drinks at night, regular tea or coffee. You should not drink a lot of liquid at night and in the evening, otherwise due to frequent urination, already haunting you, you will turn the night into endless trips to the toilet.

Insomnia during pregnancy: how to fight without drugs?

The most important thing is to try to get rid of overstrain, stress, quarrels, any emotional stress, especially in the evening. Good reflection on nervous system daily physical education that improves blood circulation, which is important. If you're used to daytime naps, cut them out until nighttime sleep returns to normal, or simply cut back. Try to go to bed only for sleep, and not to chat on the phone or watch TV.

To ensure a sound and restful sleep, create favorable conditions for it. Keep the room where you sleep slightly cool. Ventilate the room before going to bed. Avoid hypothermia and overheating. Pajamas should be comfortable for you, do not constrain, do not press, be made of natural fabric. Pillow up to accept comfortable posture it was easier: put one extra between the knees, one under the back to take the load off the spine.

It is not recommended to sleep on your back during late pregnancy - the uterus squeezes the inferior vena cava, reducing blood flow to the brain and heart, because of this, dizziness and fainting are possible in the mother, and hypoxia in the fetus. If the baby suddenly shows increased activity or starts to beat strongly, change the position of your body, maybe you blocked the child's access to oxygen. Sleep experts recommend on the left side. Well, if the kid just decided to play, then mommy will have to be patient and wait, as a rule, this does not take much time.

Evening walks in the fresh air have a beneficial effect on falling asleep. A relaxing light massage of the back, lower back and legs helps a lot. If there is a cramp in the calf muscle, pull thumb feet and give a foot massage. And remember: the prevention of seizures is a sufficient intake of vitamins and trace elements, in particular magnesium and calcium.

A warm bath or just a shower will help relieve fatigue and relax. If you have insomnia, aromatherapy knows what to do - incense and herbs will put your nerves in order. You can simply put a pillow at the head of the bed, stuffed with relaxing herbs: thyme or buckwheat husks, immortelle flowers, hazel leaves (hazel) or noble laurel, hop cones, pine needles, rose petals, geranium grass.

Sex helps many to speed up the arrival of Morpheus - an excellent "sleeping pill", unless, of course, you have contraindications for this.

Insomnia – painful condition. The lack of proper sleep exhausts any person, but a pregnant woman suffers doubly. To bear a child, she needs a lot of physical and mental strength. But if insomnia torments, how to restore them?

After a sleepless night, a pregnant woman will feel overwhelmed, tired, irritated, which will certainly affect the well-being of the child.

Normal full-fledged sleep for a pregnant woman is of tremendous importance, because it is in a dream that her body, working for two, restores energy. That is why it is so important to understand why insomnia occurs during pregnancy and how to deal with it.

Types of insomnia during pregnancy

In the first days after conception, a complete hormonal restructuring of the woman's body occurs. Although insomnia often occurs already during this period, most women, on the contrary, experience increased drowsiness. In the first trimester of pregnancy, you can constantly pull into sleep, and this is normal: this is how the body reacts to the hormonal storm. The increased production of progesterone is designed to immerse the body in a state of rest, so as not to disrupt the process of the birth of a new life.

However, the situation is changing very soon. Drowsiness is replaced by insomnia.

There are several types of it:

Starting;

median;

Final.

At starting insomnia a woman cannot fall asleep for a very long time, falls asleep difficultly, painfully, for two or three hours. The median, or intermittent, is capable of exhausting no less: a person falls into a dream, wakes up, falls asleep again - and so on several times a night. As a result, it is not possible to fully relax. Insomnia of the morning type, or final, is characterized by early awakening, after which it will no longer be possible to fall asleep.

Experts say that every second woman suffers from insomnia during pregnancy. For the first trimester more typical insomnia median or final. The situation is exacerbated by toxicosis.

The second trimester of pregnancy is characterized by a temporary normalization of sleep. During this period, disturbances associated with the phase of falling asleep and awakening are rarely recorded. But from the third semester, from the 26th week until the end of gestation, insomnia can return again. The baby grows, the tummy grows, so it becomes more and more uncomfortable to sleep. A woman gets more tired, but less and less gets the opportunity to fully relax at night. Find comfortable position sleep becomes difficult.

Most often, you can fall asleep on your side. Sleeping on the left side promotes an easier outflow of blood from the lower legs, on the right side it unloads the kidneys. It is better to sleep on the left side of the body, this does not disturb the normal blood flow. To make the pose more comfortable, you can put a roll of a towel or a thin blanket under your knees and buy a supportive pillow for your growing belly.

In late pregnancy, many begin to dream of sleeping lying on their backs. However, until the birth of the baby, this position remains unacceptable. The fact is that the heaviness of the uterus puts pressure on the bladder, spine, and diaphragm. As a result, you won’t be able to sleep: you will wake up with frequent urge to go to the toilet, back pain, and shortness of breath.

From week 39, expecting a baby to be born soon can exacerbate insomnia during pregnancy. A woman is very tired, and overwork often prevents any person from falling asleep. We need to actively work on stabilization emotional state, anxiety relief. Being outdoors, reading your favorite books, watching soothing films with a happy ending, communicating with positive, pleasant people.

At the fortieth week, many women generally lose sleep. Waiting for childbirth, fear, excitement, frequent pain in the back, heaviness and swelling in the legs, unpleasant physiological manifestations- all this seriously disrupts the normal night's rest. But learning to relax, fall asleep, fully rest is a must. Not only for himself, but also for the sake of the baby, because he feels everything that his mother feels.

Causes of insomnia during pregnancy

At different stages of pregnancy, the causes of insomnia can be different.

The first trimester is characterized the following reasons:

Powerful emotions, an attempt to comprehend a new stage of life, excitement, fear - all this causes emotional insomnia;

Vomiting, nausea, intolerance to smells can haunt a woman not only in the morning, but also during the day, and even at night. In this case, the cause of insomnia is toxicosis;

Frequent urge to go to the toilet, caused by the active growth of the uterus, is another cause of sleep disturbances.

In the second semester insomnia during pregnancy is not as disturbing as before, or stops altogether. This is due to the stabilization of the emotional state, hormonal levels. Physiology still does not interfere with enjoying sleep: there is no pain in the chest, back, lower abdomen, and the tummy itself is not too noticeable. Therefore, if insomnia does appear, it is caused by some external stimuli: stuffiness in the room, snoring, cold.

Third semester- the time of the return of unrest and significant changes in the physiology of pregnant women. How will the birth go? How will the baby be born? Is everything okay with him? Such questions disturb the expectant mother. All this is the basis for a new stage emotional insomnia. Debuts and physiological type insomnia associated with big belly, frequent urges to urination, swelling of the nipples. Finding a comfortable position is extremely difficult.

The most common causes of physiological insomnia are:

constant pressure uterus on the bladder;

Pressing pains in the region of the spine;

Exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the chest and cervical spine;

The movements of the child, sometimes very sensitive;

Leg cramps, recurring at night. To remove the convulsive syndrome, you need to pull your thumb, massage the caviar. To prevent convulsions from recurring, you need to use vitamin complexes or products with high content magnesium and calcium;

Itching of the skin of the abdomen.

Constant lack of sleep can exhaust a woman so much that she becomes agitated, irritated. If sleep comes, then in such an exhausted state it is unlikely to be easy and pleasant. That is why it is important to study all the methods and ways of treating insomnia during pregnancy.

Ways to treat insomnia during pregnancy

From medical methods the fight against sleep disorders should be immediately abandoned. The influence of drugs on the formation of a child can be unpredictably dangerous. In any case, before you start taking any drug, you should always consult with your doctor.

daytime sleep contraindicated. Even a half-hour nap can disrupt the natural evening sleep: a rested body simply does not have time to get tired enough. And in general, during the day you need to lie less in bed and on the couch, it is better to relax in an armchair.

Don't eat before bed, and in the afternoon (after six in the evening) you need to limit the amount of fluid you drink. Before going to bed, it is better to limit yourself to a glass of kefir.

You need to find your way for total relaxation . Most popular:

Massage of the lower back, cervical-collar zone, head, feet, hands;

Aromatherapy (mint, lavender oils relax well);

Nice calm music;

Favorite book or magazine;

Warm milk with honey or chamomile infusion;

Body care after warm shower. On the skin of the abdomen, you need to regularly, from the first days of active growth of the uterus, apply a softening cream. This will help prevent stretch marks and get rid of skin itching.

Honey is an excellent remedy for sleep disorders. If you mix a spoonful of honey with the same amount of natural apple cider vinegar, dissolve them in water, you get a wonderful soothing drink. A sip of such a sweet medicine can calm down and sleep well. But if you suffer from heartburn, you can’t take vinegar! In this case, you can dissolve honey in milk, chamomile tea, mix with crushed walnuts.

Can replace insomnia medication during pregnancy a drop of lavender oil applied to whiskey. Alcohol infusion Valerian should not be taken. But a sedative effect can be achieved if you breathe in the fumes of valerian from an open bottle. Doctors are not against the tablet form of valerian, but they should be taken only after consulting with a supervising doctor! Valerian has a cumulative effect, so the result will be noticeable only after two to three days.

Helps you fall asleep special exercise . It is performed while lying in bed. It's simple: raise your legs a little and perform movements that imitate walking. Hands should lie along the body. They say that such a "walk" allows you to go completely unnoticed to the kingdom of Morpheus.

You can learn special breathing exercises . But this should be done only under the guidance of a coach.

Prevention of insomnia during pregnancy

An excellent prevention of sleep disorders is a properly distributed physical activity throughout the day. Do not think that heavy physical activity will help you fall asleep. This is a very common misconception. On the contrary, severe fatigue will certainly prevent you from falling asleep normally.

Be sure to be in the fresh air, move, give the body physical activity. Yoga, water aerobics or home exercises are ideal. Best time for classes - until lunch. In the evening, any tension, physical or psychological, is contraindicated.

Mandatory evening walk: fresh air and light motor activity is a very effective prevention of insomnia during pregnancy at all stages of child development.

It is easier to fall asleep in a well-ventilated room. If possible, you can buy a special orthopedic mattress and pillow. Psychologists also recommend trying to fall asleep to relaxing sounds: recordings of the surf, the rustle of rain, the sound of the wind.

An overall positive attitude is important. All anxious thoughts- away! There should be no scandals, quarrels, unpleasant conversations and meetings, especially before going to bed. Anxiety, which is one of the causes of insomnia, will help to remove trainings for pregnant women, seminars for future parents, individual consultations with a psychologist.

You can’t dwell on fear: it harms both mother and baby. You can take a course of study for which there was always not enough time. For example, learn how to sew tilde dolls, take professional photographs, learn Spanish - anything, as long as you like it!

It is very important to eat right. Pregnancy is a great opportunity to switch to healthy eating. Steam and fresh vegetables, fruits, berries should be on the menu of a pregnant woman every day. A large number of fiber - prevention of constipation, which means a guarantee of a good night's sleep and prevention of insomnia during pregnancy.

Insomnia during pregnancy: folk recipes

Herbs traditionally used to treat insomnia during pregnancy folk remedies. In addition to valerian, you can brew herbal teas with lemon balm, St. John's wort, thyme, lavender, licorice, orange, savory. If decoctions have a bad effect on pressure, it is better to refuse them. Decoctions on hops are prohibited.

Great sedative effect gives freshly squeezed radish, beet or turnip juice mixed with a spoonful of honey. It is necessary to make a hole in the fruit with a sharp knife, place a spoon there natural honey and wait for the juice to come out. After two to four hours, you need to drink the liquid that has accumulated in the hole of the root crop.

Herbal infusion helps to normalize sleep and prevent insomnia during pregnancy celery. A spoonful of chopped celery should be poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for half an hour. Strain the infusion, drink one-third of a glass three times a day.

Berries have a calming effect blackcurrant. They can be used fresh or dried. Berries (one tablespoon) should be poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for half an hour.

Can be put under the pillow linen pillow with herbs and buckwheat husks. Hazel leaves (hazel) have a relaxing effect, pine needles, immortelle flowers, hop cones, thyme, rose petals, dried geranium.

Insomnia during pregnancy can pretty spoil your mood and damage normal development fetus. Therefore, it must be fought, since there are effective, proven, effective methods.