How to Sleep Better While Pregnant
It’s no secret that getting a good nights rest while pregnant can be tough. You’re huge. You’re hot. You only have 1 choice of sleeping position. It’s tough stuff. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but once baby gets here, you will most likely be sleeping less (read: you will ABSOLULETLY be sleeping less). So it’s important to rest up while you can and build some good habits to help you catch more ZZZ’s.
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Taper off the water drinking as night time approaches
As pregnant woman, we know the importance of drinking water throughout the day. I’m guilty of looking at the clock at 5 PM and thinking “I’ve only had two glasses today!” so I’ll run to my fridge and fill up my mego preggo drinking mug and start chugging for the next few hours. This leads to me needed to get up multiple time after laying down to go to the restroom.
Aim to have you water drinking goals completed BY 5 p.m. so you can give your body plenty of time to work through the fluids before bed time.
2.Turn down the temp
While pregnant, your body temperature is an average of 2 degrees higher than it is when you are not pregnant. Add on the sheets and covers and it can get pretty steamy when bed time rolls around. Crank down the AC 2-3 degrees (or more if your little heart desires) to make yourself comfortable enough to get some rest.
3. Wind down 30 minutes before bed time
Start prepping your body and mind to relax. No more cell phone, iPad or TV time within 30 minutes of the time you plan to crawl into bed. These type of things keep your mind active and it can be tough to wind down and get your mind set for bed time. Try something else to relax yourself such as a warm bath or a good read.
4. Use calming oils and drops
I’ve been a huge fan of the lavender scents in my diffuser since I hit my second trimester (read more about safe essential oils during pregnancy here). I have also come to love Good Night from Birth Sing Botanicals.
You may think the bottle looks familiar… it should! If you’ve read my post on how I increased my breastmilk production in 48 hours, you know that I give most of the credit to Let There Be Milk, also from Birth Song Botanicals. These drops are 100% natural and contain chamomile, valerian root and other pregnancy safe herbs. When I take the drops, I feel like it’s not only easier for me to get relaxed and comfortable, but I am able to actually STAY asleep, versus waking every 45 minutes like I usually do!
5. Make your bed comfy
As you probably know, sleeping flat on your back becomes a pregnancy no-no around 24 weeks. But sleeping on your side isn’t always the most comfortable. Whatever it is you need to make your side of the bed as comfy as possible, GET IT! For some, it’s extra pillows. I splurged this pregnancy and bought a Snoogle. It’s this massive wrap around pillow that basically leaves a small 2 foot section of the bed for my husband but it is OH SO PERFECT for me!
6. Keep naps short and sweet
If you are fortunate enough to get in a nap during the day, try to keep it under 45 minutes total. Anything more than that could end up making it harder to get a solid nights sleep.
7. When all else fails, remind your body how tired you are.
Instead of just lying there tossing and turning, get up and do something. Sometimes just a simple trip to the kitchen for a little drink of water really brings on my drowsiness and makes it much easier to fall asleep once I return to bed. Don’t go crazy and start baking a three-tier cake, but do something small to get your mind off the task of getting some rest.
