Insomnia in pregnancy is normal and is believed to be due to hormonal changes typical of this phase, but since not all pregnant women have insomnia during pregnancy, it is believed that there are other factors involved.
Women who are anxious, stressed, or who have other emotional problems tend to suffer more from insomnia during pregnancy. It is very common for the pregnant woman to feel very sleepy in the first trimester of pregnancy and to suffer with insomnia in the third trimester and, in this case, this would also be caused by the discomfort that the belly brings.
As progesterone is increased during pregnancy, it can cause insomnia for many pregnant women, since it has sedative action on the central nervous system causing drowsiness, and the hormone estrogen, also very abundant at this stage, has a stimulating effect and, so it is believed that it may be the cause of frequent nocturnal awakenings during pregnancy.
What to do to sleep better in pregnancy
As for insomnia in pregnancy, what can be done to ease it is:
- Go to sleep at the same time, in a quiet room;
- Put a pillow between your legs to get more comfortable;
- Drink the lemon balm tea and avoid coffee and other stimulant drinks after 6pm. Here's a list of the teas that the pregnant woman can not take;
- Avoid very loud and noisy environments such as malls and shopping centers at night;
- If you have difficulty sleeping or falling asleep again, close your eyes and focus only on your breathing.
Treatment for insomnia in pregnancy can also be done with medications, but they should only be prescribed by the obstetrician. See several other tips on: What to do against insomnia in pregnancy.
Insomnia in pregnancy harms the baby?
Insomnia in pregnancy does not harm the baby, however, it is important for the health of the pregnant woman to sleep at least 10 hours a day and not to sleep belly up after the 5 months of gestation.
See too:
- Insomnia: Find out which foods are good for you and those that fight
- Melissa tea for insomnia
