6 ways to sleep well during pregnancy

Here are few ways in which you can garner more sleep during pregnancy.

While you learn a lot about a healthy diet and importance of exercise during pregnancy, nobody tells you about significance of sleep and its essence during those crucial nine months. However, sleep during pregnancy is as essential as eating right and exercising. Pregnancy among its other woes disturbs one s normal sleep patterns too.

Many women complain about disturbed sleep, anxiety and also suffer from insomnia during pregnancy. On the other hand, many might fall asleep quite easily any chance they get. Keep in mind, that during pregnancy both oversleeping or less of it both has its adverse consequences. The best is to sleep adequately and listen to your body more often to pick up the right cues.

Here are a few things that you can do to induce good night's sleep during pregnancy.

Limit your caffeine intake

Excessive intake of caffeine can disturb your sleep cycle during pregnancy. Apart from that, consumption of caffeine during pregnancy has its set of perils. Many studies suggest that a high consumption of caffeine can also lead to birth defects or a miscarriage. therefore, it is wise to limit your caffeine intake during pregnancy to save your baby from its effects and help yourself get some quality sleep. In case you cannot do without having your caffeine fix, limit your coffee intake to two cups a day. The same rule applies for tea, green tea or other such beverages loaded with stimulants. Here are eight beverages that you should avoid during pregnancy.

Take regular naps

Fatigue during pregnancy is common. It is also a natural way for your body to get enough rest for optimal functioning and fetal development. Excessive fatigue can make nighttime sleep difficult making you too uneasy and uncomfortable to relax. To counter this, take regular naps throughout the day. This has a two-pronged advantage - it helps fight fatigue effectively and helps your body get adequate amount of sleep throughout the day that rejuvenates you to the fullest. Even a 15 minute nap at your desk after lunch can be of great help. Ideally to increase your sleep-time during pregnancy make it a point to go to bed an hour early and wake up an hour later than your usual time. Hire help or ask your family to help you with chores so that you can catch up with some extra sleep. Here are more ways to get enough sleep during pregnancy.

Avoid heavy meals before going to bed

Pregnancy is a time when indigestion, bloating and heartburn can cause you more trouble than you ever thought. However, there are ways in which these niggles can be managed effectively. Not only do these symptoms interfere with proper functioning of the body, they can also come in the way of a good night s sleep. The best way to deal with heartburn and indigestion is to avoid having a heavy meal just before going to bed. Have your meals least two hours before bedtime. To aid the process of digestion go for a stroll after dinner which will also help you to sleep better at night. Here are some simple and quick tricks to deal common pregnancy symptoms.

Keep yourself hydrated

Drink adequate amounts of water to keep your systems toxin free and to nourish your innards naturally. Water has a soothing effect on the body that helps it to relax and unwind. Here are more reasons why drinking water during pregnancy is crucial.

Work on sleeping in a comfortable position

One of the many reasons nighttime sleep during pregnancy gets disturbed is because of the various physical discomforts that come during those months, what with the protruding belly and swollen feet and hands. In case you are suffering from edema or swollen feet due to water retention, use a pillow to prop up your legs during sleep. This will provide you with comfort and relief. To give your bulging belly adequate support, use a pregnancy pillow and turn on your left side with the pillow resting below your belly for proper support. The pillow will also ensure that your legs and spine are well positioned during sleep so that you do not suffer from postural discomforts. Remember experts say that turning on your left side during your sleep is a good idea as it ensures proper circulation and nutrient transference to the fetus during sleep.

Avoid stress

Stress during pregnancy can harm you in many ways, and one of them is by ruining your sleep. If you feel stressed out before going to bed, try giving yourself a soothing bath or indulge in a massage to revive your senses. This will help you get a good night s sleep in no time. Also, keeping stress at bay during pregnancy as it can harm your child in many ways, so it is best avoided. Here are nine ways how you can deal with stress during pregnancy.

Don t exercise just before bed-time

While exercising during pregnancy is healthy, exercising just prior to your bedtime is a bad idea, as it can rev-up your senses and delay sleep. It is better to finish your exercises a couple of hours prior to when you plan to sleep. But if you practice yoga before bedtime that can help you relax and induce sleep, it is wise to continue with the same after consulting an expert.

Image courtesy: Getty Images

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