While being pregnant can be an amazing experience, it also comes with its own set of hardships. What your body goes through when you’re pregnant can be exhausting, to say the least. But at this time when you need sleep and rest the most, actually getting it can be one of the most challenging things of all.
So if you’ve been having a hard time getting the rest you need over the last few weeks or months, here are three tips for getting better sleep when you’re pregnant.
Do What It Takes To Get Comfortable
As your pregnancy progresses, you’re likely to feel less and less comfortable with each passing day. Because of this, it can be hard to find a comfortable position to sleep in as well, especially when sleeping on your stomach or back is generally off-limits.
To combat this, Parents.com recommends that you do whatever you can to get yourself comfortable in your bed, including using an exorbitant amount of pillows or investing in a puffy queen mattress. With all these extra cushions, you should be able to situate your body in such a way that you’re getting the support you need while also feeling the right areas of your body being cradled or padded. Try putting pillows between your knees, under your belly, or along your back.
Keep Things Cool
When you’re pregnant, your body has a lot more blood pumping through it, which means you get hot much easier than you normally might. This extra blood and heat can make it hard to stay at a comfortable temperature when you’re sleeping.
To help with this, Dr. Nivin Todd, a contributor to WebMD.com, advises that you take control of the temperature in your room by turning down the thermostat. Additionally, you can also place a fan or two around your bed to give you some more airflow if you start to feel too hot.
Limit Food And Drinks Before Bed
Some other problems that keep many pregnant women awake at night are heartburn and frequent bathroom breaks. But with the right strategy, you can decrease the odds of these things ruining your night’s sleep.
According to Dr. Dawn Kingston, a contributor to Psychology Today, limiting your food and drinks before bed can help you reduce the chances of heartburn creeping up on you as well as help you keep your bladder empty. But if you do have to get up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, try to keep things as dark as you can so you can easily slip back into sleep once you return to bed.
If you’re worried about getting the sleep you need while pregnant, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you rest easier.
