Pregnancy is one of the happiest phase in a woman’s life. The anticipation of welcoming your little pea to the world is what makes this experience remarkable.
Being pregnant though is not a walk in the park. With a lot of physical and emotional changes that are happening, many pregnant women are complaining of pain and discomforts.
One of the most complain is the difficulty in sleeping. With heartburn and the challenge in finding a comfortable sleeping position adding up, most pregnant women find themselves counting thousands of sheep and still unable to fall asleep.
How can you get the much-needed shut-eye? Try these tips that are effective in putting expectant mommies to sleep.
Reduce Emotional Stress
A lot of things are going through your mind when you are pregnant. With thousands of worries from labor pains to taking care of your little one, expectant mothers lie awake at night with these burdens in mind.
Clear off your mind from stress and emotional burdens. Let go of all these worries and anxieties and focus on positive things.
Do you feel resentful at your partner for not buying that cheeseburger that you crave at 1am? Let go of this negative feeling.
You’d find it easier to sleep if your heart is not filled with negative emotions.
Exercise Regularly
It’s hard to get a decent sleep when your back is aching, your ankles are swelling and your heartburn is killing you.
One of the most effective way of getting enough quality sleep is by having a regular exercise. Physical activity and regular exercise is known not just to give you a boost of energy but also to help you get a good night sleep.
Is it safe to exercise when pregnant?
Yes, it is absolutely safe to have regular exercise whilst pregnant. Perfect exercises for you are swimming, brisk walking, running, group dance or aerobic classes, indoor cycling, Pilates, prenatal yoga and even weightlifting.
- Meditate Regularly
Meditation has been practiced for many years due to its vast benefits in our lives.
If you have not tried meditation yet, now is the perfect time to do so. Meditation during pregnancy has many benefits which includes stress reduction, proving relief in pain, reducing risk of depression, increasing melatonin, better blood pressure levels and heart rate, lowers the need for Cesarean sectionand epidural anesthesia, better connection between you and your baby and helps pregnant women sleep better.
If you’re struggling to fall asleep, practice deep breathing to ease your muscle tension and lower your heart rate. This results to falling asleep faster.
- Make a Bedtime Schedule
Hitting the sack at the same time every night establishes a routine for your body. When the clock strikes at your usual bedtime, your body will learn to automatically snooze off if you’ve been used to sleeping at this particular hour.
Avoid doing heavy physical activities a few hours before your bed time. Shut off your electronic devices as well to signal as they are great distractions. Put on your favorite jazz music or light up your favorite scented candle to put you in a much relax mode.
- Create a Pleasant and Peaceful Environment
Your bedroom should be reserved solely for rest and relaxation. Make it a place conducive for this purpose. Remove distractions such as television, computers, office works, etc.
Keep your bedroom neat and peaceful. Remove as much clutter as you can. You will be having trouble going to dreamland if your surrounding is crowded and cluttered.
- Keep Naps Short and Sweet
Having a nap is extremely helpful in establishing a better sleeping pattern at night. An approximate 20-minute nap is enough to boost your energy. Avoid taking longer naps or taking nap late in the afternoon as they could interfere with your sleep at night.
- Watch Your Diet
What you eat has an adverse effect on your quality of sleep. Though the sound of pizza and cheeseburger for dinner is highly irresistible, avoid eating heavy meals and foods that are high in fats and oil before bedtime. You’ll stay up for hours as your body will be having a hard time digesting these foods.
I know being pregnant makes you starving most of the time. If you can’t resist having a snack, choose a cracker or an apple instead of some cookies.
Your healthcare suggests that you need ample hours of sleep to get you ready for the battle of pregnancy. Try these tips and you will see that you’d wake up feeling refreshed and energized the next day as you had much better sleep.
Author Bio:
Ryan Varela is the CEO of Boost Health Insurance which provides customized and affordable health care plans for thousands of customers across the United States. Ryan has nearly a decade of experience in the health care industry and continues to serve the greater need to educate and deliver access to affordable options to those who need health care the most.