Horrible insomnia during pregnancy! How can I help you? There is no strength! Insomnia during pregnancy. Why pregnant women have trouble sleeping at different stages and how to deal with it

Sleep disturbances are quite common accompaniments of pregnancy. Sleep problems may occur during different terms and have various manifestations: from the condition constant drowsiness before and difficulty falling asleep.

Sleeping in the first trimester

The main causes of sleep disturbances in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy:

Change hormonal levels(in particular, an increase in progesterone levels), which leads to the condition increased fatigue, constant drowsiness;
General decrease in immunity;
Psychological discomfort (observed more often during the first pregnancy);
Enlargement and tenderness of the mammary glands. Pain in the mammary glands prevents the choice of a comfortable sleeping position, especially in women who are accustomed to sleeping on their stomachs;
Frequent urge to urinate. Despite the visible absence of a belly, the uterus is already beginning to grow and is pressing on bladder, which leads to a significant increase in urination, especially at night.

Sleeping in the second trimester

The second trimester is quite favorable and easy for a woman in many ways, including in terms of sleep. However, some features may be present and somewhat disrupt then:

Difficulty choosing a comfortable position. In the second trimester, the woman begins to notice an increase in the abdomen, from this time sleeping on the stomach is strictly prohibited;
Nasal congestion and swelling of the nasopharynx, leading to difficulty breathing and severe snoring (associated with changes in hormonal levels);
Convulsions calf muscles(after 20 weeks the body’s need for calcium and magnesium increases significantly). A lack of these microelements leads to severe cramps.

Sleeping in the third trimester

Information In the third trimester, almost every woman has problems with sleep and, above all, they manifest themselves as difficulty falling asleep, early awakening, and shallow light sleep.

Main causes of sleep disturbance after 30 weeks:

Large belly size, making it difficult to accept comfortable position for sleep. A woman in advanced pregnancy is recommended to sleep on her left side with;
due to the child’s pressure on the bladder;
Increased activity of the child at night;
Operational disruptions digestive system(constipation, bloating);
Difficulty breathing caused by pressure from the growing uterus on the diaphragm;
Active work of cardio-vascular system, causing rapid heartbeat;
, muscles, caused by the production of the hormone relaxin.

Insomnia during pregnancy

Insomnia is common problem during pregnancy and occurs mainly in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Important A pregnant woman urgently needs daily nutritious night rest(at least 10 hours), the lack of which can lead to a significant deterioration in overall health.

Choosing the right sleeping position. As the abdomen grows and the fetus begins to move, a woman is prohibited from sleeping on her stomach. Sleeping on your back is also not recommended from the end of the second trimester, because... can lead to a deterioration in the woman’s health and causes discomfort to the child. The optimal position is on the left side with. It is also possible to improve the quality of sleep by using a special pillow for pregnant women;
Limiting fluid intake before bed (at least 2 hours before bedtime), which will help reduce the frequency of nighttime urination;
Limiting food intake before bed (especially fatty, spicy, smoked) to prevent disruption of the digestive system;
Avoiding drinks containing caffeine (cola, cola) in the afternoon and immediately before bedtime;
Take immediately before bedtime warm milk with honey or decoctions medicinal herbs with a slight calming effect (mint, thyme, lemon balm, linden, etc.);
Long walks on fresh air before bedtime;
Thoroughly ventilate the room before going to bed;
Refusal nap or its limitation to 1-1.5 hours;
Avoid emotional stress, especially in the evening;
Taking a warm shower 15-20 minutes before bedtime;
Relaxing back massage for severe pain;
Taking calcium and magnesium supplements for the prevention and treatment of seizures;
Aromatherapy (lavender, rose, geranium, bay laurel, lemon balm). Aroma oils You can rub it into your temples or apply it to a napkin and place it next to your pillow before bed.

When was the last time you dreamed scary dreams? Agree, in the morning they leave not the most pleasant impression. And if nightmares come constantly at night, then normal rest is out of the question. Unfortunately, many expectant mothers experience a similar condition. Moreover, bad dreams during pregnancy do not directly depend on either the period or the physical condition of the woman. So what are the reasons then?

Features by period

Anxious dreams during pregnancy in most cases appear for psychological reasons. Moreover, most often they come in the first and third trimester. But this is not a pattern - bad dreams may not appear at all, and for some they do not allow them to sleep peacefully almost throughout the entire pregnancy. What internal reasons can they be provoked in each period of pregnancy?

First trimester

The emotions that a woman experiences when she learns that she is expecting a child can be different - from a feeling of boundless happiness to absolute horror. But such news will not leave any woman indifferent. And since dreams always reflect our psycho-emotional state, how a woman experiences her upcoming pregnancy will certainly affect their content.

A happy expectant mother may dream of angels, charming toddlers, pleasant and bright dreams. Women who are stressed about the upcoming birth of a child often have dreams about disasters, accidents, and destruction.

This is understandable - future mom perceives what is happening as a personal catastrophe. In addition, toxicosis is often present in the first trimester, which also does not contribute to a good night’s rest.

Second trimester

During this period, the woman has already fully realized the fact of impending motherhood, and the unpleasant sensations associated with toxicosis are significantly reduced or disappear completely.

Therefore, bad dreams during this period are infrequent guests normal course pregnancy. If they appear, it is mainly due to physical changes in the body, which begin to cause inconvenience.

Third trimester

On later Almost everyone experiences bad dreams during pregnancy. And they are most often associated with the upcoming birth. Although the plots of the dreams themselves are completely different and reflect the main problem only indirectly, in individual symbolism. Women experiencing extreme fear may have dreams of torment and torture, hospitals, operations, etc.

Those who fear for the health of their unborn child are often haunted by visions in which they save or, conversely, lose their babies. In any case, anxiety last weeks pregnancy increases greatly and this is reflected in night dreams.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The reasons that can cause bad dreams during pregnancy are much more varied.

Physiological factors

The dream plots indirectly reflect physical state women. With each month during pregnancy, the load on a woman’s body increases. At the same time, the number of various inconveniences and restrictions that she has to put up with increases. If on early stages You can sleep in any position, then, starting from the 5th month, a woman cannot spend the night on her stomach.

In the second half of pregnancy, you can no longer sleep on your back, since in this position the greatly enlarged uterus puts pressure on the diaphragm and internal organs, disrupting normal blood circulation.

Sometimes a woman turns around in bed for hours, trying to find the optimal body position for sleep. And as soon as she manages to do this, the baby “wakes up” and begins to become active in the stomach.

provoke bad dream during pregnancy there may be the following reasons:

Pregnant women need to remember that bad dreams themselves are not at all dangerous. This is just a reaction of the subconscious to a changed physical and mental condition women. But we cannot ignore them either.

In particularly impressionable women, bad dreams often become the cause of insomnia - they are simply afraid to fall asleep.

What to do

Healthy restful sleep extremely important for a pregnant woman. Moreover, the closer to childbirth, the more the importance of a quality night's rest increases. Therefore, it is advisable to do everything possible to ensure that during this period your sleep is sound and your dreams are only pleasant. Simple preventive measures can help with this:

If you cannot get rid of bad dreams on your own, be sure to tell your doctor about it and under no circumstances use sleeping pills or sedatives. The doctor will definitely find a quick and harmless way to solve the problem for you and the child.

Pregnancy is accompanied by many difficulties - difficulties in digestion, jumps blood pressure and frequent insomnia. But such manifestations can and should be fought so as not to overshadow the joy of pregnancy and to ease the course of childbirth.

Causes of poor sleep in pregnant women

There are several reasons for poor sleep during pregnancy, and they depend on the period at which the woman is pregnant. Normal sleep is considered to be the absence of wakefulness between 11 pm and 7 am. If there are problems falling asleep at this time, the woman sleeps shallowly and constantly wakes up, she has insomnia

First trimester

As a rule, the first three months of pregnancy are usually overcome by drowsiness - the body is being rebuilt. But if it’s hard to fall asleep, emotions are most likely to blame. We may be overly happy or worried about the baby.

Second trimester

And again, emotional intensity should be blamed for a bad dream, increased anxiety. Many pregnant women have very shallow sleep due to hormonal changes and somewhat tense anticipation of events. A woman may be worried before the next ultrasound or hear about difficult painful childbirth. As a rule, the belly is not yet so big that it interferes with sleep. In this case, we recommend reading the article: how not to be nervous during pregnancy, you may find a few useful tips and for yourself.

Third trimester

At the border between the 6th and 7th months already physiological reasons lead to sleep disturbances. The uterus enlarges, the belly becomes larger - you can’t sleep on your back so easily anymore. The fetus puts pressure on both the bladder and the lungs, so the pregnant woman constantly wants to go to the toilet, and it can be difficult to breathe. Many women also complain of increased sweating, and it is difficult to sleep when feeling hot. Another reason could be that the unborn baby often does not sleep at night and pushes.

How can an expectant mother cope with poor sleep?

There are several ways to overcome poor sleep and “learn” to sleep at night again. It would be better to combine them.

1. Try to go to bed no later than 11 pm, or better if it is around 10 pm. Remember that the recommended amount of sleep is no more than 9 hours, otherwise you will be drowsy all day.

2. You need to sleep a little during the day, you can just lie down for half an hour. But it is undesirable to sleep for too long during the day, otherwise at night the rested body will simply refuse to fall asleep.

3. Don’t drink a lot at night, otherwise the urge to urinate will “exhaust” you all night.

4. Clothes should be made from natural materials, light and appropriate for the season. It is better to be lightly dressed, but covered with a warm blanket.

5. Don’t overeat before bed, otherwise everything you eat together with your now grown baby will put pressure on your stomach. This may cause difficulty breathing.

6. Be sure to give yourself physical activity– yoga, Pilates, swimming in special groups. This, firstly, will help you get tired for a good night’s sleep, and secondly, it will normalize blood pressure and strengthen your muscles. But do it in the morning.

7. Pay attention to auto-training and aromatherapy, especially since aromatherapy treatment for pregnant women is becoming increasingly popular. They will help relieve stress and cope bad thoughts, and at the same time they will help get rid of bad sleep. Tell yourself that you and your baby are healthy, talk to him, assure both of you that the birth will go well. And the volatile essential oils will help normalize blood pressure, thermoregulation, cardiac activity, and relieve pain.

8. Make your sleeping space as comfortable as possible: a comfortable pillow, a supportive mattress and, of course, your favorite future dad the baby is nearby. Sleep on your side, but not your heart side.

9. Take before bed warm shower, it will relax the muscles.

Have a safe pregnancy!

Pregnancy is one of the happiest periods in the life of any woman. But it is often accompanied by the emergence of many new problems that the woman has not encountered before. One of these unpleasant phenomena may be sleep disturbance. But it is on proper sleep that the emotional mood, physical and mental activity, and general health body.

Why is sleep disturbed during this period and how to deal with insomnia? Let's try to figure it out.

Many women experience sleep disturbances already in the first months of pregnancy. The main cause of insomnia at this time is the changes occurring in the body of the expectant mother - hormonal changes, toxicosis, and more. With the onset of the second trimester, sleep returns to normal; insomnia may reappear a couple of months before giving birth.

Sleep disturbance during pregnancy is not so bad at all harmless problem, as it may seem. Poor, restless sleep or lack of sleep at night leads to nervous exhaustion, and this is extremely dangerous in the last months of pregnancy. Being a powerful stress, insomnia can cause various pregnancy complications, and sometimes even cause premature birth.

Sleep disturbance is always a symptom, a manifestation of some other problem. Therefore, before dealing with the hardships of the night, you should understand the reason that caused them. The main causes of sleep disturbances include:

It's hard to accept comfortable position body. In later stages, the belly has grown so much that it becomes difficult to lie on your back. You have to take unloved positions - on your left or right side.
Painful sensations in lumbar region and in the back. A woman's weight has increased significantly, which causes excessive load on the vertebrae, which emit pain and interfere with sleep. But you can’t take another painkiller pill – during pregnancy similar drugs are strictly prohibited.
Fetal movements. At this stage, the baby moves intensely, often changing its position. The child's restless behavior does not allow the woman to sleep peacefully.
Frequent urge to urinate. The enlarged fruit is compressed nearby organs, including the bladder, causing a woman to want to go to the toilet literally every hour.
Heartburn, nausea and other problems in the functioning of the digestive system.
Reception hormonal drugs , which contain progesterone, which causes an invigorating effect.
Itchy sensation in the stomach. They occur as a result of abdominal growth and distension. skin. In addition, the skin of the abdomen becomes more sensitive during pregnancy and may react sharply to synthetic clothing materials.
Cramps in lower limbs . They appear due to a deficiency of magnesium and calcium in the body, or due to swelling of the legs.
Dyspnea. Many pregnant women suffer from shortness of breath during sleep. This problem occurs as a result of pressure from the enlarged uterus on the diaphragm.
Pain in the perineum or on the inner thighs. They appear due to the fact that the child’s head presses on the nerve nodes located in the pelvic area.

The causes of sleep disturbances can also be psychological. A pregnant woman is constantly in a state of stress, worrying about the outcome of the upcoming birth and the health of her baby. Often on recent months pregnant woman suffers from nightmares.

Can cause insomnia constant unrest in the family and at work, worries about weight gain, loss of attractiveness and much more.

How to deal with insomnia

To overcome insomnia, it is necessary to develop not only a certain daily routine, but also the correct psychological attitude. To combat sleep disorders, the following methods are recommended for pregnant women:

In the evening, a couple of hours before bedtime, take a walk in the fresh air;
Take a shower before bed - the water should be warm to relax the body;
It is recommended to sleep in comfortable clothes made of cotton fabric;
An hour before bedtime, you should not watch intense movies, news or emotionally “acute” TV shows;
To improve sleep, you need to exclude spicy, fried foods, as well as sweets and carbonated drinks from your diet;
When sleeping, you need to choose a comfortable position - you can put a pillow between your legs or under your back;
Sleep as little as possible during the day;
It is not recommended to drink a lot of liquid 2 hours before bedtime;
A chamomile decoction taken shortly before bedtime will help normalize sleep. small quantity; herbs with pronounced sedative effect Drinking is allowed only with the approval of a doctor;
At constant stress and increased nervous excitability it is recommended to visit a psychologist and tell him about your experiences;
To eliminate cramps, you should take special vitamin complexes, or include foods rich in magnesium and potassium in your diet - hard cheeses, sesame seeds, kozinaki, buckwheat, Pine nuts, pistachios, seaweed, walnuts, barley groats etc.
Ventilate the bedroom before going to bed;
Maintain moderate physical activity.

Resort to various sedatives and, moreover, to sleeping pills Highly not recommended during pregnancy. Many of these products contain substances that may be harmful to children. If insomnia continues to plague you even after changing your daily routine and diet, you should definitely visit your doctor and ask him for advice.

Pregnancy progresses in different ways; during this period, women face difficulties. Many people complain that they experience unreasonable insomnia during pregnancy, which causes weakness, drowsiness, lethargy, and overall poor health.

Gestation causes hormonal changes, good sleep at such moments it is simply necessary. If you periodically do not get enough sleep and do not rest during the night, over time, irritability, nervousness, and exhaustion of the body will appear, which negatively affects the development of the baby. This condition is dangerous and can provoke psychological, physical problems, so you need to fight insomnia.

Types of insomnia during pregnancy

Depending on what specific time of night there is poor sleep, or its complete absence, insomnia is conventionally divided into three types:

Evening (starting). Sleep does not come, the woman tosses and turns in the evening, turning from back to side. He lies for hours without closing his eyes, going over in his head what happened during the day, what will happen tomorrow. Usually, at such moments, a woman immediately feels that she will not be able to fall asleep, sleep will not come.
Loss of sleep state. In the evening, as if nothing had happened, the pregnant woman falls asleep. She sleeps peacefully, nothing seems to bother her or bother her, but after a certain time she wakes up. She just opens her eyes and it’s as if she hadn’t slept at all before. It is impossible to sleep until the morning; some people manage to sleep for two hours, others a little more - 5, 6 hours throughout the night.
Final phase morning insomnia. It’s almost dawn, the night is ending, I still haven’t been able to fall asleep, and in the morning I don’t feel drowsy. You feel weak, lethargic, and overwhelmed. Sometimes, on the contrary, severe drowsiness sets in in the morning, which is very difficult to fight.

During pregnancy, expectant mothers most often complain of evening insomnia. They complain that the very state of pregnancy, discomfort, prevents them from falling asleep, big belly. Sensation of fetal movements. Regardless of what type of insomnia progresses, with unpleasant phenomenon you need to cope, get proper and enough rest. It is believed that you need to sleep at least 10 hours during the day, so “lack of sleep” must be compensated at other times, for example, in the morning or afternoon.

Causes of insomnia during pregnancy

Anxiety caused at night is primarily of nature internal state women. No matter how it looks from the outside, the expectant mother, somewhere inside herself, worries deeply in her soul and constantly thinks about what is to come. Many cannot get used to their situation at all, hence the nightly torment. Analyzing general state women at one or another stage of development of the gestating fetus, there are several reasons, causing disruption sleep during pregnancy:

hormonal imbalance caused by ongoing slow changes in the body;
emotional stress, nervousness;
physical discomfort associated with the development of certain diseases (heart, digestion);
mental disorder;
difficult pregnancy;
development of chronic pathologies;
discomfort caused by an uncomfortable bed, sounds, noise, or lights on;
the room is stuffy, hot, cold, too humid air, damp, dust;
at night a lot was eaten, tonic drinks were drunk;
the woman has been taking some medications that affect sleep for a long time;
frequent urge to the toilet;
sleeps a lot during the day;
My sides hurt from constantly lying in front of the TV and reading while lying down.

Along with this, we can note other isolated factors that can excite the nervous system and cause insomnia, for example, frequent viewing of horror films. Restless work activity, unsettled family life.

Poor sleep during pregnancy in the first trimester

Most women do not sleep well during pregnancy due to hormonal changes in the body. Usually this is noted in the early stages and is considered the first sign of an “interesting” situation.

This phenomenon provokes anxiety and discomfort at night. Heartburn and shortness of breath occur. The frequency of changes in body position causes lumbar pain, limb spasms. All this leads to chronic fatigue, lethargy. Terrible thoughts come to mind, fear of the upcoming birth. At such moments, women are irritable, prone to nervousness, and susceptible to stress. Some people are not at all happy about what is happening.

In the second trimester

Closer to the second trimester, the main cause of insomnia remains a woman’s emotional imbalance. Anxiety increases, and along with it irritation. Women, pondering the upcoming events of motherhood, still remain restless. It’s impossible to rest properly at night; everyday issues take over the excitement.

The majority of women complain of shallow sleep, an overly sensitive state during sleep, and a clear perception of what is happening around them. The stomach, as a rule, does not yet interfere with sleep, but the tension is increasing. Given the characteristics of pregnancy, sleep disorders may be associated with them.

In the third trimester

Poor sleep in the third semester provokes nightmares. Some are tormented by dreams about upcoming birth, obstetricians. Restless sleep provokes profuse sweating, the woman in the dream seems to be worried parallel reality, waking up sweating, complains of chills and discomfort. This happens as a result of the mental state of the pregnant woman at this stage, apprehension, fear of the upcoming birth. Constantly thinking about the future, many people cannot sleep under such emotional influence, especially during pregnancy, because there are others unpleasant factors family life.

Physiological causes of poor sleep begin to appear. In the third trimester, the uterus is already significantly enlarged, the stomach becomes quite large. Difficulties arise with how to lie down comfortably, especially in the 8th and 9th month. Lying on your back is uncomfortable, and in some cases it is generally undesirable. The fetus puts more and more pressure on the bladder, causing frequent urge to go to the toilet. It becomes difficult to breathe as the fetus puts pressure on the respiratory organs. Arises increased sweating, fever

The child begins to move more and more often, and the movement is increasingly reflected by discomfort, even pain in some organs. In addition, if the fetus becomes very active during sleep, you need to change the position of the body, since, most likely, the woman is lying down uncomfortably and the child is uncomfortable, something is squeezing him.

What to do

Realizing that it is no longer possible to sleep properly for a long time, the state of sleep deprivation is chronic, you need to learn to control your sleep. It is important to understand that the phenomenon cannot be treated in this situation, nor can you take any medications (sleeping pills), even if you were constantly taking them before pregnancy.

First, you need to visit your doctor, get a consultation, tell him how the phenomenon manifests itself, and what worries you about it. Together with a specialist, try to find out the cause of the phenomenon, and then he will tell you what to do. Sometimes, in extreme cases It is permissible to prescribe a certain number of drugs to improve the condition of the body and regain lost sleep.

In such cases, it is recommended to drink soothing decoctions prepared from medicinal herbs: valerian, mint, chamomile, thyme, motherwort, licorice. Dry ingredients must be steamed and brewed strictly following the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you have a bad reaction to the decoctions, stop taking it.
It is necessary to eat little in the evening, trying not to overload the stomach, which provokes poor sleep during pregnancy. Include in menu fresh salads, radish, black currant, asparagus, beets, melon, it is believed that these products contribute sleep soundly. In general, reconsider your daily ration nutrition.
Avoid drinking tonic drinks, especially at night. In general, drink less fluid so as not to increase the urge to go to the toilet at night.
During the day, and especially in the evening, do not worry, do not be irritated, avoid stressful situations. In general, a person who is “ruffled” by the evening will rarely be able to sleep peacefully, and even more so in this state.
If your heart rate begins to increase in the evening and shortness of breath appears, it is enough to drink a mug of sweet tea, but warn your doctor about such symptoms, especially if they are constant. Most likely there is a lack of sugar in the body, hence the reasons.
It is useful to eat a spoonful of natural turnip juice shortly before bed. It is prepared simply, squeeze the turnips into pulp, add equal amount honey Leave for a couple of days before taking and store in the refrigerator.
Take a contrast shower shortly before rest. Warm your feet in warm water.
In the morning you need to get up earlier, walk more in the fresh air, move, and not lead a passive lifestyle.

Faced with restless sleep, insomnia, you need to think about whether the pregnant woman’s overall lifestyle is correct. Perhaps the woman sleeps a lot during the day and gets up late in the morning. Perhaps, in general, throughout the day, a woman is inactive, passive, practically does not expend energy during the day, so sleep does not occur.

Creating a favorable atmosphere

Only to the maximum favorable conditions, your night's rest will become useful and comfortable. Therefore, before going to bed, you need to:

ventilate the room;
wear appropriate pajamas to stay warm or, conversely, not to freeze;
it is convenient to put pastel accessories, purchase a special orthopedic pillow for pregnant women;
It is better to turn off the light, the room should be calm and quiet.

When going to bed, you need to emotionally tune in that today you will have a good dream, try to fall asleep.

In general, when a woman decides to give birth to a child, she is emotionally in the right mood, does not worry about anything, does not have problems with sleep, but if the expectant mother increasingly complains about poor sleep, then she needs to tell the supervising specialist about this. No one will immediately say why a pregnant woman can’t sleep at night; sometimes it may even take a series of tests to understand.

A specialist who often observes pregnancy advises seeking help from a psychologist, neurologist, somnologist and other doctors, who, after identifying the cause of concern, can establish a normal, full-fledged night sleep. However, the problem becomes more serious when, together with nighttime insomnia other symptoms appear slowly developing pathology. That is why we cannot delay dealing with such a phenomenon. You shouldn’t deal with it on your own; in any case, you should first consult a doctor.

When was the last time you had bad dreams? Agree, in the morning they leave not the most pleasant impression. And if nightmares come constantly at night, then normal rest is out of the question. Unfortunately, many expectant mothers experience a similar condition. Moreover, bad dreams during pregnancy do not directly depend on either the period or the physical condition of the woman. So what are the reasons then?

Features by period

First trimester

This is understandable - the expectant mother perceives what is happening as a personal disaster. In addition, toxicosis is often present in the first trimester, which also does not contribute to a good night’s rest.

Second trimester

During this period, the woman has already fully realized the fact of impending motherhood, and the unpleasant sensations associated with toxicosis are significantly reduced or disappear completely.

Therefore, bad dreams during this period are infrequent guests during a normal pregnancy. If they appear, it is mainly due to physical changes in the body that begin to cause inconvenience.

Third trimester

In the later stages of pregnancy, almost everyone experiences bad dreams. And they are most often associated with the upcoming birth. Although the plots of the dreams themselves are completely different and reflect the main problem only indirectly, in individual symbolism. Women experiencing extreme fear may have dreams of torment and torture, hospitals, operations, etc.

Those who fear for the health of their unborn child are often haunted by visions in which they save or, conversely, lose their babies. In any case, anxiety increases greatly in the last weeks of pregnancy and this is reflected in night dreams.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The reasons that can cause bad dreams during pregnancy are much more varied.

Physiological factors

The plots of the dream indirectly reflect the physical condition of the woman. With each month during pregnancy, the load on a woman’s body increases. At the same time, the number of various inconveniences and restrictions that she has to put up with increases. If in the early stages you can sleep in any position, then, starting from the 5th month, a woman cannot spend the night on her stomach.

In the second half of pregnancy, you can no longer sleep on your back, since in this position the greatly enlarged uterus puts pressure on the diaphragm and internal organs, disrupting normal blood circulation.

The following reasons can provoke poor sleep during pregnancy:

Severe or prolonged stress is accompanied by a surge of adrenaline and disturbing dream scenes: fights, chases, nightmares. Moreover, the pictures that appear may not be directly related to the cause of stress - they are only a reflection of the general mental anxiety of the expectant mother.
Increased activity of the fetus mainly creates problems with falling asleep. And if you don’t fall asleep on time, then the body does not reach the number of phases deep sleep. Dreams usually appear during the rapid phase of sleep. Accordingly, a pregnant woman wakes up in the morning with a feeling of a complete mess in her head from random fragments of dreams.
Emotional overexcitement. Even if the emotions were positive, their excess overloads the nervous system and makes it more difficult for it to switch off in the evening. During sleep, a pregnant woman may continue to experience pleasant or unpleasant significant events, and this will be reflected in the plots of the dream.
Lack of oxygen. Sleeping in a stuffy room is often accompanied by nightmares, even for healthy person. And although pregnancy is not a disease, in this state the need for clean air increases many times over. Stale air in the room can provoke dreams in which a pregnant woman feels suffocated.
Various diseases or pains. Is the same increased sensitivity leads to the fact that during pregnancy a woman may feel an aggravated or reappearing disease even before it manifests itself obvious symptoms. Pain is also felt during sleep, but if it is not strong enough, it does not wake the woman, but is only reflected in the dream.
Overeating or drinking too much fluid. It is extremely important to observe moderation in everything during pregnancy. Overeating before bed leads to the fact that a woman feels heaviness in her stomach half the night, and it is difficult for her to fall asleep. The enlarged uterus puts pressure on the bladder and reduces its volume. This means that a pregnant woman who drinks too much water will have a restless sleep; she will be awakened by the urge to urinate. She may dream of floods, rain and other water-related subjects.
Uncomfortable bed or too tight pajamas. This will prevent your body from completely relaxing during sleep. And since the woman still constantly experiences inconvenience associated with big belly, then dreams appear accordingly. A pregnant woman may dream that she is lying on the stones, she is tightly tied or her freedom is limited.

Pregnant women need to remember that bad dreams themselves are not at all dangerous. This is just a reaction of the subconscious to the changed physical and mental state of a woman. But we cannot ignore them either.

In particularly impressionable women, bad dreams often become the cause of insomnia - they are simply afraid to fall asleep.

What to do

Healthy, restful sleep is extremely important for a pregnant woman. Moreover, the closer to childbirth, the more the importance of a quality night's rest increases. Therefore, it is advisable to do everything possible to ensure that during this period your sleep is sound and your dreams are only pleasant. Simple preventive measures can help with this:

provide the pregnant woman with constant support and psychological comfort;
talk to the woman about to give birth and about what she is afraid of;
sign up for a prenatal training group - they will not only help you get rid of your fears, but you can also communicate with other pregnant women;
be sure to ventilate the room before going to bed - the air in the bedroom should be cool and moderately humid;
calm walks before bed will relieve stress, provide an additional flow of oxygen and speed up falling asleep;
a comfortable bed and loose clothing will not allow you to completely relax, will not restrict movement, or make breathing difficult;
distribute food correctly throughout the day - the diet should be as varied and healthy as possible, but dinner should be light;
do not drink a lot of liquid before bed - this will relieve severe swelling and will not provoke the urge to urinate at night.

Read with this

Why do I often dream?

Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which there is trouble falling asleep, insufficient duration or quality of sleep over a long period of time. Many pregnant women experience sleep disturbances right from the first weeks of pregnancy, which is associated with hormonal shock in the body. Those women who have never encountered this problem before are especially sensitive to insomnia. The situation is complicated by the fact that in this situation the expectant mother needs to get enough sleep and it is undesirable to overwork, so during pregnancy it is necessary to fight insomnia. Knowing the causes of insomnia and studying the processes that take place in the body during all 9 months will help you get rid of sleep disorders.

Types of insomnia

Sleep disorders that have general symptoms, namely the inability to sleep for a long time, is called insomnia (or asomnia).

Asomnia (a + lat. somnus - sleep). Insomnia, sleep disturbance. It manifests itself as difficulty falling asleep, interrupted sleep with frequent awakenings at night, shallow sleep or premature awakening with the inability to fall back to sleep.

There are three types of asomnia: transient, short-term and chronic.

Transient. Transient or situational insomnia during pregnancy is mostly associated with episodes caused by a surge of experiences of a joyful or sad nature. The sleepless state continues until the emotions subside and life goes on as usual. In this case, the saying is good: the less you know, the better you sleep. The expectant mother needs to protect herself from sources of unpleasant information, and those around her need to take care of her social circle and positive attitude reigning in the family. This kind of insomnia does not last more than a week and does not require special treatment.
Short-term. Short-term insomnia is associated with more significant reasons - physiological processes occurring in the body during pregnancy, stress, intake medicines, heart diseases. This type of insomnia can last about a month, and during this period the pregnant woman’s body can suffer significantly. If sleep disturbances have been bothering you for more than a week, you should immediately contact a specialist. You cannot get rid of the problem on your own, because the real reason Only a doctor can recognize it.
Chronic. Chronic asomnia is the most complex shape insomnia that does not occur during empty space. People suffer from it for months, and a similar condition can be caused by both mental and physical illness. It occurs much less frequently than the previous ones, however, in any case, this is a reason to consult a doctor. If chronic illness has bothered a pregnant woman before, then the methods of dealing with it will have to be adjusted, since previous medications can harm the baby.

Why is insomnia dangerous for pregnant women?

According to statistics, approximately 80% of pregnant women face the problem of lack of sleep. Many experts consider this condition as one of the signs of pregnancy in its early stages, as well as a state of drowsiness.

Why is insomnia so dangerous during pregnancy? Of course, a woman gets tired quickly during the day, because everyday things are no longer done as easily as before. Position expectant mother obliges her to protect not only herself, but also the baby from sudden movements, frequent bending and heavy lifting.

Any action requires concentration, and insomnia reduces it and causes additional stress. In her position, a pregnant woman can very easily get injured, even performing the simplest movements, be it taking a shower or a leisurely walk. Against the backdrop of an unstable hormonal balance, irritability appears, which arises even because of trifles.

Main causes of sleep disturbances during pregnancy

As the duration of pregnancy increases, the physiological causes of insomnia also increase. It has been noticed that at later stages it appears many times more often and is much more powerful. The most common causes of insomnia are:

problems in choosing a comfortable position, because the stomach has grown and the weight has increased ();
nagging pain in the lumbar and back areas;
active fetal movement;
leg cramps;
increased urge to urinate;
pronounced due to skin stretch marks;
dyspnea.

Psychological reasons also become prerequisites for sleepless nights during pregnancy. Among them are:

chronic fatigue;
nervous tension;
stressful situations;
concern for the child's health;
fear of childbirth;
nightmares.

The nature of insomnia is varied, but it is absolutely necessary to combat it. Poor physical condition and psychological problems should be warned, and, if insomnia has already appeared, learn to resist it.

Hormones and insomnia

First trimester. As pregnancy progresses, the causes of insomnia increase. Most often this situation is associated with restructuring hormonal system body. At the beginning of pregnancy, estrogens (first-phase hormones) menstrual cycle) give way to progesterone, the hormone of the second phase. Otherwise, he is called the guardian of pregnancy. An increase in progesterone levels brings the body into a state of full readiness, aiming it exclusively at bearing the fetus. Accordingly, even at night, this hormone does not allow the expectant mother’s body to relax and rest, so proper sleep is impossible.

Second trimester. When the second trimester of pregnancy begins, the overall picture partially changes, and night sleep improves. By this time, the woman’s body has already adapted to hormonal surge: relative stability begins nervous system, the pelvic organs, including the bladder, intestines and liver, have learned to adapt to the growing uterus. The functioning of all organs is normalized, and the stomach has not yet increased so much as to interfere with restful sleep.

Third trimester. The third trimester in pregnant women is again accompanied by insomnia, and it becomes increasingly difficult to find a comfortable position for rest. Women who have the habit of sleeping on their stomach or back have a very difficult time adapting to a different position. During this period, physiological discomfort is observed: the expectant mother develops heartburn, which gets worse when lying down, back and lower back pain occurs, and even at rest, shortness of breath appears. By this time, the stomach reaches such a size that it is difficult to find a comfortable position for sleeping.

The situation becomes more alarming closer to childbirth from regular lack of sleep and emotional unrest, often turning into nightmares. Because of this, sleep becomes more restless and shorter. The woman restlessly listens to her well-being, expecting contractions, feels every movement of the fetus, which does not allow her to relax and fall asleep. The third trimester of pregnancy is accompanied by another hormonal surge: progesterone levels drop sharply before childbirth. Poor sleep and difficulty falling asleep can be caused by training contractions of the uterus that occur a few days before childbirth.

How to overcome insomnia

You can combat insomnia in situational ways. There are factors that will help you get a good and stable night's sleep:

We avoid tension - accumulated fatigue does not always lead to long-awaited sleep, sometimes a woman simply cannot relax.
We give up the habit of sleeping during the day - perhaps night sleep can be restored.
We share nightmares with a close and understanding person - psychologists believe that a dream spoken out loud helps to understand that there is no danger nearby.
Avoid emotional stress in the evening - we refuse to sort things out, unpleasant conversations and do not watch action films at night.
Do not drink liquid at night large quantities– there will be no need frequent bowel movements bladder, and as a result, the need to get out of bed at night.
We use homeopathic remedies, if recommended by a specialist.
We have sex - if there are no contraindications, but there is a desire, then why not try this method?
We choose comfortable clothes for sleeping - preferably, pajamas made from natural materials that do not restrict movement.
We don’t get nervous and think only about good things.

And most importantly, if nothing helps and you want to resort to drug treatment, you must immediately inform your doctor about this. No amount of advice from friends and close relatives can replace the experience of a specialist. Only he can choose the right one and safe medicine for a pregnant woman without harming her unborn child.

How to help yourself

Causes of insomnia during pregnancy different dates are different, therefore, the ways to deal with it are different. Manipulations that help maintain a certain daily routine and nutrition are suitable for the first trimester:

Note to moms!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...

Create a habit of going to bed at the same time, preferably before 11 p.m.;
The last meal should be postponed three hours before going to bed so that the stomach has time to empty itself of food during this time;
You will have to give up your usual coffee and tea, replacing them with a glass of warm milk, which has a slight calming and sedative effect;
Apply herbal infusions from chamomile and mint you can safely, but with the rest you need to be careful - you need to consult a doctor about their compatibility with pregnancy;
Character water procedures should be reconsidered - abandon relaxing hot baths and contrast showers, which increase vascular tone and increase blood circulation, in favor of dousing with warm water;
Walking for an hour before bed will relax you and help you fall asleep, and airing the room has a similar effect.

The third trimester of pregnancy is characterized by several types of insomnia: initial, with sleep disturbance when falling asleep; inability to maintain a sleep state, with constant awakenings and insufficient immersion in sleep; insomnia of the final phase with early awakening and inability to fall asleep again before getting up.

For initial insomnia, it is recommended to take a position lying on the left side (), which improves the blood supply to the baby, the functioning of the kidneys and intestines of the expectant mother;
You can put pillows between your legs and under your stomach, and raise your head with the help of;
To prevent cramps, you can massage the calf muscles, back and lower back, feet and ankle joints;
An orthopedic mattress that promotes acceptance will help prevent frequent awakenings during sleep. correct position spine, muscle relaxation, relieving vascular spasms;
For itching in the abdominal area, you can use moisturizing creams, and to prevent it you should try not to gain weight suddenly;
Wearing a bandage during the day partially reduces nighttime discomfort.

Video: how to sleep properly during pregnancy

Pregnant women who pay attention to fitness for expectant mothers are much less likely to complain about insomnia and painful sensations in the limbs. Of course, marathon distances are not suitable in this situation, but yoga, Pilates, swimming and stretching are within the capabilities of anyone healthy woman. Good results They also show mastery of relaxation techniques, which are taught in courses for pregnant women to prepare for childbirth. Of course, not every woman has the opportunity to attend such courses, but if desired, relaxation techniques can be found on the Internet.

It happens that all methods have been tried, but sleep does not come. You should not fall into despair, nor should you lose your temper. After waiting half an hour, you need to get up and do some monotonous things that do not cause a surge of emotions. Calm music, knitting, doing crossword puzzles, reading a book, talking to yourself, playing solitaire will help you get into a calm and peaceful mood. For some, peeling potatoes finally helps. Creative activities that captivate and excite are best postponed until the morning.

In borderline cases, when the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness is disrupted to such an extent that the time of night rest is no more than 4-6 hours, and this condition lasts longer than a week, you should immediately contact a specialist. The gynecologist will determine whether there are physiological reasons for insomnia, the therapist will examine the general state of health, and the psychologist will advise how to get rid of it. psychological disorder. Preparing for the birth of a child is work that requires considerable strength, which should be regularly restored.

Can't sleep? Is the baby pushing? Can not found suitable posture for sleep? The cause of insomnia is not always a growing belly. How to deal with hormonal changes and what can a pregnant woman afford to combat lack of sleep, other than milk and honey? Ekatrina Ishchenko, trying to sleep, was looking for correct posture to sleep under the supervision of the manager Women's consultation No. 25 Elena Farafonova:

Pregnant women write on forums

I feel like I'm going to end up in a mental hospital soon! Dear girls, please give me some advice! I'm already desperate! I’m 7 months pregnant, but for several months now I’ve been falling asleep at 3 am, despite the fact that I go to bed at 23, I’m lying there, thinking, all sorts of stupid things are popping into my head, while I can scratch my face (pick at pimples that have just appeared) and bite my nails (there are only stumps left) I understand that this is all disgusting, but I can’t cope with it, then I fall asleep at 3-4 o’clock, and in the morning I get up and hate myself for what I’ve done (((I went to the doctor, I recommended valerian, doesn’t help (I drink mint, milk with honey at night, it doesn’t help either (What should I do??? I’ve just turned into such a mess with anomalies on my face and bitten nails ((my husband also doesn’t sleep because of me, but he has to work I get up at 6 and give a massage to help me relax, but it doesn’t help (Has anyone had anything similar?

>>glitsyn, at night, I took 1-2 tablets, it has no contraindications, you can drink it for a week, then take a break...or every other day, if you’re afraid, 1 tablet. And keep yourself busy, I was reading in the kitchen, since you can’t sleep, watch TV, don’t force yourself. Sleep during the day if you can’t fall asleep at night. This happens to many people, but it will pass later.

I tried calming teas and Persenchik, but strictly at 3.00 my eyes opened and I was awake until 5. And the little one in his tummy was also fuming at such times. I saved myself by reading, listening to soothing music - dolphin songs, the sound of the sea, etc. This was during the first pregnancy...
And now... The eldest is so exhausting that I fall asleep before him and can barely get up in the morning. Maybe I’ll go on maternity leave, rest more, and then insomnia will overtake me. In general, this is normal - you’re worried about the future, the baby is pushing and doesn’t let you sleep, the body is preparing to wake up at any time of the night

I take a shower before bed and take a couple of valerian tablets... I also don’t sleep at night... and after valerian after a while I start to feel sleepy)))

I had such a period, I didn’t sleep at all at night, then during the day I walked around like a zombie... the doctor said that this happens, it’s connected with hormones

There are very good way overcome insomnia)) Choose the task that you most dislike doing around the house (I really don’t like it, absolutely for nothing) and when you can’t sleep, do that specific thing, after a while sleep will come)))

don’t suffer))) read books, do something around the house, just relax))) I also sat at night with insomnia

I suffered and cried (even when I had to go to work), then I realized that this time should be used usefully: reading, cleaning, washing:gy:
I tried (sometimes it worked) like this: sit on the bed in the dark, stare at one point, covered with a blanket and sip hot tea with milk, with a bite of honey (it was +25 outside)))). And sometimes, on the contrary, she went to another room and lay on the sofa without covering herself, so as to freeze))), supposedly they fall asleep from the cold (although, again, in the summer, in this wild heat, it was difficult to freeze)))). It happened like this a couple of times.

walk more. At night you can have warm milk with honey. As soon as I remember, I’ll shudder, as they say. In the summer it’s so hot, the belly is huge, and... insomnia all night. Beauty!

Note to moms!

Hello girls! Today I will tell you how I managed to get in shape, lose 20 kilograms, and finally get rid of terrible complexes fat people. I hope you find the information useful!

Unfortunately, bad sleep - frequent companion first trimester. During this period, the mind and body may be at war with each other, trying to control your sleep time. Your body will force you to sleep when you don't want or plan to. On the other hand, your mind may not allow you to sleep even when you are physically exhausted. The whole body is being rebuilt, preparing to become an ideal home for the little creature inside you, and this restructuring does not have the best effect on your well-being. What is only one worth? morning sickness, which wakes you up just before dawn every day, preventing you from feeling rested and well-slept.

The first trimester also has its advantages compared to subsequent periods. You are not yet tormented by swelling and rapid heartbeat, your legs are not cramping and there is no need to ask the question: “Can pregnant women sleep on their stomach.”

Sleeping in the second trimester of pregnancy

This period is perhaps the most comfortable time for normal sleep. The body has already been rebuilt and lives in a new quality, early toxicosis has stopped, and the child inside you has not yet grown enough to cause you noticeable problems.

Sleeping in the third trimester of pregnancy

Insomnia in the third trimester is like training for expectant mothers for the upcoming sleepless nights that the birth of a child will bring. make it difficult to find a comfortable position, a full bladder acts as a night alarm clock, and leg cramps force you to periodically jump out of bed with enviable agility. Sometimes women also start snoring during the last trimester. This normal phenomenon and, as a rule, disappears after childbirth.

Sitting comfortably in bed is the best thing for you right now. a big problem. It seems that there is no position in which you could feel comfortable. The only way Some way to alleviate your condition is to buy a special pillow for pregnant women, the position of which can be adjusted to suit your needs. Many pregnant women note a qualitative improvement in sleep associated with the purchase and use of such pillows.

Did you know that poor sleep can be a consequence that 25% of pregnant women experience in the third trimester?

Regular physical exercise, but not just before bedtime, will help make your sleep deeper.
Try not to take food to bed, especially if heartburn is a problem for you.
Use pillows wherever possible: between your knees, under your hips, under your head, for support.
Give yourself a break whenever possible. Of course, this can be a difficult task if there are children at home, but try to find a way. For example, you can take a nap on the sofa while your child plays nearby. Enlist family support if necessary.
Go to bed early.
Try relaxation before bed. Warm bath or warm glass milk, quiet calm music and reading your favorite magazine, meditation and light massage- choose for yourself the best option relaxation.
If you wake up in the middle of the night or have trouble falling asleep, don't just lie there waiting for sleep to come again. Stand up for a while and read or do something low-effort.
If leg cramps wake you up at night, increase the magnesium in your diet. As a rule, this helps to quickly get rid of cramps.
Try to avoid and negative emotions- this is very important condition in order to have a restful sleep and a successful pregnancy.