Pregnancy Insomnia - Its Causes, and What to Do About It

Pregnancy Insomnia

There isn’t a female alive who has ever given birth that cannot relate to the lament of Pregnancy Insomnia. This article concerns sleep aids based on melatonin that are safe for pregnant women.


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Pregnancy is one of the most undeniably amazing times ever to come to pass in a woman’s life, but it is also a time in which many women feel as though their bodies have been taken over by an alien being.

They typically go from one week, being normal, active women in the prime of life, to the next week spending half their time retching into the toilet and what seems like the rest of it needing to pee.

Worst of all is trying to sleep at night. The tenderness in their breasts prevents them from sleeping on their stomachs, they wake repeatedly in the night due to the increased sensation of pressure on their bladders, and the twin brothers of excitement and apprehension tend to keep them awake long into the night.

So what causes Pregnancy Insomnia, and what is the best way to survive it? This is where a safe, natural remedy using Melatonin as its key ingredient can help you.

Causes of insomnia early pregnancy

It takes some time to get used to all of the changes that occur in your body in early pregnancy. After all, there is an entire person being knit together inside of you!

The hormonal changes cause breast tenderness, and sometimes abdominal tenderness as well. Some women are prone to vivid dreams, there is the need to urinate, breast tenderness, and some women also experience nasal congestion during the first weeks of their pregnancies.

While nausea in pregnancy for most women is confined to the early part of the day (hence the term, “morning sickness”), there are others that must deal with a queasy stomach during the entirety of their pregnancy. At best, pregnancy sleep is restless sleep, and fraught with much tossing, turning and trips to the bathroom all night long.

Causes of Insomnia Later in Pregnancy

The growing baby in your uterus will eventually grow to be large enough that he or she will begin to crowd your body organs. One of the unfortunate side effects to results from the baby’s need for more space is that the mother often becomes the unwelcome recipient of heartburn.

The progesterone that floods a woman’s body during pregnancy often has the effect of causing her to be sleepy during the daytime, and wakeful at night. In addition, some women are plagued with hot flashes throughout their pregnancies.

Stomach and back sleepers are no longer able to sleep upon their stomachs and backs. In fact, some women find, especially the further along they grow to be in their pregnancies, that they’re unable to sleep in their beds, at all!

Tips on how to sleep when suffering pregnancy insomnia

Many women ask the question, how to sleep during pregnancy. To a certain degree, the same sorts of suggestions that help normal insomnia are helpful to those with difficulty sleeping at night while pregnant. For example, establishing fixed points in your sleep schedule by getting up and going to bed at the same time each day will help.

A soothing routine

Create for yourself a quiet, soothing bedtime routine, such as bathing, drinking a cup of warm chamomile tea, perhaps even reading something quiet and soothing in bed, or listening to calming music. If necessary, wear an eye shade or use soft foam ear plugs to help block out light and sounds as you sleep.

Sleeping on your side

Sleeping on your side will be more comfortable than any other position, and many women find that placing a pillow between their knees, or else using a full length pregnancy pillow is helpful in establishing a comfortable sleeping position. If heartburn is bothersome, prop yourself up slightly on pillows and take an antacid as needed.

Sleep Inducing Supplements

While it is never recommended to take medications while pregnant, there are a number of over the counter natural supplements that you can take that will prove to be both relaxing as well as sleep inducing.

Examples of good-for-you supplements that are effective natural sleep aids include such things as Melatonin, Magnesium L-threonate and Tart Cherry Extract. Others find GABA, Maca or Ashwaganda to be all that they need to help them turn the corner to find sleep. Still other women often find the the old home remedy of drinking a cup of warm milk before bed to be relaxing.

Be Patient

The world will not end if you’re wakeful at night and groggy during the day. This, too, shall pass. Therefore, adopt the mindset that you’ll do whatever it takes to simply get the sleep that you need whether that means napping every afternoon, sleeping in a couple of mornings a week.

You’re just like 75% of other women!

National polls have shown that more than 75% of all women claim to sleep worse during pregnancy than when not pregnant. Many women report that they sleep better if they take the time to walk or to exercise during the day.

If night sweats or heat keeps you awake, consider purchasing one of the new “chill” pillows that are on the market … often, simply having a consistently cool pillow is all that’s needed to help you drift off to sleep!

Where can I buy Melatonin that’s Safe For Pregnant Women?

Most doctors seem to concur that melatonin is safe for pregnant women in low doses (3mg or less per night). So as long as the dose is low and the product is of guaranteed high quality and preferably made in the US, you should be safe with any brand - melatrol is one high quality American brand.


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Pregnancy Insomnia - Its Causes, and What to Do About It
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Pregnancy Insomnia - Its Causes, and What to Do About It
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Pregnant and can't sleep? It's not unusual, but what are the specific causes and what can you do about it that is safe for your unborn child? Is a melatonin based sleep supplement safe for pregnant women?
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