Sleep during pregnancy

During pregnancy, it’s natural for sleep patterns to change every trimester as your pregnancy progresses. The following are some of the most common sleep patterns you’ll observe during each trimester.

• First trimester: It’s quite normal for you to feel more sleepy during the first trimester because this is the time when your placenta is growing, and growing a fully-functional organ is no mean feat. This is also the time when your body first starts pumping 50% more blood, and you need to get used to that as well. Sleep is just one of the forms of rest your body can use at this point to adjust to these changes in your body.
• Second trimester: Your baby and your baby bump are both growing, and your body has adjusted to the increased volume of blood. Your placenta is fully functional too. This makes the second trimester a time when your sleep pattern normalises a little, but don’t let this get you complacent. The second trimester is also the time when other symptoms will kick in and disrupt your sleep.
• Third trimester: The baby becomes more active, and more symptoms of pregnancy start to interfere with sleep during the third trimester. Back pain, frequent urination, leg cramps, weight gain, etc make sleep more elusive than the first two trimesters. These weeks can be very exhausting, especially with your delivery date coming closer.

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There are many reasons for disturbed or lack of sleep during pregnancy, but none are as important as the key one: the growing foetus inside your womb makes getting a comfortable enough position to sleep impossible. The other causes can intensify as the pregnancy progresses, but this primary cause does not change. The following are the other causes of sleep difficulties during pregnancy.

Women who already suffer from certain sleep disorders are likely to suffer more during pregnancy. These disorders are also likely to show up for the first time during pregnancy, and make it much more difficult to get enough rest. The following are three such sleep disorders that can occur during pregnancy.

• Restless leg syndrome
• Sleep apnea
• Insomnia

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It’s not completely possible to avoid the things that cause disturbed sleep during pregnancy. In fact, most of those issues are part and parcel of pregnancy and cannot be gotten rid of until well after you deliver your baby. However, there are a few things you can do to ease these symptoms and get better sleep during pregnancy.

• Develop a relaxing bedtime routine. If you make this a habit, even your baby might get a cue and move or kick less during nighttime, allowing you to get more zzz’s.
• Maintain a regular sleep and wake pattern. Even if you do take a nap during the day, make sure it is around the same time and for the same duration every day.
• Limit or avoid caffeine consumption during pregnancy.
• Avoid using electronics and staying on your phone at least an hour before going to sleep.
• Relieve your stress and anxiety by practising yoga, meditation and getting enough exercise during the day.
• Drink enough water throughout the day to reduce leg cramps.

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Getting to that sweet spot to get a good night’s sleep might be more difficult than you think during pregnancy. You have an ever-growing belly apart from all the physical discomfort you have to deal with. Using the following sleeping position tips might just help you sleep better by providing better support while you’re pregnant.

• Sleeping on your side - particularly the left side - is the best thing you can do. Favouring the left side can improve blood circulation and avoid some of the discomfort and pain through the night. 
• Keep your knees bent, but not so bent that they constrict your belly in any way. A foetal position for sleep is best during pregnancy, and you can even place a pillow between your knees to feel more comfortable.
• Get enough pillows soon after you get pregnant because these will be needed to support your back and belly as your pregnancy progresses.
• Elevate your head. This will reduce gastrointestinal issues as well as other digestive disorders that might keep you awake. 
• Don’t go to sleep on your back. It’s quite natural to roll to your back while sleeping. If you wake up and find yourself sleeping on your back, shift to the left side again before going to sleep.

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