A fairly common and at the same time dangerous phenomenon is insomnia during early pregnancy.

The first trimester is a very important cycle in the development of the child and the health of the expectant mother.

Insomnia is not just a sleep disorder, first of all, it is one of the parameters by which the state of health is determined.

An unsatisfactory quality of night rest can give a person a lot of problems related to physical and mental health.

Violations with night rest can occur in a woman in the very early stages of pregnancy, and lasts until the very beginning of childbirth. The average duration of sleep in a physically healthy person varies from six to nine hours a day, if there is a significant deviation in time indicators, then there is a lack of sleep that can cause noticeable deterioration associated with well-being.

According to statistics, about 80% of women have problems with sleep.

There can be a huge variety of reasons that cause this symptomatology, ranging from psychological problems to physiological ones related to the health of the expectant mother.

Some women complain of feeling unwell in the first trimester, others in the second or third.

Some experts argue that poor sleep is one of the earliest signs by which it is possible to determine the emergence of a new life in a woman's womb. This manifestation is due to hormonal failure.

However, in the early stages of sleep problems are quite rare. Constant worries about the upcoming birth, active movements of the baby, shortness of breath, pain in the side, etc. t. - these are symptoms that appear in the later stages and they are quite natural.

Insomnia during pregnancy occurs in almost 80% of expectant mothers. The link is all about how to restore healthy sleep in pregnant women - from improving sleep comfort to the use of medications.

Common Causes

Causes of insomnia during early pregnancy:

• hormonal failure of the body;
• depression (may occur due to an unplanned pregnancy or related problems in your personal life);
• chronic fatigue;
• physiological concomitant symptoms manifested: heartburn, nausea, cramps of the lower extremities, etc .;
• psycho-emotional shocks: possible fears of childbirth, increased sensitivity, disturbing and unpleasant dreams;
• headache;
• pain in the lower abdomen associated with the growth of the uterus;
• fever associated with a health condition: colds, acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory infections.

Insomnia can be triggered by one or more factors in combination.

Types of insomnia during early pregnancy

Some women during pregnancy constantly want to sleep, regardless of the intensity of physical activity, others, on the contrary, cannot fall asleep for a long time, but if a miracle happens, it does not last long at all: only a few hours a day.

There are three stages of insomnia depending on the causes of sleep disturbance:

1. Starting. At this stage, the natural process of going to sleep is disrupted. Women toss and turn for a long time and cannot fall asleep, but if you still manage to plunge into the desired state, then often even the slightest rustle can interrupt a good rest. This stage is characterized by increased motor activity before diving into a night's rest: it is difficult to find a comfortable position for the body, various kinds of disturbing thoughts come into the head.
2. Median. Unlike the first phase, here everything is much more complicated. Not only can a woman not fall asleep due to duty, she also often wakes up at night. Awakening can occur every half hour and there is practically no proper rest at this stage. Nightmares, disturbing experiences are frequent companions that occur in this phase of the disease.
3. Final. The most difficult phase, very difficult to treat. Characterized by abnormally early morning awakening. For an ordinary person, the morning hours of sleep are considered the deepest and most complete, pregnant women suffering from insomnia wake up at this time and are no longer able to prolong the night's rest. Because of this problem, irritability, headaches, drowsiness, and in some cases even hallucinations can occur.

The second and third stages are most often found in the last stages, and the problem requires urgent medical attention. There are such species in the early stages, and this phenomenon is associated with a hormonal surge as a result of new emotions and experiences.

Along with the emotional state, toxicosis can connect, and the condition of the pregnant woman can worsen even more deeply.

How to deal with illness

• Vegetable herbs. The main thing to know is that no medical interventions are allowed, especially without a doctor's prescription. The doctor, too, will most likely try to do without drugs or prescribe them in the most urgent case. You can calm the nervous system only with herbs and infusions: chamomile, valerian, motherwort. These herbs have side effects and should be taken in small doses according to your doctor's advice.
• Food. To restore and normalize sleep, you should pay attention to the daily routine and diet. At night, heavy foods should not be eaten: dinner should not be late, and always light. It is not recommended to drink tonic drinks, tea, coffee at night. In order to avoid frequent urination and frequent trips to the toilet, you should not drink a lot of liquids in the evening hours. Warm milk with honey is perfect for the last drink before bedtime. Milk has sedative properties, and honey normalizes the functioning of the nervous system.
• Schedule. If you are used to daytime rest, you will have to give it up for a while. You should go to bed just before going to bed, and not just to lie down or watch TV while lying down. Walking in the fresh air has a positive effect on the psycho-emotional and physical state.
• Personal hygiene. A warm shower or bath with aromatic oils or herbs will help you relax and prepare for relaxation. You can perform a light massage of the legs and lower back. Many women expecting the birth of a baby are helped to fall asleep by extra pillows in bed, which can be placed under the stomach or legs. By the bed, you can hang dried and tied herbs of geranium, immortelle, pine branches.
• Soul harmony. You should not watch negative programs on TV, worry about the upcoming birth, be nervous over trifles. Communication with family and friends, aromatic treatments, evening walks - these are just some of the positive moments that you can afford. If there are no contraindications from the leading gynecologist, you can relax with sex. The temperature in the room is of great importance for a favorable rest. The room should be cool and fresh, so it should be ventilated as often as possible.

By following all the above tips, living with positive emotions, you can enjoy such a happy period of life.

Sleep is an essential part of the functioning of the human body. The world is not a joy for a sleepy person - the body does not receive proper relaxation and does not digest the information received during the day. For a pregnant woman, sleep is a necessary cure for fatigue, which will surely overtake her in the struggle for her own health and the normal development of the baby. And sleep disorders in pregnant women are quite common, which, however, can be easily overcome if you follow some simple and safe rules.

The first months of pregnancy and sleep

In the first trimester of pregnancy, the hormone progesterone rules in the body of a woman. Sleep during pregnancy prepares the uterus for implantation of the embryo, affects the nervous system and thereby suppresses the psyche. This happens to some extent for protective purposes for the mother's body. But after all, a modern woman will not sleep at work, and indeed - an excess of sleep is contraindicated in the same way as a lack of it.

How can you deal with sleepiness during pregnancy?

Firstly, a contrast shower helps a lot. It invigorates, and it is better to use it in the morning, charging yourself with energy for the whole next day. If the doctor does not mind and there is no danger to the fetus, you can drink tonic green tea or tincture of eleteurococcus. Just do not overdo it - the last drug related to oriental medicine sometimes acts on the psyche too exciting, and this can also bring discomfort.

third trimester insomnia

When the hormone progesterone finishes doing its job, it gives way to the female hormones estrogen, and they begin to act on the body stimulating. That's when the trouble of many people on this planet begins to appear, including pregnant women. Insomnia is considered by specialists in several forms, but pregnant women are mainly concerned about starting, that is, such insomnia, in which it is difficult to fall asleep from the very beginning.

In addition to active estrogens, banal physiology prevents a pregnant woman from sleeping. It is difficult to lie on one side because of the grown belly, the enlarged uterus presses on the bladder, causing a frequent desire to go to the toilet, pain in the back and lower back does not allow you to calmly relax and lie down.

The psychological motive also plays an important role. Subconsciously, a woman is preparing for childbirth, she feels that this important day is approaching, and disturbing thoughts are already preventing her from falling asleep.

How to get rid of insomnia during pregnancy?

What can be done here? It is immediately clear that chemical sleeping pills to combat insomnia during pregnancy will be dangerous, and herbal sedatives should be used. For example, different combinations of valerian tincture with motherwort, Glycine sublingual tablets, based on substances actually contained in the human brain, and therefore cannot be harmful. Good tea with the addition of lemon balm, lavender and mint.

In general, all the means used by ordinary patients to combat insomnia are good, for example, aromatherapy, using various oils, airing the room, and even such an interesting method as changing the bed, which acts psychologically and does not allow the psyche to form fear of the bedroom.

Self-massage helps with cramps in the calf muscles and back pain. Feel free to wake someone in the household and ask for help.

You can do breathing relaxation, which is taught in courses for pregnant women, buy special cone-shaped pillows for pregnant women under the stomach. At least three pillows will help bring the body into an optimal state for sleep, when it can relax. In addition, a comfortable posture will provide a free flow of oxygen to the fetus, and the child will not toss and turn restlessly.

What dreams do pregnant women have?

There are people in the world who believe in dreams, there are those who are indifferent to them. In fact, dreams are the participation of the brain in processing the information received during the day, and this happens for a reason. Pregnant women have their own dreams, and this is also caused by a different state of their body, psyche and event content of the day.

Dreams can say a lot about the condition of a pregnant woman, so they should be given some attention.

Many pregnant women at the very beginning of pregnancy note their dreams as light and beautiful. They dream of something amazing and indescribable. This is due to the state that they feel, with the expectation of a new life.

In the second trimester, a woman has emotionally satiated dreams. Sometimes this can also cause bad rashes. Many women complain that they do not rest in a dream, but as if they are watching some kind of movie. Are these dreams-experiences born of talking about pregnancy, visiting a doctor, worrying about whether everything is in order there, inside?

Dreams reveal unresolved problems and problems, so you can focus on their content and discuss them with your loved one, then dreams will no longer leave an unpleasant aftertaste.

Why do pregnant women have nightmares?

Pregnant women dream of nightmares already in the last months of pregnancy and are primarily associated with the fear of childbirth and responsibility. There may be dreams-rehearsals - with "real" doctors in the "maternity hospital", and in a dream everything may not go so smoothly. There is no need to worry: before important events, the human brain automatically rehearses this event, and one can hope that as a result of such a rehearsal, the real event will be more successful.

There is a nightmare, tormenting pregnant women on the eve of the birth itself, as if they had lost their baby somewhere and cannot find it. This dream signals that a woman is well aware of her responsibility to a new life, and is mentally prepared for this.

A wonderful 9 months is followed by not-so-beautiful episodes, one such moment during pregnancy is poor sleep. Expectant mothers often complain of insomnia and the longer the pregnancy, the more sleep is missing. The reasons are natural - a growing tummy does not allow you to get comfortable in bed, your back hurts, and the growing fetus plays pranks and starts moving just when mom decided to sleep.

What to do to look rested and well-rested in the morning?

Cosmetic procedures

All ladies love to take care of themselves - we use all masks, creams, balms with pleasure, whether they are home remedies or purchased ones.

First of all, you need to relax. Relaxation is the basis of modern cosmetology, which came from antiquity.

• You can take a relaxing warm bath before going to bed, gynecologists now do not prohibit this. It is advisable to add aromatic oils to the water - chamomile, lavender, valerian. But the number of drops should not exceed 5!
• You can add bath foam, which has a relaxing effect.
• If baths are not recommended for you, you can take a shower with a relaxing cream-gel.
• Use an appropriate night cream. Such a cream will not only soothe the expectant mother, but also help regenerate and strengthen the skin.
• Mist your pillow with a relaxing lavender oil relaxing spray, or purchase dry herb sachets.

• If you have problems with sleep, you need to adjust the daily routine. Try not to sleep in the morning for a long time, and not sleep in the afternoon.
• Go to bed at the same time. Preferably at 10 pm, in no case do not sit after midnight.
• In the evening, refuse meat food and sweets, do not drink coffee and strong tea at night.
• It is very helpful to take a walk before bed. Just walking in the yard with your loved one will calm you down and set you up for sleep.
• If possible, exercise in the morning. You can find groups for pregnant women in the city. Many fitness centers organize such groups in their gyms. Or at home, with calm music, master simple exercises.
• Before going to bed, listen to your favorite music, or soothing classics, jazz.

Sleeping place

The room in which you are going to relax should be comfortable, conducive to sleep and rest. Calm walls, pastel-colored curtains and a cozy blanket - all this will help you calm down before going to bed.

And most importantly the bed. It is desirable to have an orthopedic mattress. It is this bed that meets the standards of good sleep. This is very important for a mother-to-be. In a long time, your back hurts and you will be comfortable on such a mattress - the mattress will accept all your changes in laying.

The pillow can also be purchased orthopedic. Choose a comfortable size and softness - during sleep, the neck and head should be relaxed.

Well, cozy pajamas or a nightgown. This part of the wardrobe must be made of cotton jersey.

Unfortunately, poor sleep is a frequent companion of the first trimester. During this period, the mind and body may be at war with each other, trying to control the timing of your sleep. The body will force you to sleep when you do not want and do not plan. 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 the perfect home for the little creature inside you, and this restructuring is not in the best way for well-being. What is worth only one morning sickness, which every day wakes up a little light, preventing you from feeling rested and sleeping.

There are in the first trimester and its advantages, compared with subsequent periods. You are not yet tormented by swelling and palpitations, your legs do not cramp and there is no need to ask yourself: “Can pregnant women sleep on their stomachs?”

Sleep in the second trimester of pregnancy

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

Sleep in the third trimester of pregnancy

Insomnia in the third trimester is like training for expectant mothers for the sleepless nights ahead that childbirth will bring. prevent you from finding a comfortable position, a full bladder acts as a nightly alarm clock, and leg cramps make you periodically jump out of bed with enviable agility. Sometimes women also start snoring during the last trimester. This is normal and usually disappears after childbirth.

Getting comfortable in bed is your biggest problem right now. It seems that there is no such position in which you could feel comfortable. The only way to somehow alleviate your condition is to buy a special pillow for pregnant women, the position of which can be adjusted to fit your needs. Many pregnant women note a qualitative improvement in sleep associated with the acquisition and use of such pillows.

Did you know that poor sleep can be a consequence, which is experienced in the third trimester by 25% of pregnant women

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

A lot of women with the onset of pregnancy begin to have strange dreams. Someone does not pay much attention to them, while someone tries to understand this moment in more detail. Should I think about dreams during pregnancy? What can they say to the expectant mother?

First of all, you should figure out whether a woman knows about her “interesting” position. If not, then such cases are characterized by unusual dreams, the interpretation of which will immediately put everything in its place. Most often, expectant mothers dream of:

• fish. It does not matter whether it is a pond or an aquarium, what will be the number of fish - such a dream is interpreted as an approaching or already occurring pregnancy. At the same time, if the fish is bright in color - most likely, a girl will be born, if gray - a boy,
• pigeons - to see pigeons in a dream is also a clear harbinger of a happy situation,
• baking bread - such dreams are less common, but also indicate a high probability or fact of pregnancy.

When the expectant mother already knows that she is carrying a child, she may have quite disturbing dreams at night. In most cases, they are associated with the experiences that a woman experiences, some kind of discomfort. Each period has its own reasons:

• terrible dreams at the very beginning of pregnancy are often associated with excitement about its onset and further course. Of course, the expectant mother worries about her baby, wants his bearing to pass without any complications,
• bad dreams in the second trimester are additionally associated with an enlarging belly, toxicosis and other inconveniences characteristic of this period. The body needs rest, but cannot fully get it,
• third trimester - here strange dreams show anxiety about the upcoming birth. In addition, discomfort persists due to the growing belly, which does not allow you to take your favorite position during rest.

It is quite natural that a significant hormonal and physiological restructuring of the body during pregnancy very often affects such a receptive, subtle sphere - sleep. Almost 80% of pregnant women have sleep disorders, which vary depending on the duration of pregnancy, the individual characteristics of the expectant mother, her state of health, the course of pregnancy, etc. However, here we can speak with caution about pathology, because what is really a sleep disorder under normal conditions, during pregnancy can be one of the many mechanisms that prepare a woman for future motherhood and caring for a newborn.

Why is sleep needed?

Scientists have found that prolonged deprivation of sleep leads to severe physical and mental disorders: fatigue, headache, muscle tremors occur, memory deteriorates sharply, up to a short-term loss of it, hallucinations may appear. This is not surprising, because during sleep, biochemical processes of restoration, accumulation of wasted energy resources, the synthesis of a number of hormones and other biologically active substances are activated.

Everything has its time

In the first trimester of pregnancy, the leading hormone is progesterone. It is produced mainly in the ovaries. Elevated levels of progesterone are responsible for the occurrence of drowsiness, lethargy, increased fatigue and reduced performance in the expectant mother. Under the influence of pregnancy hormones, a woman's body begins to prepare for bearing a child. Therefore, in the first trimester, it is desirable to increase the time of sleep in order to give the body the opportunity for sufficient rest. In the second trimester of pregnancy, ovarian function is taken over by the placenta, which forms around the 12th week of pregnancy. Along with progesterone, the placenta actively produces estrogens, which help to overcome progesterone-induced drowsiness. However, during this period, the stomach increases, which forces you to change your usual position during sleep. The uterus begins to press on the bladder, causing more frequent urination and the need to get up at night.

The third trimester of pregnancy is often the time of sleepless nights. There are many reasons for the occurrence of sleep disorders: it is difficult to take a comfortable position - the back becomes numb, a large belly makes it impossible to take a familiar position - you have to settle down for a long time to ensure yourself at least minimal comfort during sleep. The baby becomes quite active, sometimes it hurts with legs in the area of ​​​​the liver, diaphragm. It is more difficult to breathe for the lungs, compressed by the enlarged uterus, in addition, the mucous membranes swell somewhat, the tone of the muscles of the pharynx decreases, which can cause snoring. Due to frequent urination, sometimes you have to get up several times during the night. A common problem is heartburn and itchy skin that interfere with sleep.

Doom my cycle

Sleep is a rather complex and unexplored process. It is not easy for a person to imagine that when consciousness is turned off during sleep, the activity of internal organs continues, although it may undergo some changes. The activity of the central nervous system, in particular the brain, in some phases of sleep is sometimes even higher than during wakefulness. Sleep consists of several successive cycles. Each cycle includes phases of the so-called non-REM and REM sleep. According to the English abbreviation, these phases are called non-REM and REM sleep phases (from the English Rapid Eye Movement - rapid eye movements). In the phase of REM sleep, the eyeballs make quick movements that are clearly visible through the eyelids. The cycles last from 90 to 120 minutes, during the night in a dream a person experiences 4-6 such cycles. Non-REM sleep, which occupies most of the "sleepy" time (only 5-10 minutes per REM sleep), is also divided into stages. The beginning of sleep is preceded by an intermediate stage - on the verge of sleep and wakefulness - drowsiness. Then the person falls into a dream: the consciousness turns off, the muscles are relaxed. At this time, changes occur in many biological processes: body temperature drops by a few tenths of a degree, breathing slows down, pulse slows down, blood pressure decreases, levels of various hormones change (the concentration of the stress hormone cortisol drops, the content of growth hormone increases). As a rule, when waking up during the phase of non-REM sleep, a person does not remember his dreams, waking up is quite difficult, one feels lethargy, drowsiness. Gradually he falls into a deep sleep. Then the stages of non-REM sleep follow in reverse order, but the person does not wake up - it is the turn of fast, or paradoxical REM sleep.

During REM sleep, life processes accelerate, breathing becomes uneven, fluctuations in blood pressure and pulse are noted. At this time, as a result of the active activity of the central nervous system, a person sees vivid, colorful, emotional dreams that are well remembered when waking up during this phase of sleep. The paradox of this phase is that the activity of all life processes corresponds to that of a person when he is awake, but the consciousness is turned off, and the direction of the processes is internal.

Non-REM sleep accounts for about half of the total amount of time spent sleeping. The duration of REM sleep varies throughout life: in newborns it is also equal to half of the total sleep time, after birth, the duration of REM sleep is significantly reduced, and in adults it makes up about 25% of all sleep.

Dreams and dreams

As a result of significant hormonal changes during pregnancy, women often change their psycho-emotional mood. This is reflected in the structure of sleep. For this reason, approximately from the second half of pregnancy, a woman begins to see colorful emotional dreams. In addition, dreams are often the result of some kind of experience, disturbing situations, fear of the future, but by no means a sign of terrible events. Vivid dreams often torment pregnant women, frightening with their reality. But, despite the threatening interpretations of dreams from various dream books, it should be remembered that dreams are the result of a bizarre processing in the central nervous system of our emotions, experiences, seen, heard, remembered or, sometimes, not even recorded by consciousness - everything that fell into the depths our memory and in a strange way synthesized into some images, situations. Many scientists have tried to unravel the nature of dreams. So, according to Freud, the interpretation of dreams is the way of knowing the unconscious in the human soul. Jung believed that a dream reflects what a person lives today and his possibilities in the future. Sometimes in a dream, truly brilliant ideas come to people: for example, in a dream, Mendeleev discovered his famous periodic table of elements. The dreams of a pregnant woman often reflect upcoming worries, anxiety about the child, his health, fear of future childbirth, responsibility, fear of not coping with her new maternal responsibilities. Often expectant mothers dream of water, the process of childbirth, the future baby. With increased sensitivity, suspiciousness and emotionality, which is typical during pregnancy, women are tormented by nightmares. The most important thing in this case is to calm down. Until now, it has not been accurately and reliably established why we see dreams, what their purpose is, what they mean. While waiting for a child, vivid dreams are an absolute norm, and upon awakening it is better not to exaggerate the dream events, guessing their meaning, but to try to forget the dreams that stole your peace. If some events from the dream continue to bother you, share them with a person you trust, who, without ridiculing, will listen to you carefully. After such a conversation, it will be easier for you to find out the true cause of anxiety. In the future, going to bed, tune in to pleasant dreams. Ask your husband or other loved one to wake you up if you have signs of restlessness in your sleep, screaming, groaning, accompanied by rapid movements of the eyeballs. By the way, if you share good dreams, then the positive emotions received from them multiply.

Sleep duration

In one of the scientific experiments, it was found that the duration of human sleep should be about 10 hours. Of course, in our turbulent age, not everyone can afford the luxury of spending almost half a day sleeping. A modern person, at best, sleeps 7-8 hours a day, or even less, and pays for this with chronic fatigue, depression, poor health, and even serious health problems. In the first trimester of pregnancy, when severe drowsiness develops under the influence of progesterone, it is better for the expectant mother to obey the requirements of nature and give the body the opportunity to rest for at least 10 hours. If it is impossible to spend so much time on uninterrupted sleep, a 1.5-2-hour daytime rest is recommended. In a situation where the expectant mother works, she has to fight with sleep. Strong tea and coffee are not suitable for increasing activity during pregnancy, therefore, a contrast shower, gymnastics for pregnant women, and green tea are recommended to raise the tone. However, it should be remembered that only 2-3 full-length sleeps are capable of returning the body to “sleepy” debt, for which it is advised to use days off.

According to other sources, sleep longer than 10 hours, with waking up closer to lunchtime, is also harmful: it causes a biorhythm failure, leading to a deterioration in well-being. It was found that the longest life expectancy is typical for people sleeping 7-8 hours a day. Thus, most likely, the normal duration of sleep for each person is individual. History knows cases of good rest with a daily sleep duration of no more than 4-5 hours. It was found that in people who sleep little, the slow-wave sleep phase is lengthened. It can change throughout life, as it depends on many external and internal factors. The division of people into the so-called "larks" (those who go to bed early and get up early) and "owls" (those who go to bed late and get up late) is genetically determined, i.e. this is an innate property, although habits developed during life can somewhat change the time of the greatest activity of life processes.

The norm for the duration of a night's rest - 7-8 hours - was derived by superimposing the rhythm of the "internal clock" (the center for determining the time is located in humans and animals in the brain) and the time of wakefulness (after a certain time of work, fatigue of the brain structures occurs). When these rhythms are superimposed, the most common time for sleep is determined - from 23 to 7 hours; it depends on fluctuations in hormones, biologically active substances, body temperature, etc.

Sleep disorders during pregnancy

A variety of sleep disorders can be divided into several groups:

• disorders associated with falling asleep - the so-called starting insomnia;
• restless, disturbed sleep;
• interrupted sleep with frequent awakenings;
• waking up too early and unable to go back to sleep - end-phase insomnia.

Various sleep disorders during pregnancy occur in 8o% of women. In the second half of pregnancy, starting insomnia is most common. An uncomfortable posture, pain in the legs, back, heartburn, skin itching, baby movements, etc. prevent the expectant mother from falling asleep.

Go away, please, insomnia!

Expectant mothers should be warned against the use of various sleeping pills. Absolutely safe psychotropic drugs (and hypnotics are among them) do not exist: they all cross the placenta and have an adverse effect on the fetus, sometimes very serious. In the first trimester, the use of such drugs is prohibited, in the second and third trimesters, sedatives, sleeping pills are used only if there are serious indications and are prescribed only by a doctor. In addition, sleep caused by the action of drugs differs significantly from natural sleep: the ratio of sleep phases is disturbed, with a significant shortening of REM sleep. Often after such a dream, a person feels tired, weak, drowsy, without feeling a good rest. In addition, the constant use of hypnotics is fraught with the development of drug dependence, and if they are abruptly canceled, the phenomenon of “recoil” with severe sleep disturbances, nightmares, and frequent awakenings may occur.

Therefore, during pregnancy, it is necessary to use all non-drug methods to combat insomnia and, if possible, avoid the use of drugs. The fundamental point in the prevention and treatment of insomnia in expectant mothers is the observance of the daily routine. In the second - third trimesters of pregnancy, it is better to give up daytime sleep. You can not completely deprive yourself of physical activity; its optimal types are gymnastics for pregnant women, as well as walking at a slow pace, shortly before bedtime.

The air temperature in the bedroom should not exceed 21 °C. The air in the bedroom should be fresh, so the room should be ventilated whenever possible. Humidifiers are used to prevent dry air, which adversely affects the mucous membranes. Ionizers enrich the air with light negative ions, bringing it closer in composition to mountain air. The future mother should have a comfortable sleeping place: the pregnant woman should not be cramped, the bed should not be very hard or excessively soft, a comfortable pillow should be chosen under her head. Bed linen should be made of natural materials, sufficiently hygroscopic (moisture-absorbing), breathable. It is better to refuse spectacular synthetic fabrics. Bed linen should be changed at least once a week.

Pillows that are thrown under the head, neck, between the legs, and support the back can help to take a comfortable position for a pregnant woman. There is a special large curly pillow for pregnant women, which allows you to get the most comfortable. The expectant mother is recommended to sleep on her left side: it is in this position that placental circulation improves, large vessels and organs located behind the pregnant uterus are not squeezed, as a result of which kidney function improves, swelling decreases, nutrients and oxygen are better supplied to the fetus.

How to beat insomnia?

The relaxation exercises that expectant mothers are taught in maternity schools promote general relaxation, calming down and falling asleep quickly. The main task during relaxation is the gradual relaxation of the whole body in time with slow rhythmic breathing (exhalation is approximately 2 times longer than inhalation). Feel how pleasant bliss covers you, how your arms and legs fill with heaviness and warmth. Draw soothing landscapes in your imagination: a sunny meadow, the chirping of grasshoppers, the singing of birds, a quiet water surface, a light breath of the breeze - in general, what brings you peace.

Aromatherapy helps a lot. You can use a pillow filled with dry mint grass, lemon balm, hop cones, juniper, oregano, pine needles, chamomile flowers, immortelle and rose petals. The pillow should be placed nearby, inhaling the light aroma of the herbs filling it. The essential oils of these plants can be added to a warm bath to promote relaxation. However, before taking a bath, consult your doctor: in some situations, this procedure is contraindicated. If you are allowed to use aromatic oil, remember that 1-2 drops are enough for a bath.

What's stopping you?

With pain in the back and legs, a massage of the lower back and calf muscles, which the husband can do, will help. For foot massage, it is good to use gels or creams that normalize the tone of the veins - these vessels have to experience an increased load during pregnancy. For leg cramps, you should consult with your doctor: you may need additional calcium and magnesium supplements. And in such a situation, the following measure serves as an ambulance: you should pull the big toe towards you, cramped, while rubbing, kneading, pinching its calf muscle. Gymnastics for pregnant women is a good prevention of such unpleasant phenomena.

To get rid of itching that develops due to stretching of the skin, it is necessary to lubricate the skin of the abdomen with special creams for pregnant women. They increase the elasticity of the skin, contribute to its hydration and nutrition, and prevent the formation of stretch marks. Another annoying problem that interferes with normal falling asleep is heartburn. A number of physiological changes during pregnancy - muscle relaxation, compression of the diaphragm by the pregnant uterus, a change in the position of internal organs - contribute to the appearance of heartburn and discomfort in the epigastric region. Restriction or complete exclusion from the diet of spicy, salty foods, a late dinner (4 hours before bedtime), the use of special drugs that reduce the acidity of gastric juice (only with the recommendation of the attending doctor) will help get rid of this unpleasant phenomenon. A number of doctors recommend eating protein foods for dinner (dairy products, cheese, meat, fish) rich in tryptophan, a natural component that reduces the excitability of the nervous system. According to other experts, a pregnant woman's dinner should consist mainly of carbohydrate foods that are quickly digested (vegetables, fruits, flour products). Thus, the best choice would be a light dinner, including yogurt, dairy products, fruits. Frequent urination is common during pregnancy. Often it causes night rises, intermittent sleep. This is due to the pressure of the enlarged uterus on the bladder. Therefore, to reduce the load on the urinary system and reduce the number of rises at night, it is necessary to limit fluid intake 4-5 hours before bedtime.

Very noticeable movements and tremors of the baby in the womb can also interfere with the mother's falling asleep. Try to change the position: sometimes the baby calms down when changing position. In addition, various thoughts and experiences can contribute to insomnia. In such cases, natural sedatives help (they have a mild sedative effect on both the mother and the baby in her womb). A glass of warm milk, a decoction of chamomile flowers with the addition of a spoonful of honey have a hypnotic effect. Teas from lemon balm, thyme, mint, lavender, decoctions of motherwort, valerian help to calm down and fall asleep. Also reduce the excitability of the nervous system juices of some vegetables: pumpkins, beets, turnips. You can add 1 teaspoon of honey to the juice and take the resulting mixture 3 times a day. However, the daily use of honey by a pregnant woman is not recommended due to the high likelihood of developing allergic reactions in the baby in the future. Do not worry if, despite all the efforts made and the implementation of various recommendations, you still cannot fall asleep. The duration of sleep cycles is 90-120 minutes, so after this time the body will take its toll and you will fall asleep - the need for sleep is absolute for all living beings. And the time that has appeared can be taken by looking at photos, listening to pleasant music through headphones (so as not to disturb anyone), knitting. Set yourself up that everything will be fine - and that's exactly how it will happen! After giving birth, rarely any of the mothers complains of problems with falling asleep. Good night to you and your baby!