How to Sleep Better During Pregnancy

When the baby finally comes you fully expect to be up at odd hours of the night feeding, changing and consoling. But you might not have guessed you would find sleeping so difficult during pregnancy.

Trouble sleeping during pregnancy is far from abnormal. With an aching back, numb legs, and a baby pressing on your bladder it’s a miracle you get any sleep at all.

Nevertheless, sleep is extremely important to your health and the baby’s. These five tips can help you rest easy until your little one arrives.

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Most doctors recommend sleeping on your side with your knees bent. This relieves the pressure on your inferior vena cava, or the large vein that carries de-oxygenated blood from your feet and legs back to your heart.

The sooner you can start sleeping on your side the better. If you train yourself earlier in your pregnancy before you get too uncomfortable it will be easier to make the transition.

Use pillows to prop you onto your side or to support your legs so it is more comfortable. Don’t stress if you wake up in a different position. Movement is a natural part of sleep. As your pregnancy progresses it will probably be impossible to sleep anywhere but your side.

The same vitamins that help your baby develop healthily can also help you sleep soundly. James F. Balch, M.D. and author of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, writes: “A lack of the nutrients calcium and magnesium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep.”[1]

If your prenatal vitamins don’t include enough calcium or magnesium, you could be deficient. Even though your diet before pregnancy could keep you sleeping through the night, the baby requires a lot of nutrients from the food you eat.

Calcium also helps reduce muscle cramping. If you wake up with painful leg cramps it could be a sign you need more calcium. Make sure you check your prenatal vitamins and talk with your doctor about how much calcium and magnesium you should be getting.

Caffeine might be your pick-me-up in the morning, but it can still remain in your system when you are trying to sleep at night. And residual caffeine is an even bigger problem when you are pregnant.

Research published in The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that caffeine remains in the system of pregnant women longer than others.[2] This means your early-morning coffee can keep you tossing and turning long after the sun is down.

If you are struggling to entirely kick the habit, at least reduce your intake. The less caffeine you consume, the better chance you will have at relaxing each night.

Preparing for a new baby is definitely stressful. The more you can do to relax and cope with stress during the day the better off you will be at night. Try a yoga class specifically for pregnant women. You will learn to take stress off parts of your body as well as your mind.

If you’re not a yoga person try listening to relaxation CDs or even taking a bath. But make sure you don’t bathe too soon before bedtime. Research in the American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology has shown higher body temperatures are associated with insomnia.[3]

Set the mood to sleep by turning down your thermostat and filling your evening with as many relaxing activities as possible.

If all else fails, you have got to nap during the day. Even if you can’t get to sleep at night, you’ve got to get your sleep in smaller intervals—and it will be good practice for when baby comes. Shoot for 30-60 minute intervals wherever you can get them.

Napping for longer than an hour will usually leave you groggy and disrupt your natural sleep cycle. Naps should be used to give your body some time to regenerate, not to replace nocturnal sleep.

To give yourself the best shot at nighttime sleeping don’t nap for at least 3 hours before you plan on going to bed.

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