

When I stopped eating sweets after dinner, I slept like a baby right through my pregnancy.”Īdvice says to try and avoid large or spicy meals too close to bedtime either. It was a little bit high because I tend to eat sweets in the evening. Mum-to-be Rebecca says: “A friend who is a doctor told me to check my blood sugar, because high blood sugar can cause nighttime bathroom trips. Sugar can also raise your blood sugar and make it harder to get a good night's sleep. Remember that green tea, regular tea, cola drinks and chocolate (sadly) contain caffeine, too. Some mums-to-be switch to decaf completely during pregnancy (even though coffee is still OK in moderation). Can my diet affect my sleep during pregnancy?Ĭaffeine affects sleep - so make sure your last caffeinated drink is before lunchtime. Warm baths, scents or sounds that relax you, wearing headphones, anything you think might suit you - give it a go. "It’s lavender scented and when I was suffering from insomnia I rubbed it on my tummy and the smell helped me doze off.” “One thing I found that was good is a cream called “Little Me Mum To Be” from Boots,” says MFMer Naomi. One of our MFM team has a slow breathing trick she uses when she can't nod off (in for four, out for four, in for seven, out for seven, in for eight, out for eight, in for four, out for four) - because the rhythm of it instantly makes her sleepy. There might also be little home remedies and tricks that work just for you.
First trimester insomnia help tv#
Make it a rule to banish the technology from the bedroom - or at least avoid looking at your phone, iPad, laptop or even TV in the hours before bedtime as studies show the lights emitted by them suppress sleep hormones. Getting into a calm, measured bedtime routine can sometimes help, like trying to eat earlier in the evening to allow your body to digest.Ī little activity might not hurt your chances of a decent kip, so give some gentle exercise like going for a walk or doing some stretching a go. Unfortunately, there is no cut-and-dry cure for insomnia, but there are things you can try, “The more you can’t sleep, the more anxious you get about how tired you’re getting, which stops you from sleeping.” What can I do to help myself fall asleep?

"Needing a wee then not being able to get back off to sleep after - it's tossing and turning until I wake up for work at half 6!"Īnd one of our mums, Babe33, had another pretty good point: “The thing with insomnia is it becomes a vicious cycle." My mind is whirring and I just can't seem to shut it down!!” says Ruth.Īnd Lottie1988, who added: "I'm 7 weeks and like clockwork every morning I'm up at 3am!! “I can get to sleep fine, but I wake up to go to the toilet at around 4am and I just can”t get back to sleep. Many of our mums seem to be know that feeling. So at the beginning of your pregnancy, simply needing to use the toilet more often can cause you to wake in the night.”
First trimester insomnia help plus#
“This is due to hormonal changes, plus your growing womb which presses on your bladder. “One of the first symptoms of pregnancy can be the need to urinate more than usual,” says Mervi. I’m only in early pregnancy - why can’t I sleep? Those aren't set dates though it really can just come and go.

On the MFM forum, several expectant mums said they experienced insomnia around week 7-9 in early pregnancy, and then around weeks 27-28 and then again in the weeks before their due date. The most common reasons for lack of sleep that pregnant women cite are: restlessness, discomfort, leg cramps, needing the toilet, heartburn, worry, bad dreams, getting to sleep fine but then waking up and not being able to get back to sleep. Lastly, certain lifestyle factors - like what we eat and drink - play their part.” "And many women can feel anxious in pregnancy, which hinders sleep. Plus there’s the discomfort factor in the later months. “On a physical level, there are many hormonal changes taking place that cause sleeplessness. “It’s due to a combination of physiological and emotional reasons,” says midwife Mervi Jokinen from the Royal College of Midwives.
