Good night! Sleep during pregnancy. Insomnia during pregnancy: causes and treatment Constant sleep during pregnancy

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, 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:

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 physical 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.
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.
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

The main ways to deal with insomnia at home are given below:

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.

Frequent urges to the toilet become faithful companions of the first trimester of pregnancy. Therefore, the question "how to sleep in early pregnancy" worries many women. In order to return to full sleep, you will have to abandon some old habits in favor of new ones.

Hormonal restructuring of the body from the first weeks of pregnancy begins to affect sleep. A high level provokes swelling of the nasal mucosa, which leads to difficulty breathing and lack of oxygen. As a result, in early pregnancy, a woman experiences apathy, fatigue and irritability, regardless of whether she wants to sleep during the day.

The importance of healthy sleep

During the period of bearing a child, a woman may experience a variety of sleep problems:

starting insomnia (trouble falling asleep);
frequent awakenings;
disturbing, restless sleep;
end-of-life insomnia (waking up too early in the morning).

Such a dream does not give proper rest and recuperation, so in the morning a woman feels tired and overwhelmed. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that sleeping pills are also prohibited in the first trimester of pregnancy.

The results of a study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh confirmed the importance of a good night's sleep. Observation of the condition of a group of women showed that insufficient sleep during early pregnancy can lead to the birth of a child with a low body weight.

Therefore, after a woman has become aware of her “interesting” position, she needs to reconsider her rest regimen. The duration of a night's sleep should be at least 8 hours, and it is necessary to fall asleep no later than 22:30.

How to choose a sleeping position

The quality of a night's rest is determined not only by its duration, but also by the position of the woman's body. There are a lot of options for how you can sleep in early pregnancy. In fact, any position that is comfortable for a woman is acceptable - you can sleep on your stomach, back or side.

In the first trimester of pregnancy, when the expectant mother can still sleep in the way that suits her, you should try to get used to falling asleep in the recommended positions. In the future, when a large belly limits the choice of acceptable options, falling asleep will be easier and faster. The optimal position of the body during sleep during pregnancy is on the left side.

This pose has several benefits:

the functions of the liver and kidneys are normalized;
the work of the heart is stabilized;
the fetus receives more oxygen due to better blood supply to the pelvic organs.

If a woman is accustomed to sleeping on her stomach and it is difficult for her to adjust, you can start using a special pillow for pregnant women already in the early stages of pregnancy. Most often, it is performed in the form of the letters "U" and "C". This shape allows you to comfortably fall asleep on your side, placing your upper leg on the pillow at a right angle.

Many women who are accustomed to sleeping on their stomach are concerned about whether it is possible to continue doing this during early pregnancy. The recommendations of doctors here are unambiguous - it is possible, but until the stomach begins to grow. The uterus during this period is still quite small and is reliably protected by the pubic bones, so there is no danger to the child.

Sometimes, already in the first weeks, the expectant mother begins to be disturbed by soreness of the mammary glands. In this case, lying on your stomach is not recommended so as not to squeeze the sensitive breasts. Night rest on the back is allowed. This position should not be abused, because already from the second trimester it will be banned.

With the growth of the uterus and fetus, resting on the stomach will have to be abandoned. Despite the reliable protection of the child in the form of uterine muscles, membranes and amniotic fluid, he experiences pressure if the mother continues to sleep in this position. Danger to the fetus is the main reason why you should not sleep on your stomach during pregnancy.

How to improve your sleep

To solve sleep problems, it is enough to follow simple recommendations on how to sleep properly in early pregnancy:

Limit fluid intake shortly before bedtime. This will help to avoid nighttime urge to go to the toilet.
The last meal should be 2-3 hours before bedtime. For dinner, light, low-fat meals are preferred that will not give a feeling of heaviness in the stomach. If a woman begins to feel nausea from hunger, you can eat a couple of crackers before going to bed or drink a glass of kefir.
The bedroom should be thoroughly ventilated, it should not be too hot, dry or cold.
When choosing pajamas or nightgowns, it is better to give preference to free-cut models made from natural fabrics.

Particular attention should be paid to the correct daily routine. You can follow all the tips on how to sleep better in early pregnancy, and not achieve results. The wrong organization of the day can be to blame for everything. If you have problems falling asleep, it is better to give up daytime sleep in favor of walking in the fresh air. Subject to good health, moderate physical activity is indicated (gymnastics,). All these measures together will allow the expectant mother to fully relax, get enough sleep and enjoy her position.

Types of insomnia during pregnancy

Depending on what particular night time poor sleep, or its complete absence, insomnia is conditionally divided into three types:

Evening (starting). Sleep does not come, the woman tosses and turns in the evening, turning from her back to her side. For hours he lies without closing his eyes, scrolling in his head what happened during the day, what will happen tomorrow. Usually a woman at such moments immediately feels that she will not be able to fall asleep, sleep will not come.
Loss of sleep state. In the evening, as if nothing had happened, the pregnant woman falls asleep. She sleeps calmly, it would seem that nothing worries her, does not bother her, but after a certain time, she wakes up. She just opens her eyes and it's like she hasn't slept at all before. It’s impossible to sleep until the morning, someone manages to sleep for two hours, for someone a little more - 5, 6 hours during the night.
The final phase of morning insomnia. It's dawn, the night ends, it was not possible to fall asleep, in the morning drowsiness does not occur. There is a feeling of weakness, lethargy, weakness. Sometimes, on the contrary, in the morning there comes a strong drowsiness, which is very difficult to fight.

When carrying a fetus, expectant mothers most often complain of evening insomnia. They complain that the very state of pregnancy, discomfort, and a big belly prevent them from falling asleep. Sensation of fetal movements. Regardless of which type of insomnia progresses, the unpleasant phenomenon must be dealt with, properly and adequately rested. It is believed that during the day you need to sleep at least 10 hours, so "lack of sleep" must be compensated for at other times, for example, in the morning or afternoon.

Causes of insomnia during pregnancy

The anxiety caused at night, first of all, is of the nature of the internal state of a woman. No matter how it looks from the outside, the future mother, somewhere inside herself, deeply worries in her soul, constantly thinks about the future. Many cannot get used to their position at all, hence the nightly torment. Analyzing the general condition of women at a particular stage of development of the gestating fetus, there are several reasons that cause sleep disturbance during pregnancy:

hormonal failure caused by ongoing slow changes in the body;
emotional overstrain, nervousness;
physical discomfort associated with the development of certain diseases (heart, digestion);
mental disorder;
severe pregnancy;
development of chronic pathologies;
discomfort provoked by an uncomfortable bed, coming sounds, noise, from the included light;
the room is stuffy, hot, cold, too humid air, dampness, dust;
at night a lot is eaten, tonic drinks are drunk;
a woman has been taking some medications that affect sleep for a long time;
frequent urge to go to the toilet;
sleeps a lot during the day;
the sides hurt from what is constantly lying in front of the TV, lying down reading.

Along with this, other single factors can be noted that can excite the nervous system and cause insomnia, for example, frequent viewing of horror films. Restless work activity, unsettled family life.

Poor sleep during pregnancy in the first trimester

Most women sleep poorly during pregnancy due to hormonal changes in the body. Usually, this is noted in the early stages, attributed to the first signs of an "interesting" situation.

This phenomenon provokes anxiety, discomfort of night rest. There is heartburn, shortness of breath. The frequency of changing the position of the body causes lumbar pain, cramps of the limbs. All this leads to chronic fatigue, lethargy. Terrible thoughts come to mind, fear of the upcoming birth. At such moments, women are irritable, prone to nervousness, prone to stress. Some people aren't happy with what's going on.

In the second trimester

Closer to the second trimester, the main cause of insomnia remains the emotional imbalance of a woman. Anxiety increases, and with it irritation. Women, while contemplating the upcoming events of motherhood, still remain restless. It is not possible to rest properly at night, household issues capture the excitement.

The bulk of women complain of superficial sleep, too sensitive state in a dream, a clear perception of what is happening around. The stomach, as a rule, does not interfere with sleep yet, but the tension is growing. Given the characteristics of pregnancy, sleep disorders may be associated with them.

In the third trimester

Bad sleep in the third semester provokes nightmares. Some are tormented by dreams about the upcoming birth, obstetricians. Restless sleep provokes profuse sweating, a woman in a dream seems to be experiencing a parallel reality, waking up in sweat, complaining of chills and discomfort. This happens as a result of the mental state of the pregnant woman at this stage, fears, fear of the upcoming birth. Constantly thinking about the future, many do not fall asleep under such emotional influence, especially during pregnancy, because there are other unpleasant factors in family life.

Physiological causes of poor sleep are beginning to emerge. The uterus in the third trimester is already significantly enlarged, the stomach becomes quite large. Difficulties arise with how to lie down comfortably, especially on the 8th, 9th month. Lying on your back is uncomfortable, and in some cases generally undesirable. The fetus puts more and more pressure on the bladder, provoking frequent urination. It becomes difficult to breathe, as the fetus squeezes the respiratory organs. There is increased sweating, fever.

The child increasingly begins to move, the movement is more and more painfully reflected by discomfort, even pain in some organs. In addition, if the fetus becomes very active during sleep, you need to change the position of the body, since, most likely, the woman lay down uncomfortably and the child is uncomfortable, something is squeezing him.

What to do

Understanding that it has not been possible to fall asleep as it should be for a long time, the state of sleep deprivation is chronic, you need to learn how to control your sleep. It is important to understand that it is impossible to treat the phenomenon in this position, take some drugs (sleeping pills) too, even if you constantly took them before pregnancy.

First you need to visit your doctor, consult, tell how the phenomenon manifests itself, which worries you. Together with a specialist, try to find out the cause of the phenomenon, and only after that he will tell you what to do. Sometimes, in extreme cases, it is permissible to prescribe a certain number of drugs in order to improve the condition of the body, to return the lost sleep.

In such cases, it is recommended to drink soothing decoctions prepared on the basis of medicinal herbs: valerian, mint, chamomile, thyme, motherwort, licorice. Dry components must be steamed, brewed strictly following the manufacturer's recommendations. With a bad reaction to decoctions, stop taking it.
It is necessary to eat little in the evening, trying not to overload the stomach, which provokes poor sleep during pregnancy. Include fresh salads, radishes, black currants, asparagus, beets, melons in the menu, it is believed that these products contribute to sound sleep. In general, reconsider your daily diet.
Eliminate the use of tonic drinks, especially at night. In general, drink less liquid so as not to increase the urge to go to the toilet at night.
During the day, and especially in the evening, do not worry, do not get annoyed, avoid stressful situations. In general, a person “torn apart” by the evening will rarely be able to sleep peacefully, and even more so in this state.
If in the late afternoon the heartbeat begins to increase, shortness of breath appears, it is enough to drink a mug of sweet tea, but warn the doctor about such symptoms, especially if they are constant. Most likely there is a lack of sugar in the body, hence the reasons.
It is useful to eat a spoonful of natural turnip juice shortly before bedtime. They cook it simply, squeeze the turnip into pulp, add an equal amount of honey there. Insist a couple of days before taking, store in the refrigerator.
Take a contrast shower shortly before rest. Warm up your feet in warm water.
In the morning you need to get up earlier, walk more in the fresh air, move, do not lead a passive lifestyle.

Faced with restless sleep, insomnia, you need to think about whether the pregnant woman has the right lifestyle in general. Perhaps a woman sleeps a lot during the day, gets up late in the morning. Perhaps, in general, throughout the day, a woman is inactive, passive, practically does not spend energy during the day, so sleep does not go.

Creating a favorable atmosphere

Only in the most favorable conditions, a night's rest will be useful and comfortable. Therefore, before going to bed, you need to:

ventilate the room;
put on appropriate pajamas so that it is not hot or vice versa not to freeze;
it is convenient to put pastel accessories, purchase a special orthopedic pillow for pregnant women;
It is better to turn off the light, the room should be calm and quiet.

Lying down in bed, you need to emotionally tune in that today's sleep will be good, try to fall asleep.

In general, when a woman, deciding to give birth to a child, is emotionally correct, she doesn’t worry about anything, she doesn’t have problems with sleep, but if the expectant mother increasingly complains about poor sleep, then you need to tell the observing specialist about it. Why a pregnant woman can’t sleep at night, no one will immediately say, sometimes even a series of tests may be required to understand.

Often, a specialist who observes pregnancy advises to seek help from a psychologist, neurologist, somnologist and other doctors, who, after finding out the cause of anxiety, can establish a normal, full-fledged night's sleep. However, the problem becomes more serious when other symptoms of a slowly developing pathology appear along with nocturnal insomnia. That is why such a phenomenon cannot be delayed. You should not deal with it yourself, in any case, you must first consult a doctor.

Despite increased drowsiness at the beginning of pregnancy, in the following months a woman often faces the problem of insomnia. There are many reasons for this: both nervous tension and anxious thoughts, as well as physical symptoms - pain in the legs and lower back, heartburn, baby moving in the stomach.

Do sleep problems in a pregnant woman affect the baby? It would seem that the baby in the mother's tummy is securely protected and can easily doze off at any time, regardless of what the mother is doing at that moment. Which is what he does most of the time.

But at the same time, the expectant mother also needs a good rest. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the nervous system is literally exhausted by hormonal changes, in the second trimester the back already begins to sip and the lower back hurts, but in the third it becomes very difficult to find a comfortable position for sleeping.

Meanwhile, doctors unanimously declare: the mother's sleep directly affects the normal development of the child. The fact is that the peak of hormone production, and in particular growth hormone (somatotropin), falls on the time of night sleep. Mom is sleeping - the baby is growing. The level of growth hormone in the blood of a pregnant woman reaches a maximum for a period of 12 weeks, after which the child's body begins to secrete growth hormone on its own.

But even in subsequent periods of intrauterine development, mother's sleep is extremely important for the baby. Often, the rhythms of sleep and wakefulness in mother and baby coincide, and it is during sleep that the most important processes of the formation of all systems and organs of a little man take place, in particular, the development of brain neurons.

If you have begun to experience problems with sleep, it can help you. Numerous reviews make it safe to say that most distractions disappear on the first night. You will completely relax and fall into a sweet and restful sleep. Because now it is so important to you!

Recent studies by scientists have shown that the daily routine of the expectant mother and the baby in her stomach is largely synchronized. Mom is engaged in physical education, and the baby is active, mom communicates with the baby, and he responds to her strokes with soft pushes. And when the mother sleeps sweetly and calmly, the child also sleeps. Moreover, it is during pregnancy that the sleep-wake cycle is formed, which the child follows after birth. Therefore, already now it largely depends on you in what mode your whole family will live after the birth of its new member.

Read tips on how to deal with insomnia

Insomnia during pregnancy. It would seem that such a simple question, you don’t even need any medicines ... probably. I called my friend obstetrician-gynecologist Irina. And she says: with such questions it is better not to contact a doctor, but to sleep experts. So I set myself the task of finding a sleep expert. But she didn’t give up the idea of getting a comment from the doctor either.

Armed with a notepad, I came to the specialists with the following questions:

Can insomnia during early or late pregnancy have negative consequences for the baby?

How to deal with poor sleep early/late?

What to do with long-term insomnia?

Helped fight insomnia obstetrician-gynecologist of the Maternity Hospital on the street. Truth Merkulova Maria Dmitrievna, project leader of consultations on children's sleep Sleep Expert Olga Dobrovolskaya and pregnancy and motherhood coach, author and leader of the Mama Mira project Katya Matveeva.

⁣Why does insomnia occur during different periods of pregnancy and how to deal with it?

“Expectant mothers often complain of insomnia, especially at the beginning and end of pregnancy. And this is primarily due to powerful hormonal changes in the body of a woman. After all, he devotes the first trimester, figuratively speaking, to the restructuring of his own functions and learns to live in a new way. And in the third, the body is already systematically preparing for childbirth, says Katya Matveeva. - Both of these most complex processes in the life of the mother's body are quite lengthy and complex. And insomnia can be tiring and cause additional anxiety.

Here it must be said that sleep disorders are often provoked precisely by increased anxiety, which especially accompanies the 1st and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. It's no secret that when a woman learns that she will become a mother, one way or another, she is forced to think about a thousand moments related to the upcoming motherhood from the health of the baby to "can I handle it." In the middle of pregnancy, everything settles down a bit, but in the third trimester, with the approach of childbirth, anxiety and fears increase again.

In this case, you should not resort to pharmacological preparations, as well as get carried away with herbs. This rule applies to any health problems of a pregnant woman, which is common knowledge.”

“Everyone knows that healthy and full sleep is of great importance in human life. Naturally, during pregnancy, it is doubly necessary, because the nervous system with insomnia is depleted and wears out. And your future baby will experience absolutely the same emotions and experience the same discomfort! This condition will have a negative impact on health, so it is necessary to fight against insomnia, ”Maria Dmitrievna Merkulova shared with me.

“Try it,” she continues. - Change the daily routine and avoid overexertion, stress. Incorporate outdoor activities into your schedule, especially in the evening before bed. A warm shower or bath will help you relax, after which you can drink a glass of warm milk or chamomile tea. Do not forget that comfort should surround you everywhere: there should be fresh air in the bedroom, pajamas should be comfortable and made from natural materials. If you are worried about pulling pains in the legs, a light massage will help - it will relax tense muscles and help reduce and alleviate swelling. By the way, you can add a drop of essential oil, such as orange.

If, despite your efforts, the problem with insomnia persists, contact a specialist. After all, the causes of insomnia and the methods of its correction can be different, and in your case it all depends on the duration of pregnancy. Therefore, your personal doctor is the best assistant and ally in solving such problems.”

So why is insomnia dangerous during pregnancy?

“A mother’s sleep pattern during pregnancy affects the baby’s sleep pattern when she is born. So mom has quite a lot of time to teach the baby that night is night and you need to go to bed early, and not after midnight, ”Katya Matveeva answers.
In addition, the baby in the tummy experiences the same emotions as the mother. Your stress is your baby's stress.

Insomnia in the first weeks of pregnancy

physiological (normal) loads. Insomnia is a frequent complaint of a future mother from an early date. Sleep disturbances in the first trimester are emotional in nature. If we talk about physiology, it just implies increased drowsiness: actively released progesterone protects pregnancy, forcing a woman to rest more often, ”says Olga Dobrovolskaya. - If already in the first weeks of pregnancy a woman complains of worsening sleep, she should evaluate her emotional background and the level of sleep hygiene. If it is sometimes difficult to cope with emotions, then the general rules of sleep are not difficult to follow:

1. Go to bed and (make sure) get up at the same time.

2. Be sure to start a bedtime ritual: showering, changing into pajamas, a paper book, meditating or writing a diary - anything that brings pleasure and helps to relax.

3. Watch your caffeine intake. If you have not yet abandoned its use, having learned about pregnancy (in small doses, it is acceptable - 1-2 cups per day), then in case of problems with sleep, you will have to do this.

4. Avoid using gadgets and watching TV before bed - the bright light of modern screens stimulates our brain to stay awake.

5. Learn relaxing breathing techniques. Try the 3-6-9 technique (inhale for 3 counts, pause for 6 counts, exhale for 9 counts).

6. If frequent trips to the toilet, typical for your pregnancy, become a factor in poor sleep, limit fluids before bedtime, try not to turn on bright lights when visiting the toilet so as not to destroy the sleep hormone melatonin - this will make it easier to fall asleep again.

Insomnia in the second trimester of pregnancy

“The second trimester is the most favorable time for pregnancy, and this is no exception for sleep,” says Olga Dobrovolskaya. - Difficulties here are caused by an emotional background or some drugs. Tell your doctor about these side effects so that he can choose another medicine for you.”

Insomnia in the third trimester of pregnancy

“The third semester increases the load on the body,” says Olga Dobrovolskaya. - A growing baby puts pressure on all the organs of the abdominal cavity, reduces the volume of the lungs and, in some situations, worsens the blood supply to the limbs. Recommendations for general sleep hygiene remain objective at this time, but now it is worth taking extra care of physiological comfort.

1. Sleep on your left side. This will help to fully supply nutrition and oxygen to both the baby and your organs, and will also reduce acid emissions from the stomach.

2. Try not to eat 2-3 hours before bed so that a full stomach does not secrete additional acid in the supine position - this will alleviate possible heartburn.

3. If your legs hurt, be sure to put a pillow under them - a slight rise will help the outflow of venous blood and reduce swelling.

4. Feel free to ask your spouse to clear the bed for you alone. Habitual snoring that you didn't notice before can cause you to stay awake for many hours at night.

5. Take care of the darkness in the early morning - the first rays of the sun wake up the human body, and if you have been spinning around half the night without sleep, you will want to sleep in the morning.

6. Abdominal pain can be a reflection of lower back pain - try placing a pillow under your stomach or lower back. If additional support does not provide relief, see a doctor!”

⁣And two more important rules that will save you from insomnia during pregnancy:

Katya Matveeva shares:

1. “The first and most important thing for every pregnant woman to understand is that physical rest is strictly contraindicated for pregnant women. Especially, given the fact that the volume of blood, body weight, and, accordingly, the load on the muscles and ligaments is growing, which most often leads to pain in the legs and lower abdomen. And this suggests that the best prevention and treatment of sleep disorders associated with pain in the legs and lower abdomen is physical education!

2. With the growth of the uterus, you should try not to fall asleep on your back. The growing uterus compresses the inferior vena cava, which disrupts the circulation of venous blood in the legs and pelvic organs, and hence in the uterus. This causes hypoxia of the uterus, placenta and baby, which is really bad for both mom and baby and, of course, can provoke insomnia, pain and malaise at night.”