Improve insomnia in pregnant women

This article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Nhu Thu Truc - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital. Doctor has more than 8 years of experience in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The phenomenon of insomnia during pregnancy is the fear of many pregnant women, if this situation occurs regularly, it will make pregnant women feel tired and uncomfortable. About 50% of pregnant women have insomnia in the first 3 months and the last 3 months of pregnancy. Improving insomnia is essential to help pregnant women stay healthy during pregnancy.

Insomnia during pregnancy is one of the sleep disorders. Manifestations of such disorders are:
Difficulty falling asleep. Difficulty maintaining sleep. Waking up several times (more than 30 minutes each) during sleep. Waking up too early. After waking up, still feeling tired, not refreshed. Most pregnant women often have insomnia in the early and late stages of pregnancy. However, there are also some pregnant women who have trouble sleeping throughout their pregnancy.
Insomnia during pregnancy makes pregnant women tired and lose strength during pregnancy, affecting the health and mental health of pregnant women. However, this condition does not actually harm the baby.

The main cause of insomnia during pregnancy is due to the development of the fetus, making it difficult for pregnant women to find a suitable sleeping position, especially in the last 3 months of pregnancy. In addition, the following factors Also contributes to insomnia during pregnancy :
Frequent urination during the night and increased urea levels During pregnancy, the kidneys have to work 30-50% more to filter extra blood volume, which causes the amount of urea to increase. and the bladder also holds more urine. Moreover, the growing uterus puts pressure on the bladder, making pregnant women uncomfortable and having to wake up many times to urinate, even at night.

Back, hip, leg and leg pain Cramps are a common condition in pregnant women, often occurring suddenly in the thighs and calves. The pain at the cramp site causes pregnant women to wake up, causing insomnia, difficulty sleeping in the last 3 months of pregnancy. Moreover, as the fetus grows, the back, hip bones and legs have to bear the weight of the whole body, so pregnant women are prone to back pain. This is the reason why pregnant women have insomnia.
Ợ gas and constipation As the fetus grows, it compresses the stomach, causing the situation of pushing food from the stomach back up into the esophagus. During pregnancy, the mother's digestive system is also less active, food stays in the stomach and intestines longer, causing indigestion, belching and constipation. In addition, adding too many nutrients during pregnancy also makes the body not absorb all, along with changes in hormones in the body cause digestive problems. That is the cause of insomnia during pregnancy.
Morning sickness Morning sickness includes common discomforts in early pregnancy such as nausea, fatigue, ... also cause pregnant women to lose sleep.
Respiratory problems In the first months of pregnancy, hormonal changes make pregnant women breathe slowly and deeply, making it harder to breathe than usual. As the fetus grows, the uterus grows and presses on the diaphragm, causing the diaphragm's movement to decrease, so the pregnant woman has to breathe deeply as well as breathe more to take in more oxygen-containing air, so it is more difficult to breathe. This increases the breathing capacity by more than 40%, however, the oxygen demand increases by only 20%, so the pregnant woman exhales more carbon dioxide than usual, resulting in low carbon dioxide levels in the blood. The phenomenon of shallow breathing makes pregnant women feel uncomfortable and causes insomnia during pregnancy.
Increased heart rate During pregnancy, the heart has to work harder than usual, so the heart rate will increase to pump more blood to the uterus, causing insomnia.
The growing fetus This is also the time when the baby starts kicking, turning, and tumbling in the womb, which also makes it more difficult for pregnant women to sleep.
Anxiety and stress Worries, thoughts and plans during pregnancy and after birth about fetal development, baby care and parenting issues, other social issues such as work, Family, relationships can also be the cause of insomnia during pregnancy.

Pregnant women should avoid eating too much or drinking too much water before going to bed. Time to eat should be about 2-3 hours before bedtime so that the body can digest all the food. Increase the supply of foods rich in B vitamins for the body such as green leafy vegetables, whole grains to help sleep better. Eat small meals, eat slowly, chew thoroughly so that the stomach is not overloaded, avoid heartburn, which can affect sleep and cause insomnia during pregnancy. Avoid and limit sweet foods because they can cause gestational diabetes. Limit stimulant drinks such as coffee, tea, chocolate... There are some herbs that contain many ingredients that help relax and soothe such as: chamomile tea, lavender tea, lotus heart tea, apple. red .. Should practice sleeping on the left side, bend the knee or raise the leg, it will help pregnant women sleep more comfortably because it reduces pressure on the leg veins, limits edema, increases the amount of blood blood supply to the heart, reducing low blood pressure syndrome and helping blood circulation to the fetus better. Establishing a routine of sleeping and waking up at the same time can reduce symptoms of sleep disorders and insomnia during pregnancy. Regular exercise and sports to help blood circulation, reduce stress during pregnancy. Gentle and regular, gentle exercise (eg, walking) can improve cramps. Do relaxation exercises before going to bed. You can take a warm bath, gently massage, soak your feet in warm water, before going to sleep for better blood circulation and easy sleep. Can inhale essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, .. have the ability to calm nerves. The diet needs to add enough salt and calcium, because a lack of these two substances can lead to cramps in pregnant women, causing insomnia during pregnancy. Take a reasonable rest time, take a short nap (about 30 - 60 minutes) at noon or during the day, to do the symptoms of fatigue during pregnancy, the brain is also rested, improving memory better. However, do not sleep much during the day because it will make it difficult to sleep at night. Go to the bathroom before bed so you don't have to wake up many times during the night. Preparing a clean, cool sleeping place when it's hot and warm when it's cold will help you fall asleep easier and treat insomnia during pregnancy. Avoid watching movies or reading emotionally charged books before bedtime. Avoid stress and anxiety before sleeping.

Is insomnia a sign of early pregnancy? Insomnia can be an early sign of pregnancy. This condition is often accompanied by other symptoms such as chest pain, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination, back pain.
Insomnia in the last months of pregnancy is a sign of labor? Insomnia in late pregnancy is a common condition before labor. The cause of this phenomenon is due to the secretion of oxytocin, making it difficult for pregnant women to sleep, or sometimes causing physiological contractions at night, increasing the feeling of back pain, frequent urination.
How many hours should pregnant women sleep a day? Pregnant women should sleep at least 8 hours at night. If a pregnant woman sleeps less than 6 hours a night, it increases the likelihood of prolonged labor and increases the risk of a cesarean section. In most cases, insomnia will gradually subside or disappear after the first 3 months of pregnancy and only reappear as the pregnancy approaches the stage of labor. If you experience this situation, you should take more naps to compensate. On the other hand, pregnant women need to avoid using drugs or supplements without consulting a doctor.