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Challenge: Bedtime Secrets

Why it's Hard to Sleep Well During Pregnancy

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Pregnancy is a period of anticipation, but it can quite take a while to get used to waiting for the baby who never seems to arrive. Meanwhile, the expectant mother would experience discomforts while sleeping during most of this expectant period. Most mothers swear that they dreaded nighttime during pregnancy. There are some explanations for troublesome sleep times during pregnancy. The following points offer insights on this matter. They explain why it's hard to sleep well during pregnancy.

1. Leg cramps

The pregnant mother is heavier than usual because there is the weight of the baby added. Leg cramps arise because of this extra weight. They become a menace when appropriate posture and exercises are missing from the mothers routine. Often, the problem manifests in the night while sleeping because the rest of the body is resting in uncomfortable sleeping position not suitable for a pregnant mum-to-be. Sleep time is a good time for muscle relaxation and regeneration of worn down cells in most parts of the body. Unfortunately, the process will also lead to pain or discomfort when the muscles on the leg are not in good shape. The problem manifests as leg cramps. The most direct way to address the problem would be stretching the calf muscles before bed and in the morning. It is easy to solve the weight problem by using a recliner for sleeping.

2. Breathing difficulties

If the sleep troubles seem to come with breathing problems, then it might be due to poor inhaling habits. You need to teach yourself how to inhale and exhale fully so that there is sufficient oxygen getting to all parts of the body. Inhaling and holding the air inside for a bit may solve the problem. A regular breathing session just before bed where you breath in, hold, and then breath out, hold, and repeat for at least ten times could be the trick you need.

3. Frequent urination

Needing to go to pee all the time while you are also trying to catch sleep can be irritating. The culprit is the additional blood flowing through your arteries. You suddenly get extra fluid when you become pregnant, and it takes a while to get used to it. The other culprit is the growing uterus that presses on the bladder leading to frequent bathroom visits.

4. Hunger

Feeling ravenous night and day is not surprising when you are pregnant. You do not have to eat all the time, but you can make changes to your food intake to space it just enough to lower the frequent hunger pangs that disturb your sleep. Most people who are feeling hungry while sleeping during pregnancy end up this way because they are not eating correctly. Rather than add too much food that leads to constipation, you need just to have the right snacks before bed and as soon as you wake up for the first time. Healthy ones should do the job. You aim to keep the stomach full so that it stops fooling your brain that you are hungry.

Consider these reasons when you or your loved one has sleep disturbances during pregnancy. Corrective choices in what you eat, how you sleep and what you do before going to bed can help a lot as long as you are addressing the cause of the problem.

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