Thursday, July 25, 2013

Dealing with pregnancy insomnia

Ironically, even as most moms experience more fatigue than usual during pregnancy, this is also the time when many of them struggle with insomnia. Being tired, but unable to sleep, is incredibly frustrating. I am no stranger to being awoken in the middle of the night by some disturbance (I have seven very cute ones!), and then being unable to go back to sleep immediately.


 
Here, in no particular order, are things I have found helpful in combating insomnia.
 
  • Tempted as you may be, resist the urge to get up out of bed. 2 AM is not the time to study the Bible, fold laundry, or (heaven forbid!) surf the internet. Getting out of bed, and/or turning on any lights, will only reinforce to your body that it is acceptable to be awake at this time. 
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  • Even if you cannot sleep, lie there with your eyes closed, reminding yourself that resting like that is almost as restorative as sleep itself. Rather than worrying about how crummy and tired you will feel come morning, pat yourself on the back mentally for doing the next best thing to sleeping, which is lying down quietly in a dark room with your eyes closed, tuning out any thoughts of stress or responsibility. Often, I have found this alone is enough to have me back to sleep in no time.
  • Ditch the bedside clock - both the light from it, and the agony of realizing at what unholy hour you are awake, will only add to your insomnia. Your body's internal clock will soon learn to give you a general idea of what time it is. 
  • While I said that this is no time for Bible reading, praying is a different story. It gives you something to occupy your mind with, and is soothing and relaxing because you are unloading your burdens on the Lord. Praying at night, more than anything, will almost immediately lull me to sleep. Just think of the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane with Jesus, when they were unable to stay awake in prayer with him.
  • Refrain from looking at electronic screens for several hours before bed time, such as TV, computer monitors, tablets, smart phones, etc. Opt for reading books or magazines instead, which will actually help you be more sleepy.
  • If leg cramps wake you up during the night, consider eating a banana before bed each night, and/or adding a liquid calcium magnesium supplement, also taken right before going to bed.
  • If you are wakened by hunger pangs in the middle of the night, up your protein intake in the evening to hold you over until morning. In case you do wake up, have an easy snack next to the bed that you can just grab and munch without needing to get up or turn on any lights.
 
If, in spite of all these, you are unable to get enough rest and you find yourself overly tired, try to sneak in a nap whenever you get an opportunity to.
 
 

17 comments:

  1. All good tips, but, the only thing I am thinking while reading, is ARE YOU PREGNANT? Hahahaha!

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    1. HA HA! I was wondering the SAME thing. :) :) :) Good tips though, I have only been through 3 pregnancies but each one has had their fair share of insomnia...especially towards the end.

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  2. Good points. I especially like to pray during night wake-times - it is soothing, and I can actually fit in quite a bit of prayer!

    For snacks, I like cheese! I kept it in a cooler with an ice pack during this past pregnancy when I had to eat during the night for the nausea. Works so much better than bread! :)

    And... ermm.... are you trying to tell us something? :)

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  3. I have also found that beyond just clearing my mind that "yoga" breathing (deep slow breaths in and out) coupled with closing my eyes and trying to "see" the furthest point in the blackness helps to relax me and thus makes me fall back asleep.....

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  4. I also read this as a pregnancy announcement!

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  5. My first thought was "What a clever way to tell everyone some good news!" LOL

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  6. One trick I do is lay perfectly still andstart at your toes . concentrate on them telling them to relax over and over in your hrs until you physically feel them relax then work you way up each part of your body. I have never gotten passed my knees before being so relaxed I fall asleep.

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  7. Audiobooks, played through head phones and turned down soft put me to sleep immediately. Always keep them near the bed in case I can't sleep.

    As with the others above, I did read this post and wonder about you ... ??? If you are pregnant again, congratulations and I hope you are feeling well.

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  8. I do something similar to the 'yoga' breathing in that I count my breaths backwards from 100. Also a warm glass of milk is a cliche for a reason--it works! I've also heard some having success with the supplement melatonin, the chemical that helps regulate circadian rhythms. (I find this supplement helps me HUGELY with jet lag!)

    God bless you, Dad, and the seven,

    Mindy

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  9. This is the best advice for insomnia issues I've ever read. You have unique, awesome ideas that are also very useful for us as believers! God bless!

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  10. Ha - I am getting a kick out of everyone always suspecting I am pregnant! :)

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    1. But of course!! Especially if you go around posting tantalizing articles like this!! :)

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    2. Note the absence of actual denial!

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    3. Well now I just know that you are because I just found out that I am, and we have been pregnant at the same time for the last two of my pregnancies since I found your blog! I am guessing your due Feb or March? The new vehicle is icing too. :) Ah and it's 2am and I am breaking all your guidelines, going to bed after I make a sandwich lol.

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  11. thanks for the great tips. these will work for just about anyone. i am currently battling perimenopause insomnia-either i take hours to fall asleep or wake every few hours. hopefully i will do better with this info. thanks again.
    mary

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  12. Didn't you do a post one time about how to eat and prepare your body for pregnancy? I was trying to find that post of yours on your blog but couldn't. Maybe I am remembering incorrectly and read it somewhere else?

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  13. No, I am not pregnant. I hope that settles the debate.

    One thought I would like to add: just because I have seven children, does not mean that I like to have my privacy in this area invaded any more than someone with less or no children. "So, are you pregnant yet?" has got to be one of the most intrusive things to ask any lady. If and when we are expecting again, and are willing to share that information with the outside world, I will do so publicly and straight-forward in a separate post.

    I have had multiple miscarriages over the years, so we often wait to announce a pregnancy until we feel we are in a "safe" zone. In other words, don't ask me if I'm pregnant, because you might be putting me in a position where I can choose between sharing information I was not yet willing to share, or lie.

    In addition, it is painful for anyone to have to deal with prying questions about their fertility, while that someone may be going through, or just recently have suffered, infertility, a miscarriage, or a whole host of other reproductive issues. They likely do not feel like sharing this information with you, or they would do so without being interrogated.

    Public service announcement over :)

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