by Sarah Copeland

Created on: April 05, 2007   Last Updated: September 22, 2008

Being pregnant is not an easy undertaking and difficulty sleeping is something that tends to afflict most pregnant women. Fortunately, there are a number of different techniques to help sleep come without risking the health of yourself or your unborn baby.

If you are not working, one great tip is to simply sleep when you feel tired. Your body requires a certain amount of rest and is not picky about when it happens, only that it does happen at some point. Whether you have better luck sleeping in the mid-morning or early evening, take advantage of the sleep whenever you can. It is better to get some than to get none at all.

If you are pregnant, then you already know that it does not take much physical exertion to wear you out. Use this to your advantage to prepare your body for sleeping later. Unless you are instructed otherwise by your doctor, try to do some light exercise sometime between lunch and dinner. The exercise will cause an initial spike in adrenaline, but when the "high" wears off, you will be ready to sleep.

Because a woman's body chemistry changes dramatically during pregnancy, sleep-disturbers like caffeine can be even more potent than they would be otherwise. Avoid caffeine like the plague, or, if you must have your morning coffee or tea, limit yourself to caffeine consumption as far away from your bedtime as possible.

Often times, the inability to sleep is caused by stress and worry factors. You must learn how to let go of thoughts that keep you awake at night, and there are several ways to help with this problem. Find someone to talk to about things, if for no other reason than to get it off your chest. It may not solve anything, but just getting it out there will alleviate stress and anxiety significantly. If you have no one to talk to, write. Take a simple piece of paper and the writing implement of your choice and get it all out there. The paper will not judge you and you can do yourself one better by burning the paper or throwing it away once you are finished writing. The point here is to do whatever it takes to clear your mind of those thoughts and feelings so that you can sleep at night.

Last, but certainly not least, you must create an environment that encourages sleep. Create a mood in your room. Distractions like radios and television sets need to be moved into another room. Your bed and bedding should be comfortable. Your sleeping position should also be comfortable. You may find that it is easier to sleep when in a semi-upright position, so feel free to prop yourself up with extra pillows or folded blankets. This will also help you if you are suffering from that wonderful pregnancy heartburn. Relief with that can also be achieved by sleeping on your left side as much as possible.

Hopefully these tips will help you get a better night's (or day's) rest.

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