How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep When You’re Pregnant

It’s one of those cruel jokes of motherhood. When your little one arrives, you won’t get much sleep. However, during pregnancy, when you really need to rest, nighttime seems almost impossible. Your body is working hard to make a human but, from aches and pains to a racing mind, a full night of sleep while pregnant is hard to accomplish. Fortunately, a trip to dreamland can happen tonight, but you’ll need to make a few changes during the day to help you get there.

Treat Heartburn Before It Starts

Heartburn got you feeling like you could breathe fire? Then you already know that laying down to sleep isn’t going to happen. So, for dinner, be sure to skip spicy or acidic foods and try moving you last meal to a few hours before bedtime. This way, you can sit upright for one to two hours and help keep heartburn at bay. At night, stack up the pillows so you can rest your head higher than your stomach and try natural treatments like green apples to stop the burn. Trust us, this one works.

Drink Up During the Day

Carry your water bottle around all day and be sure to take lots of sips. However, when it gets closer to bedtime, begin to cut back your intake. This way, you get all of the H2O you and your body need without having to make trips to the bathroom all night.

Morning Sickness at Night

Just because it’s called morning sickness doesn’t mean the nausea won’t hit at night. So, keep a stash of crackers and ginger candies by your bed to calm your stomach without having to make an extra nighttime trip to the kitchen.

Leg Cramps and a Sore Back

The aches and pains of pregnancy can make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep. Before bed, try a hot shower to relax your body and, during the day, cut back on carbonated drinks, which can cause leg cramps at night. Increasing your calcium during the day can also prevent nighttime leg cramps. Of course, our favorite method of relief is always to put your partner to work and ask for a back, leg and foot massage that’ll ease you into dreamland.

Quiet Your Mind

From vivid dreams to waking up and overthinking everything, your sleep can be interrupted by busy thoughts. Sleep experts say the best way to relax your body and mind so you can sleep is to start before you hit the hay. So, before bed, start a relaxation routine that includes prenatal yoga or meditation. Practice your routine for a few minutes before saying goodnight and it could make a big difference in the sleep you’ll get. For guided practices, search through apps with yoga poses and meditations to try.