Between having trouble falling asleep and waking up every 2 hours to pee, sleep has eluded me for the past few months. Before this, I had never had much trouble falling asleep – in fact, I was that person that was notorious for falling asleep in class! I could pretty much sleep anywhere. With a baby on the way, the changes to my body have really been affecting my sleeping pattern. It also doesn’t help that I can feel my belly churning at each shift in position.
Here are 4 Tips from this Pregnant Lady on How to Get the Best Sleep Possible:
1) Get Great Pillows: There are 2 pillows you’ll need during your pregnancy: a body pillow to ensure your belly and legs are supported, and a side sleeping pillow. Before being pregnant, I was a back sleeper and required a flatter pillow than people that sleep on their sides. Now that I need to sleep on my side, I have to double up on pillows to ensure my neck is properly elevated or get a proper side sleeping pillow. This helps ensure that you don’t wake up with neck cramps!
2) Use a Sleep Spray or Diffuser: Essential oils are a great way to naturally relax yourself. Not only are they free of most chemicals like parabens and sulfates but they are also very effective. This week, I’ve been using the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray (sold at Sephora) and along with my diffuser, the lull of lavender put me right to sleep!
One thing to note is that in my research on essential oils and pregnancy, essential oils are not recommended for first trimester pregnancies but lavender is safe to use in small quantities in your second and third trimesters.
3) Have a Bedtime Routine: Having a sleep schedule to make sure your body knows it’s time to sleep is a great way to ensure you wind down mentally and physically for the night. A wind down routine could include a bath, listening to music, bedtime reading (I like to take this opportunity to read to my baby) or even doing a face mask. Through my wind down routine, I’ve started to listen to more jazz which is soooo soothing to me! Even the ritual of brushing your teeth, washing your face and moisturizing is perfect for letting your body know it’s time to go to bed. Personally, I have been using products from the This Works Sleep Plus line because I like how the products are made to maximise sleep and smell like lavender and jojoba oil.
4) Take a Night Cap: I’ve had to replace my nightly dram of whisky with warm milk or chamomile tea. However, it is always a good idea to have a warm drink before going to bed to soothe your body. It is said that warm milk contains tryptophan which is an amino acid that produces serotonin—a serenity-boosting neurotransmitter that helps you fall asleep.
*Disclaimer: I received This Works products for free for review purposes but I have used and tested the products throughout the week and my opinions are my own.
moussetaco 