Sleeping Position in Pregnancy

You may require a different sleeping position in pregnancy.  The growing life inside you may force you to make several adjustments during this time.  More than one of these changes will revolve around your sleep habits.  Starting as early as the first trimester, you might notice some of these changes.  By your baby’s birthday, you will most definitely be affected.  Sleep quality can decrease during pregnancy due to a combination of concerns.  The severity of the issue can vary from leg cramps and bladder issues to shortness of breath.

Heartburn Can Trigger Need for Sleeping Position in Pregnancy Change

Let’s take a look at why you might need to adjust your sleeping position in pregnancy.  By a raise of hands, anyone experiencing heartburn?  This common condition impacts up to 70% of women during pregnancy.  It can occur for many reasons.  Maybe the fetus is taking up enough space that it puts pressure on the stomach causing acid to move up.  Perhaps this is just another way your hormones are contributing to the joy of motherhood.  Either way, heartburn issues can create a need for change of sleeping position in pregnancy.

Sleeping Position in Pregnancy Can Affect Back Pain

Constant or intense back pain can influence mothers to reevaluate their sleeping position in pregnancy.  Ironically, a hormone called “relaxin” may lead to a more difficult time relaxing.  This vital hormone plays multiple roles in the pregnancy process.  One thing it does is relax ligaments and joints to prepare your body for childbirth.  This looser internal support system can be painful due to instability.  Unfortunately, no matter which sleeping position in pregnancy is used, it won’t cure the pain.  A good position will be supportive and therefore lessen pain.

Pregnancy Nightmares: Can Sleeping Position Help?

Not all pregnancy sleep issues concern sleeping position in pregnancy.  Women often report intense, vivid and sometimes scary dreams.  Why expectant mothers experience these on occasion is most likely due to a combination of hormones and stress.  Fears and anxieties can be overwhelming for parents expecting a child soon.  Nightmares can partially or fully awaken the mom-to-be.  Finding a sleep position in pregnancy that helps you fall asleep faster can help minimize the disruption of sleep.

Why am I so tired? Sleeping Position in Pregnancy Can Help!

Just when you need it most, sleep can be elusive.  Normal pregnancy fatigue can be exasperated by insomnia at night.  Don’t worry though, this too is unfortunately a common side effect of being pregnant.  You can try lots of things to combat pregnancy insomnia; take a warm bath, listen to relaxing music, etc.  If your insomnia has more to do with your level of comfort, try a new sleeping position in pregnancy.  It may be that your tummy has just gotten too big for your regular favorite.

Best Sleeping Position in Pregnancy

A good sleeping position in pregnancy is supportive, comfortable and helps you get much needed sleep.  When you consider the big picture, the best sleeping position in pregnancy is on the left side.  It is this position that best accommodates sleep to minimize the routine sleep issues faced by pregnant women.  It can reduce heartburn intensity by leveraging gravity to reduce the duration of acid reflux occurrences.  Sleeping on the left side can also better blood flow thanks to the positioning of major blood vessel vena cava.  Side sleepers who opt for the right side can end up compressing the vein slowing blood flow.  Other sleeping positions in pregnancy can be uncomfortable and put additional pressure on the spine, constricting blood and nutrients.

Enhance the Benefits of Your Sleeping Position in Pregnancy

There are many sleep products on the market that can maximize the advantages of the best sleeping position in pregnancy.  Something as simple as a pregnancy pillow can do wonders to improve sleep.  Adjustable beds or reclining chairs can be manipulated to help equally distribute the added weight.  On a budget?  Use regular pillows that you already own to create a comfortable sleep arrangement.  Use a pillow between your legs, under your neck or under your legs.  Really, place pillows wherever they make a difference; adjust spinal alignment or use as a prop for better circulation.

Sleeping Position in Pregnancy Can Improve Energy Levels

Making a human being from scratch is hard!  Your body has already been making the necessary adjustments from the inside.  Now it’s up to you to make good choices because a lot is counting on you!  Getting sufficient sleep is vital for you and your growing baby.  The National Sleep Foundation reviewed hundreds of scientific research studies and released its summary in 2015.  It determined that pregnant women need more sleep than they did prior to pregnancy.  Sometimes up to two or three additional hours each night.  Your body is working harder.  It also requires more energy to do the same tasks thanks to weight gain and fluid accumulation.  Getting to sleep or staying asleep can be a problem thanks to heartburn, backaches, etc.  Finding a new, better suited sleeping position in pregnancy can be the answer.