The Important Points of Sleeping during Pregnancy
There is no doubt in the world that sleep is one of the most contributing factors to vitality.
Not only does a lack of sleep affect your health adversely with a higher probability of diseases and health problems, it can affect your performance - at your job and relationships.
This applies to the general population.
But if you’re a pregnant mother, the sensitivity of how sleep can affect you is much greater.
That’s why our friends at SleepSmooth have come out with a neat infographic on sleeping during pregnancy. It addresses all the important aspects you need to know.
Here’s an overview of what’s covered:
The Importance of Sleep
Why is sleep important for the pregnant mother?
The simple answer is that you’re living for 2 (at least). The energy needed to carry out this critical task is enormous and you’ll need to replenish the loss of energy with ample sleep.
It goes to say that we all want healthy babies, and for us to be safe and sound after giving birth. With adequate and a higher quality of sleep, you can reduce the chances of birth complications.
And on top of that, research has shown that mothers who slept 7 hours or more, have a shorter labor time of 17.7 hours (hurray!).
How many hours of sleep?
While there are no exact numbers of how many hours a pregnant mother should sleep for, the general consensus is that you should sleep more than a normal adult.
So as a rough guide, aim for 9 hours of sleep.
What are the causes of bad sleep?
The causes of bad sleep really differs from trimester to trimester. As your body experience gradual change, a different set of ‘challenges’ come into play. It’s good to know what are these causes are so that you can be more well-prepared, and not caught off guard when these obstacles come.
Take a look at the infographic to find out more…
12 Effective sleep tips
It pays well to improve your sleep in whatever way you can.
The infographic lists down 12 easy tips that you can put into action immediately and don’t require much effort on your part.
A combination of just a few will dramatically improve your overall sleep quality!
Best and safest sleeping positions?
Like the causes of bad sleep, the best sleeping positions also differ in which trimester you’re in.
In the first trimester, anything goes. But you should consider that now is the best time to get used to a sleeping position - preferably the left or right. This is because in the second or third trimesters, sleeping on the front on back would not be encouraged.
In the second and third trimester, the recommended positions pretty much stay the same.
There’s a debate as to whether you should sleep on the left or right. Research has shown that sleeping on the left generally has lower chances of complications like stillbirth when compared to other sleeping positions, including the right.
Yes, it may be a concern.
But some mothers who are used to sleeping on the right get too caught up with this and become stressed that they’re not able to sleep on the left, which eventually lead to bad sleep over time.
This is not the situation you want to be in…
Ultimately, the importance of the quality and quantity of sleep still prevails.
If you can sleep on the left easily, then great. If you’re too used to sleeping on the right and find it extremely difficult to change, it will do just fine too.
Relax and sleep on!
Author: Patricia Moore, Sleep Smooth, 2018.