Proper sleep, diet and exercise are three important factors for one’s health. Let’s talk about sleep as an example. Research has shown that it is unhealthy to work too hard and not get enough rest. Yet in America, a growing number of individuals do just the opposite – they find themselves working excessively without adequate breaks to relax or enjoy a much-needed midday siesta! For some reason, culture here seems obsessed with speedy service, on the go and fast food sort of way – all which result in individuals neglecting their need to catch some zzzs. There’s something we all have in our DNA. It’s like a broken record that keeps going around your head, reminding you how important it is to sleep so you don’t feel totally exhausted the next day. This is why we need to practice relaxation techniques; to give ourselves a break every once in a while and relieve stress.
For a pregnant woman, walking around is challenging enough; but getting a good night’s sleep seems that much tougher for some.
Nine months before your baby arrives may, at times, be the reason for your sleep deprivation. There could be many reasons why you may be tossing and turning while trying to sleep, one of them being that you’re worried about how family, friends or even work might react to your choice when you decide to become a stay-at-home mom.
According to a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in 1998, 78% of women reported more uneasiness in their sleep during pregnancy than they did at other times. During this time, magnesium and calcium levels decrease, which could lead to muscle cramping. Also according to the NSF, many women who are in their pregnancy stages develop an intense urge to urinate and reputedly lose sleep over it. The stress and exhaustion that is overbearing while pregnant can make it difficult for a mother-to-be to not only get comfortable but simply fall asleep as well because a woman’s hormones tend to become much more active during pregnancy. Women also tend to crave specific foods such as chocolate that have been known to have stimulating effects that can prevent sleep from coming easily or unconsciously disrupting delta wave patterns which is what makes for restful deep sleeping.
Another problem some pregnant women may have is something called restless legs syndrome (RLS). RLS is a condition or sleep problem in which the mother-to-be may has an uncontrollable urge to move her legs to relieve the uncomfortable, tingling and burning sensation. Other women who are expecting may say it being difficult getting comfortable when sitting on the couch, lying on a bed, etc., due to their ever-changing shape.
If you feel there are nights when you won’t be able to get a good night’s sleep, don’t fret! There are products out there that could potentially help you in feeling more rested and refreshed by putting your mind at ease as you get ready for bed.
Try to get as much sleep as possible, so your body has time to replenish itself with energy and nutrients. Just remember that not all light helps you get a good night’s rest! The NSF says a little darkness can go a long way because bright lights disturb the melatonin and seratonin produced by the pineal gland. That’s why experts say it’s the most important sign that you’re getting enough sleep – besides waking up feeling well-rested, but we already know how important that is! And if you do have a bedside lamp, just be sure to have it angled away from your eyes because any excess light at night can lessen your vision in low-light settings.
Being pregnant can be tough and it’s good to have someone on hand who has gone through it all before. They will help you wade through all of the emotions that go hand in hand with this amazing time, as well as be there for advice about things like how to get comfy at night when you’re rounder than an actual ball. By the second trimester, getting a good night’s sleep might seem downright impossible! It can be clear that as an entrepreneur you will face challenges, at some point. And sleep may not come as easy as it used to. Let’s start with one thing you can do to help yourself get comfortable in bed at night when things are tough and it seems like nothing could make you feel better but a full night’s rest…
Check out a store that sells bedding accessories. You may even go online, or pick up a catalog or look at the selection of stores which is near your local area. Bed and bath type of places will mostly sell body pillows or pregnancy pillows but they can come in all different shapes and sizes. And many are long and thin – they’re compared to normal size pillows – and they’re filled with down or cotton, or other types of synthetic fibers such as microfiber filling or a less expensive synthetic material.
Positioning your pregnancy body pillow in between your breasts, around your stomach and in between your thighs when you go to bed at night. This will allow your body the support it needs and the space it deserves.
