PREGNANCY INSOMNIA
Sleep is an age-long therapy that has been certified by both medical science and natural medicine to be one of the safest and most natural means by which a human body can gain back adequate vitality, youthful looks, and brain strength. Even animals also require their adequate dosage of sleep every day, so how much more a pressured or very active human being? But as much as the importance of sleep has been emphasized over the ages, many people still take the much-needed and indispensable for granted. Some even believe that the less they sleep per day, the better for them. Yes, too much sleep is not good and may likely cause harmful side effects, but so does every other activity if overindulged. Thus, not getting any sleep or too little of it is an automatic invitation to a mental breakdown and other bodily harm. So you can just imagine how devastating it would be if a pregnant or nursing mother is not getting any sleep at all.
Not getting enough sleep regularly is usually a sign of a disorder known as insomnia. Insomnia is a disorder that is caused by a form of unrest and the inability of the body to get enough sleep. Insomnia is mostly ascribed to psychological issues. While these issues can range from mild to the most extreme, the causes of insomnia are usually stress, depression, too many worries, and mental pressure. But for pregnant women who have this disorder, it is addressed as pregnancy insomnia in which the lack of sleep for a nursing or pregnant mother couldn’t sleep due to pregnancy burdens and stress as reflected by the mind and body of the woman involved. We all know a lot would likely happen most of the time during pregnancy and insomnia can take a toll on the pregnant mother.
Causes of pregnancy insomnia include:
- Feeling like getting up to urinate a lot
- Over raging female hormones
- Feeling too anxious about the unborn baby and everything related to it
- Recurrent feelings of constipation and heartburn when trying to sleep, etc.
However, it is important to note here that every pregnant woman is unique and different from the other, so another pregnant woman can have different causes of insomnia.
Here Are Helpful Tips For Pregnant Ladies To Tackle Insomnia:
- Indulging in body soothing activities like having a massage from your husband (if he’s up for it), taking chamomile or lavender bath right before going to bed, sleeping in a dimly lit room, and listening to soothing music.
- Never hesitate to amuse yourself with activities that bring happiness. Watch comedy flicks, interesting shows, or movies. You can also indulge a good friend, family, or partner in discussions on the causes of your anxieties.
- While taking the much-needed amounts of water certainly has its toll on your bladder in the long run, it is never advisable to deliberately dehydrate yourself in your condition. You can formulate a way by which you drink your daily water intake. For instance, you can refill and drink from your water bottle 2.5 times before bedtime. This way, you’d be able to empty your bladder so you don’t have to be getting up later on.
- Make sure to always eat protein-rich foods like nuts, yogurt, salmon, lentils, etc. Also never skip your recommended exercises. Making your muscles and joints active will help you in relaxing better and succumbing to sleep.
- And lastly, always sleep in the right posture recommended for you and in a good, comfy bed.
TODDLER SLEEP REGRESSION
What is a sleep regression? Sleep regression is when a toddler who is normally a great sleeper suddenly refuses to go to sleep, has frequent nighttime awakenings, or wakes up during the night and will not go back to sleep.
Also note here that kids are also different and unique, just like their mothers. So each child’s sleep regression episodes may happen at different points in his or her life. Sleep regression episodes usually occur during periods of brain development and speedy growth. To understand it better, sleep regression is mostly a result of your toddler going through those necessary and biological rites of passage where he or she is innocently having the brain reconfiguring itself, experiencing hormone regulations, and other biological phases of development that are disrupting the brain from giving the toddler’s body the nod to go to sleep when it’s time. Though sleep regression is mostly temporary, it can also be caused by other factors like stress, traveling, or a change of environment that can also cause temporary sleep disruptions in your toddler’s body system.
Now trying to get a good night’s sleep as a nursing mom is already a chore on its own, so how much more is your child still going through those early stages of human growth?
Here Are Helpful Tips On What To Do To Lessen The Stress To A Bare Minimum:
- Always be observant of your kid and never hesitate to make a call to the doctor in case of extreme sleep disruptions.
- Always know that there’s nothing wrong with contacting an asleep Consultant in case the need arises. Everyone deserves a good rest, and the rigors of being a nursing mom surely need such relief. There are seasoned sleep therapists and professionals who can teach you and your toddler a perfect sleep routine specially formulated for you.
- Try to establish a consistent bedtime routine that fits into both you and your toddler’s sleeping system. Always make sure to use the things you have found out to really help your toddler to get to sleep. It may be the bedtime stories, a cuddly toy, and specific routines to establish at some particular period of the clock right before bedtime. This includes feeding, bathing, and sleeping time for the kid.
- Equally very important is the creation of a conducive sleep environment for your toddlers like the recommended crib, mattress, clothing, and appropriate lighting atmosphere in the child’s room.
When it comes to solving this regression there are some clear and easy steps you can take to get started. Luckily, with consistency and patience, this sleep regression is likely to pass within a few weeks.