Why are pregnant women drawn to sleep? Why do you constantly want to sleep in the early and late stages of pregnancy and how to deal with drowsiness? Feeling a woman's breasts change
Fatigue, weakness, drowsiness - this is what almost every woman encounters at some point during her pregnancy. This most often occurs during the first trimester and sometimes returns towards the end of pregnancy. You'll be surprised how much this kind of fatigue can affect your life. This is not just ordinary tiredness, and you may find yourself asleep at the most unexpected moments. Have you bought tickets to the premiere of a promising play? Before leaving I had a dream. Important meeting at work? You can fall asleep even during your lunch break before it. Do you want to have amazing, pregnancy hormone-enhanced sex with your husband? They wanted to, but a minute later they found themselves in the arms of Morpheus. To miss less important events, try these tips to deal with the weakness that makes you sleepy at every possible moment.
Short naps during the day will become your friend, as will getting up late and going to bed early. You're growing a whole new person inside, give yourself a break and increase the amount of time you spend sleeping. A growing baby takes all your energy, so give yourself a chance to recover. Even a quick 20-minute nap during the day can revitalize you for the rest of the day. You don't have to sleep to regain energy; even simple rest can refresh you. Late pregnancy baby jumping on bladder, combined with a large belly and an inability to find a comfortable position, can keep you awake. Instead of getting up and going to wash the stove, try just resting. Lie in the bath, read a book, listen calm music or meditate – do something that helps you feel calm and relaxed. From the moment your pregnancy test came back positive, you probably felt like your body was amazing. And it is also very wise, so you should listen to its tips. If you feel weak, rest. Pregnancy takes a lot of energy, so you need to take better care of yourself than before. People are often surprised to discover how much of an impact getting or not drinking enough fluids has on them. During pregnancy, you should drink about eight glasses of water a day. Dehydration feels like a lack of energy and concentration, so try increasing the amount of water you drink and see if you feel better. If you don't like the taste of water, you can add a slice of lemon or cucumber. Your baby will take everything it needs to grow from your body - so you'll have to take care to get all the nutrients you need to function well - from a healthy, balanced diet rich in... fresh vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats(especially Omega 3, 6 and 9) - such as almonds, salmon, or avocado, coconut oil and chia seeds. Nuts and seeds are great snacks throughout the day and can provide extra energy. Legumes, whole grains, berries and green leafy vegetables. What you don't eat is just as important as what you do eat. If you frequently eat sweets, processed foods or fast food, this may affect your level of fatigue. These foods often contain a lot of sugar, and you will have to suffer a sharp drop in blood sugar levels after two hours. These foods are more difficult to digest, which means your energy will be spent trying to digest the food. Try eliminating, or at least reducing, these foods for a couple of weeks and see if you notice an increase in your energy levels. Many people eat only three times a day, but you need to eat 5-6 times or less. Eating smaller, more frequent meals can help keep your blood sugar levels more even, preventing energy dips. Try incorporating healthy snacks into your daily routine to help you eat more frequently. When you suffer from weakness, physical exercise this is the last thing you want to do. But it is likely that it will help cope with weakness and increase energy levels. The more you move, the more your cells move - wake them up and feel a surge of energy. Even a 20-minute walk can provide the energy boost you need. This may seem like a lot of effort, but think about it - you just need to get out and walk for 10 minutes and then come home! Start small and gradually increase the load until you are doing half an hour every day. Yoga, Pilates, swimming and walking are popular physical activity for pregnant women, but you can also find something else to suit your taste - dancing or even special classes with exercise equipment. It's best to schedule activities at times during the day when you have the most energy. If your boss knows you're pregnant, you may be able to negotiate flexible hours. For example, come later and finish later if this will allow you to get more sleep. Or schedule meetings or important client meetings when you're at your peak. Think about how you can most effectively organize your work process and try to suggest this to your superiors; often they are ready to agree to a meeting. If you try to live the same life as you did before pregnancy, this may contribute to constantly feeling tired. Just because you used to stay up late with your friends in the middle of the work week doesn't mean you need it now. Replace evening meetings with dinners, calls, or weekend get-togethers, and give yourself the opportunity to go to bed early. Don't take on additional responsibilities at work and reduce your schedule where possible, giving yourself a couple of weeks to recover before taking on anything new. Most often, the energy will return in the second trimester, and you will be able to catch up on your work. It's time to ask for help. Reach out to friends and family who can be involved in your life. If you already have a child, ask someone you trust to take him to the playground for a couple of hours while you sleep. Ask your husband to take on more of the household chores so you can save energy for raising his child. Sometimes, although you are tired, you will find yourself lying awake in bed at night, thinking about everything that has not yet been done. Make a list and organize your tasks to make them more manageable - you don't need to redecorate the nursery in the eighth week, there is still plenty of time for such chores. Focus on what needs to be done right now and create a schedule so you know when you need to do it. Organizing your worries will give you a sense of control and allow you to sleep better at night. Your bed should be an oasis of calm, a haven of sleep that calls you to it. It’s better to remove all distractions - phones, computers, TV. The bed should be comfortable, clean, and have a variety of pillows - it can be uncomfortable without them during pregnancy. Sometimes constant fatigue may be a symptom of low iron or anemia, which often happens late in pregnancy. If all of the above tips do not help improve your energy levels, or you are suffering from extreme fatigue, consult your doctor. He may suggest testing your iron levels to determine whether you are suffering from iron deficiency or another medical problem. The most important indicator The iron thing to be aware of is your ferritin level, so ask your doctor what your level is. You have read to the end of the article, which means you can now sleep)“Interesting position”, a tiring period for a woman’s body and body. The physical discomfort and emotional stress that results from this major life change causes sleep problems. People may joke that the difficulties many pregnant women face are simply preparing them for lack of sleep once the baby is born. All jokes aside - this is an amazing period for women and drowsiness during pregnancy early stages is not something serious, the main thing is that the expectant mother finds out about it and does not worry.
Feeling tired is also a common complaint, especially during the first and third trimesters.
Holidays for two
An interesting position affects both the amount of rest in general that mommy receives and its quality. It is recommended to be in "Kingdom of Morpheus"(just kidding for your smile) at least 8 hours every night to get at least 7 hours of sleep.
Shortage sufficient quantity rest can lead to emotional exhaustion during the day, irritability and poor concentration.
A woman really needs to go to bed earlier, in the early stages of pregnancy, she needs additional rest, and cannot continue to follow the same schedule as before.
Fatigue is hormonal. In the early stages, progesterone levels begin to increase. The influence of hormones also affects drowsiness, as well as physiological factors which are caused by an enlarged uterus.
The fetus grows along with weight gain and fluid accumulation in the body. These changes mean the body works harder as the placenta forms, blood supply increases, and the heart beats faster.
This drains everything, a lot of energy is wasted and drowsiness sets in.
Emotional factors also play a role. The excitement and anticipation of a baby, fears about motherhood and worries about childbirth can be stressful and make a woman feel more tired than usual.
Drowsiness in the first trimester
In the first months of pregnancy increased level progesterone not only makes you feel sluggish, but also partially causes you to urinate frequently, which disrupts sleep and causes drowsiness.
Another factor that can rob a woman of the sleep she needs is nausea, known as morning sickness, which occurs at any time of the day or night. To relieve nausea, eat crackers or dry cereal before getting out of bed in the morning.
Snoring is common during pregnancy, and it can begin in the first trimester for moms who already have overweight or allergies.
If you want to take a nap, even for 15-20 minutes, then you shouldn’t deprive yourself of it, leave everything and lie down, don’t exhaust yourself. But avoid using sleeping pills such as melatonin.
Sleeping in the second trimester
This period is calmer in terms of sudden changes. Hormonal changes that change dramatically during the first trimester normalize and then change again in the third trimester.
At night, many expectant mothers experience leg cramps, especially if there are signs of anemia and low iron levels. This condition is known as restless legs syndrome, which begins in the evening hours.
My legs feel as if they have ants crawling up and down my veins. This causes discomfort and deprives you of proper rest.
Heartburn is another problem that can keep women up at night. As the period grows and the uterus becomes larger, it presses on the abdomen causing a burning sensation.
Sleeping on your left side with your knees bent is the best position. Try to sleep on more pillows - this will help ease the reflux of acid into the stomach and reduce pressure on the pancreas.
Lethargy in the third month
In recent months, mothers have suffered from lack of sleep. There are problems falling asleep, and the number of night and early awakenings increases compared to the middle of pregnancy.
When the belly increases in size and the fetus becomes more active, you can only dream of comfort and sleep in any comfortable position that you can find for yourself.
Snoring is common in the third trimester as a result of weight gain. Therefore, do not worry, after delivery the weight will decrease and everything will go away on its own.
If you had problems with excess weight before pregnancy, then sleep apnea most likely cannot be avoided. It is recommended that you inform your doctor about this.
In conclusion, women typically experience excessive sleepiness and fatigue during the first trimester, which is thought to be secondary to increased progesterone levels since progesterone is known to have hypnotic effects. The level of progesterone increases throughout the entire period of pregnancy, but in the 2nd and 3rd trimester it is highest. Drowsiness during early pregnancy in most cases is associated with this fact and there is no need to worry, everything will be fine.
Often the question-complaint “Why do you want to sleep during pregnancy?” The doctor is asked by women in the early stages. In most cases, this is a normal condition that does not require treatment. After the fertilized egg enters the uterus and strengthens it there, the female body begins to increase the production of the hormone progesterone. Its excess is expressed in drowsiness, irritability and a feeling of depression.
A constant desire to sleep haunts the pregnant woman in the last weeks. At this time, the body is actively preparing for the upcoming labor. This condition is also considered safe. In addition to the hormonal storm and chronic fatigue, there are a number of reasons why you want to sleep during pregnancy. Let's look at them in more detail.
Early pregnancy
When conception occurs, a woman’s body undergoes large-scale hormonal changes. They affect everything internal organs and their systems. Here are a number of reasons that cause an irresistible desire to sleep.
- Decreased immunity. If the protection does not weaken, the “foreign body”, which is the embryo, will simply be rejected. This usually leads to decreased blood pressure, general weakness and drowsiness.
- Avitaminosis. Since in at the moment a new organism is formed, a reserve useful substances(vitamins and other microelements) begins to deplete.
- Toxicosis. Many women are annoyed by toxicosis that exhausts them all day. Vomiting also helps flush out nutrients. As a result, anemia develops.
- Stress. A pregnant woman needs more time to rest. But it is not always possible to quickly switch to another mode. And the modern rhythm of life makes its contribution. Therefore, even very calm women in the early stages are in a state of constant stress.
- Nervous overstrain. This is due not only to the news about the upcoming replenishment, but also to the need to adapt to new circumstances and the desire to collect the maximum amount of information about the course of pregnancy. But you still need to think about how best to communicate the news to others - relatives and employees. By the way, the attitude of colleagues directly affects the state of mind of a woman expecting a baby.
- Prejudice. There are women who try at all costs to hide their pregnancy from others. They justify this by fear of the “evil eye.” Here is another reason to worry.
Changes in the endocrine sphere disrupt the entire established working rhythm. Pregnant women are prohibited from using standard stimulants (strongly brewed tea and coffee) - the risk to health and the fetus is too high. In the early stages, it is possible to overcome drowsiness with good nutrition, a reasonable balance of work and rest, and healthy sleep, the duration of which should be at least 8 hours.
It would be great if employees would accommodate their colleague's position and allow her to take short breaks to change positions or do exercises. After all, they themselves should feel uncomfortable working if there is always a tired person next to them who really wants to sleep.
In the second trimester
If everything is more or less clear with drowsiness in early pregnancy, then where does it come from in the second trimester? It seems that the body has already managed to get used to the new state and has even developed its own regime, including mandatory attendance at consultations. Those around her congratulated her and accepted the fact of pregnancy with all the ensuing consequences as a given. But it turned out that not everything is so simple.
To get rid of a depressive state, you need to walk outside more, eat well, and drink something relaxing before bed (for example, weak tea or a glass of warm milk with a spoonful of honey). If this does not help, the doctor may prescribe mild sedatives, and in serious cases, antidepressants.
The expectant mother should know what about therapy medicinal herbs You should first of all ask your doctor. Pregnant women can, in principle, practice herbal medicine, but very carefully. The list of permitted herbs is limited to valerian, mint and motherwort.
Shortly before birth
Starting from about 32 weeks of pregnancy, several more are added to all the above reasons for drowsiness:
You should start learning to sleep on your side as early as the second trimester. First, you should roll up the blanket and place it under your stomach or back - whichever is more common for you to fall asleep. Then little by little, over a few days, you need to increase the height of the “roll”.
It is impossible to sleep on your stomach in the last months of pregnancy. And on the back - it is not recommended, no matter how much you would like it.
If you constantly squeeze the vessels through which nutrition and oxygen are supplied to the uterus and lower limbs, the reverse outflow of blood will be impaired. As a result, the unborn child suffers from hypoxia, and his mother suffers serious health problems.
It is almost impossible to get enough sleep at 38 weeks. The body is actively preparing for labor. Training contractions do not allow a woman to relax even at night. Despite the fact that they last only 1-2 minutes, falling asleep after them is extremely problematic.
What to do if you feel sleepy
When the expectant mother is carrying a baby, she main task- take care of both the child and your health. That’s why quality, healthy sleep is so important for a pregnant woman. One of the main rules of a pregnant woman should be “I sleep as much as I want.” It is recommended not to take part in highly stimulating activities. It is best to spend your free time on a leisurely walk, which will help you fall asleep quickly and peacefully. After returning from the street, it’s good to take a warm shower and drink a glass of milk. You should never take a hot shower or bath, even if you really want to.
You need to go to bed early. A good motivator is the realization that a successful pregnancy depends on this. It is advisable to go to bed before 22:00, since from this time until 01:00 sleep is considered to be of the highest quality. The bed should be of medium hardness. It is recommended that those expecting a baby sleep on their left side.
When a woman has already gone on maternity leave or is working from home, she can easily set aside a couple of hours for daytime sleep. If a pregnant woman is busy all day, she needs to plan her affairs correctly in order to be able to sleep well at night.
Let's sum it up
If the expectant mother is constantly struggling with an irresistible desire to fall asleep, but all her tests are in order and nothing else bothers her, there is no need to run to the doctor. You just need to lie down and relax. After all, any restrictions in rest or sleep can adversely affect the health of a woman and she has not yet born baby. Overexertion threatens to increase the tone of the uterus - an extremely undesirable and even dangerous condition.
Sometimes constant drowsiness alarms a pregnant woman. Then she needs to create conditions for a good rest. For example, take a walk down the street before going to bed, and on the weekends take an outing into nature. If there are no serious causes of illness, these methods should help.
Most people can “boast” of periods of apathy and drowsiness. The abundance of incoming information, weather changes, erratic sleep schedules - many factors can lead to a completely “zombie” state. healthy person. The sensations at the same time are indescribable: the eyelids become heavy, the heart barely beats, reality “blurs”, and the jaw cramps from constant yawning. I want to lie down somewhere all day, but the “harmful” employer is not ready to provide sleeping place to your employees. If you are a woman, daytime sleepiness may indicate that you are pregnant. Often, frequent fatigue is the only sign of the first days of conception.
If suspicions about successful fertilization are confirmed, it’s time to prepare for the fact that the desire to fall asleep will become a faithful companion for a long time. After all, during pregnancy you constantly want to sleep. For a pregnant woman, the extra opportunity to rest is a “gift from heaven.”
It's no secret that in the process of viewing dreams, a person replenishes the resources wasted during the day. By switching off, the head gets rid of unnecessary information and regulates nervous system. During pregnancy, psychophysical costs exceed all previous records. After all, a separate organism is constantly being formed inside the expectant mother. These are colossal loads, and adequate sleep helps to cope with them.
Increased sleepiness during pregnancy
Why do you want to sleep a lot during pregnancy? Experts identify three main factors that influence a woman’s well-being.
- Intensive restructuring of the body. At the same time, the central nervous system works in enhanced mode. Accordingly, more time is required to regulate processes.
- Increased progesterone production relaxes and causes a decrease in blood pressure.
- Increased emotional and psychological stress.
The combination of these reasons causes increased drowsiness. In this case, all efforts are aimed at the benefit of the unborn child, so there is no need to worry about emerging fatigue.
Constantly makes you sleepy: a sign of conception
Nausea, weakness, and increased fatigue are known signs of pregnancy. The appearance of these symptoms before a missed period is significant for any woman. Sometimes a sudden onset of drowsiness serves as the only “marker” of embryo conception.
Important to know! This is due to the hormone progesterone, which protects the fetus from rejection, strengthens the uterine walls, and helps the fertilized egg to finally “settle.” The costs of these processes are expressed in the “sluggish” state of the expectant mother.
Typical manifestations of drowsiness in expectant mothers
Typical complaints of pregnant women are abrupt change mood, loss of strength, unreasonable anxiety. Every woman experiences the effects of hormonal fluctuations to varying degrees. 
Some are constantly full of strength and energy, others literally “fell off their feet” already in the first days of conception. How we feel always changes chaotically: today we “move mountains”, and tomorrow we mobilize the last crumbs of strength to brush our teeth. One should approach such unpredictability philosophically: everything cannot be changed. To save creative energy, there is a simple exercise:
- firstly, make a list of upcoming tasks;
- secondly, divide it into three parts:
- required responsibilities;
- matters that can be entrusted to the husband;
- what can be missed;
- the third stage is sorting the list.
As a result of the work, people felt great relief. By getting rid of unnecessary actions, a pregnant woman learns to evenly distribute own strength, avoiding overloads.
Causes of the condition in different periods
Drowsiness on different dates has distinctive reasons. If at the initial stage you really want to sleep due to a hormonal “surge,” then in the second trimester increased fatigue is a consequence of the growth and development of the fetus. When the process of bearing a child proceeds normally, drowsiness disappears in the middle and last stages.
Attention! In cases where the apathetic state persists in later periods, you should be wary. Often the causes of these manifestations can be various complications.
Beginning of pregnancy
In the early stages of fertilization, the hypertrophied need for rest does not pose a danger. It’s just that all the forces of the expectant mother’s body are working to create a new life. Large expenditures of resources require appropriate compensation. The sleep phase restores lost strength and directs it in the right direction.
As the fetus develops in the abdomen, the toxicosis characteristic of the early stages decreases. After the first trimester, the symptoms of drowsiness gradually disappear.
Second trimester
The 14th week is the start of the second trimester of pregnancy. During this period, the placenta completes own formation, disappears unpleasant symptoms in the form of nausea, odor intolerance, permanent fatigue. But it happens that hopes for eliminating drowsiness do not justify themselves. The reason for the manifestation of daytime weakness in the fourth month of gestation is the intensive development of the embryo. As a result of the formation of the biorhythms of the fetus, the mother’s body is forced to “adapt” to the sleep pattern of the unborn child. However, gynecologists do not recommend long morning sleep. If you sleep a lot during this stage of pregnancy, blood circulation is impaired and a depressed state appears.
Period before childbirth
On later During pregnancy, “chronic sleep deprivation” can occur due to the increase in the size of the baby. Pressure on internal organs and intrauterine restlessness at night often cause disturbances in a pregnant woman’s night rest. If persistent fatigue does not improve or worsens, you should consult a doctor. Third trimester drowsiness can be associated with various pathologies.
Cause for serious concern
In the last stages of pregnancy, it is important to identify possible diseases that affect fatigue. Some of them can be eliminated quite easily, with the help of vitamin therapy, while others are serious and cannot be delayed.
So, pathological causes drowsiness in expectant mothers:
Important to know! In any case, the presence of suspicious anomalies is a reason to undergo a medical examination. Timely treatment can eliminate the possibility of fatal consequences.
Ways to combat sleep at work and at home
If the presence of serious diseases has not been confirmed, then the desire to sleep a lot is a consequence of natural processes. Expectant mother able to independently correct unpleasant symptoms. Particularly active women continue to work literally until they go to the maternity hospital. In this case, the question arises of getting rid of daytime sleepiness in a work environment.
Here is a list of measures that will help you stay alert throughout the day:
- take frequent breaks (more than 10 minutes);
- ventilate the work area: lack of oxygen can increase drowsiness;
- green tea is a useful tonic;
- change body position more often, go out into fresh air if possible;
Here is a sample list of actions to support vitality outside the house. It’s easier to fight drowsiness in your own apartment:
- We monitor the quality of sleep: at least 10 hours a day, “lights out” at 22.00;
- getting up and going to bed strictly at the same time every day;
- regular morning exercises, moderate motor activity In the evening;
- a varied diet, frequent meals in small portions, the last meal - no later than 20.00;
- a contrast shower is an old proven remedy; the water temperature should be comfortable, “without extremes.”
Frequent walks and breathing exercises will not only help relieve drowsiness, but will also have a general healing effect on the body.
Drawing conclusions
It's normal to want to sleep longer during pregnancy. Thus, the body accumulates strength in preparation for the upcoming birth. After the birth of a girl or boy, a young mother will remember with trepidation about a good rest. Taking care of the baby will fill all possible space, displacing unscheduled sleep for a long time. Women joke: “During pregnancy, it’s difficult to sleep on your side; with the birth of your child, you’ll learn to sleep even while standing.”
During the prenatal period, you should not deny yourself additional rest. Increased drowsiness in the later stages is considered an alarm bell. A doctor's examination and comprehensive treatment will help identify and prevent a serious illness.
Any woman can relieve the symptoms of regular weakness. Following the principles of a healthy lifestyle is a good habit that will come in handy in the future.