Insomnia is the inability to get to sleep or stay asleep. It is common in pregnancy and often accepted as part of the pregnancy journey.
Symptoms:
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Inability to fall asleep or get back to sleep after waking.
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More common in the 1st and 3rd Trimesters.
Causes:
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Changes in hormone levels.
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Changes in mood and increased anxiety.
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Discomfort due to other pregnancy issues.
Lets have a look what the evidence says about the treatment options that are available:
Yoga – evidence suggests that yoga can be helpful for insomnia. Insomnia in pregnancy is not well researched but it has been looked at in other areas of healthcare.
There are lots of Online Yoga programmes available, have a look at our Top 5 here (and why we love them)! You can also read our blog on how yoga can help in other ways.
Meditation – evidence is certainly in favour of mindfulness meditation when it comes to insomnia. It appears, from the evidence, that it is a viable treatment option for adults with chronic insomnia. Have a look at our Top 5 Yoga options as these include hypnobirthing and meditation options also.
Pilates – Pilates is a great form of exercise that is safe through all stages during pregnancy. Staying active can help with sleep issues.
Have a look at our Top 5 Online Pilates options here.
Aquatic Exercise – evidence is also available but limited for exercise in water to help insomnia, this can include swimming or aqua classes.
Essential Oils – There is evidence for the use of essential oils in helping with insomnia, in particular lavender.There are lots of options online for essential oils, we recommend THIS one in particular because it has great reviews and we have tried it personally and really liked it.
