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Friday, May 2, 2014

10 ideas to find sleep – when you can’t find sleep



Today is Friday. I should be in bed with hubby by now, out of different reasons. First of all, Friday usually marks the start of our weekend. So, this is the beginning of our quality time. Often enough, this means no blog entries. Well, it is supposed to mean that, after all, hubby is there and we can spend time together. Oh my, did not work too well lately, this idea. Hubby has been pretty busy and unexpectedly he even has to go abroad within the next weeks. As you can imagine, that is frustrating.

Ooops starting the down-post alley again? Nope, not really. I am just a little frustrated because of this kind of news on the one hand, and the other reason is, once again, that I cannot sleep. GRRRRRR this has been going on throughout the week. I have no idea why, I do not have coffee or anything similar. But the later it is, the less I can rest.
So, what am I going to do now? It’s getting later. After midnight. Definitely not my usual time, but I am getting used to it. Try to stay in bed when you feel like you had a bucket of coffee.  I just couldn’t. I tried warm milk, didn’t work, I am still under alarm. And for once this is not because I drink a lot and run to the loo all the time. Well, this adds to the fun of the situation, though. :)
I have some recipes though, which are supposed to help when you have sleeping problems during pregnancy. They have worked with me before this week, too, btw, so, in general,  they do work:

Ideas to let tired mommies-to-be sleep better:


1. Drink a lot. The healthy things only, I’d recommend. Drinking is extremely important. But don’t drink much in the evening. Then you face the run-to-the-loo-problem.

2. Don’t eat too much, too fat, too spicy in the evening. I had that only a week ago and had terrible heartburn from it. That will definitely not let you rest.

3. Do your exercises during the day. They help you to be tired in the evening. That’s true, it works fine with me, but not this week. Today we only had a walk, maybe this was not enough, but then again, don’t overdo your exercises. Moderate exercise is good for you and baby, but don’t try to get fit for Olympic competitions now.

4. Have a night walk. I did not do this one, because hubby wouldn’t allow me out. I’d be alone in the dark, after midnight, because hubby is fast asleep.

5. A short warm bath right before bedtime is a good idea. Very relaxing, I can absolutely recommend that one. Works fine with me, usually, but I have not done this tonight. The longer I am up, the more likely it becomes that I'll have an after midnight bath.

6. Light massage works fine. Be careful, of course, but shoulders, neck and feet are safe and pleasant. If your partner is awake, that is. So, you better do that in time.

7. The sleeping positions also influence how easily and  well you could sleep. I’d suggest sleeping on the side, because if you pull the upper leg a little bit upwards, the muscles around the belly area can relax better. Tried it, works fine, but not this week.

8. If your feet are cold, try either warm socks or a hot-water bottle in your bed. It feels lovely and if your feet are warm, dozing off is far easier. Sometimes I have cold feet in bed, so I can recommend this. Tried it, works fine, but not this week.

9. Valerian works. But I am not willing to give it a try yet. I know that there are other plants that have similar effects, but I haven’t tried them yet. I’d try them in tea form, because I could make a whole ceremony out of it, which is a feel-good method for me.

10. My favourite recipe to sleep easier and better: warm milk and honey. I love that. Tried it, works fine, but not this week.


I am not desperate, just a wee bit tired, what a surprise. But if it goes on like that, I might have written a complete book on pregnancy-related ideas, in record time.

I’ll give it a try and go to bed again. Have a lovely night and a nice weekend! 


8 comments :

  1. Oh gosh, I hope you can get some sleep! That is a good list of things to try. I have to admit, I'm such a druggie when it comes to insomnia and headaches. I keep Benadryl and Tylenol Simply Sleep on my nightstand for when I can't sleep before an important event, and I keep Aspirin in my purse for the first sign of a headache. I should probably try some more holistic things first, but pills are so easy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Autumn, last night was really bad again, but I will have a catnap after lunch. I think I’ll go and get some valerian on Monday, so that I can get some real sleep. And if pills are what works best, I’ll go for those, but I’d like to get over this without having to take medicine.
      For the weekend I’ll try the methods that I have always used so far, and I’ll try to get a late night walk with hubby. I’d like that one :)

      hugs

      Nina

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  2. I don't envy you and the pregnancy sleeping. I think I had about 6 pillows stacked under my belly by the end. I would also wake up in a pile of drool - now that's attractive. Honestly, I slept better after the baby came than before and that's not saying much.

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    Replies
    1. Leah, I think I got the message. :) My mother told me that she had once a glas of wine while she was still breastfeeding me. I was two months then but she said that I had slept like a log as a result, and she had one of the best nights ever in that whole year, because she could sleep uninterrupted. So, I am pretty tired, but I guess there is still plenty of time for more changes of the less pleasant kind to come. Waking up in a puddle of drool has happened to me repeatedly in the first trimester, too. But that has stopped again. I don't know if it will come back in the third trimester, but I wouldn't mind if it didn't. :)
      I’ll try another catnap after lunch and if my sleepless nights go on, I’ll go for valerian or something like that.

      hugs

      Nina

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  3. Quality sleep while pregnant is important but harder to come by as you get bigger. Body pillows under the bump and between the thighs help if you sleep on your side. Chiropractic adjustments and learning pressure points to induce relaxation, and melatonin were what saved me during pregnancies. I do hope you find something that helps!

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    Replies
    1. River, you are so right, I absolutely miss quality sleep and will do all it takes to get some. We have some great pillows that I use and I sleep better with my side-sleeper pillow between the thighs. A massage sounds wonderful to me, and there are some massage practices that offer massages for pregnant women nearby. And if nothing else works, I’ll sleep again next year. :) Have a lovely weekend!

      hugs

      Nina

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  4. Hi Nina, I really hope you can manage to get some sleep soon. Those are some great ideas to try.

    Hugs
    Roz

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    Replies
    1. Hi Roz, thank you, those idea should work fine, but this week was awful when it comes to sleeping. Currently I feel like I could sleep standing, but whenever I find a nice and cozy position, I am restless again. I could apply for a job where you have to be wide awake at night, because currently I'd be the best there. :) But I really do hope it'll change a little bit again, I could enjoy sleeping now more than ever. Have a lovely Sunday!

      hugs

      Nina

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