Sleep advice

Taylovesbrad · October 2015

Newly on maternity leave so i now have a choice in if i nap or not. I am having major sleep issues and I'm sure I'm not alone.
I try my best not to nap because then I have trouble falling asleep. But I have been wake up at all hours and can't fall back to sleep.
Wondering what you guys do. Is it just better to take naps?

TomekiaB · October 2015

I nap if I'm tired. I had a severe case of mono in college and actually got a co-diagnosis of insomnia as a side effect--my doctor prescribed a low dose of a mild antidepressant to help my brain disengage to sleep. Basically being sick made studying really difficult and knowing that I was falling behind created anxiety that lead to insomnia. As a result, I've realized that if I get overtired I actually sleep much worse at night.

ammnam14 · October 2015

I feel gross when I wake up from naps. So even though I'm exhausted I stray from napping lol. I think everyone is different though. If you feel like you need to nap, go for it! You deserve it!

TomekiaB · October 2015

I also would calculate how much sleep you're getting most adults don't function well with less than 6-8 hours so if you're not getting at least 7 hours I'd take it wherever you can.

Mizuiro007 · October 2015

Like @TomekiaB I find it much worse to allow myself to become overtired. I get insomnia as well but for me the bigger issue comes with fatigue being a major trigger for my Tourette's Syndrome which I then run the risk of injury. If I need to sleep, I do.

The most helpful advice I was told was around this point in my last pregnancy, my mom suggested thinking of it as your body getting ready for baby. If you breastfeed you'll likely survive on naps for a while with the frequency of feedings. The only way I got around this was having a bottle or two of expressed milk that hubby could use and feed DS and allow me a little better sleep for a few hours. Honestly, I know he also loved that special bonding time it allowed him.

You'll have to figure out what works best for you but this is my take on it. If you want to avoid naps, try resting instead. I do this when I know I won't have enough time for a nap to be beneficial. I'll sit in a quiet space with lights lowered, sip tea and relax or just close my eyes. It helps me feel rested without sleep so I can sleep at night.

redfallon · October 2015

I take a nap if I'm tired and my toddler lets me. I'm waking up so much at night to flip over and to pee that I probably need any extra that I can get.

lalg28 · November 2015

As a PP said, it depends on what your getting at night probably. If you're only getting 4 or 5 hours at night I'd get that nap. If you get maybe 7 or 8 I'd try to stay awake during the day, because sometimes, at least for me, a nap during the day means I don't sleep as well that night.

spottedginger · November 2015

I have major insomnia and would welcome nap opportunities. Take the naps. Take all of the naps. Report back.

Bombmom3 · November 2015

Normally (not pregnant) im an utter wench when I wake up from a nap. When I'm pregnant, though, I need them. I spent my first pregancy hibernating for nine months and my second one I would nap three hours a day when my firstborn crashed out in the afternoons. Sadly, now that I have two kids it's hard to ever get a nap in even though I desperately crave them. My three year old has been on nap-strike for the past two months and my yearling has a sensor that alarms anytime I fall asleep during daylight hours which in turn causes her to howl like a banshee the instant I drift off. Couple that with getting my sleep in two hour chunks because my son is using my bladder like a memory foam pillow and I am a tired, cranky mess.

So, my advice is to get sleep when and how you can, especially if you're not able to sleep well at night regardless of your nap status.

elbou · November 2015

Yes to naps!

I'm not normally a nap person. I have a hard time falling asleep during the nap, and usually wake up feeling less rested and/or more cranky after a nap. However, sometimes, when my night-time sleep has been crappy, a nap actually acts as a reset button to help get the night-time sleep back on track.

Since you said you're now on maternity leave, and you're not getting good sleep at night, I don't see that you have anything to lose by trying. I would suggest trying it for a few days to see if it helps, and if it doesn't, then just go back to what you're doing now. Good luck!

kvassolo · November 2015

I love naps! The past couple of weeks I have taken long naps during the day because I've been so invelievably uncomfortable at night! I say if you're tired enough, then take a nap. I have always been a huge fan of naps though, so I've never really had trouble falling asleep at night if I take them.

Court11152325 · November 2015

@taylovesbrad - have you tried doing guided meditations or progressive muscle relaxations before bed? There are a few free apps that lead you through 20-30 minute guided meditations to help with sleep. I believe you can also find some on youtube and spotify. It may sound silly, but these have been incredibly helpful in clearing my head and allowing relaxation (especially if my back or hips are sore).

If that's not your thing, I think naps are glorious. If you're worried about them leading to insomnia or making it more difficult to fall asleep later, you could limit them to 20-45 minutes. This time frame is supposed to allow for rest without going into the deep sleep cycles that we wake up super groggy from.

Here's one you can try!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFnULx_hH9g

rxredhead · November 2015

I nap any chance I get. Pregnancy makes me completely exhausted so I will sleep whenever I can. I also still take Unisom/B-6 at night for nausea issues so falling asleep isn't a huge issue at the moment (I generally suffer from insomnia and cannot fall asleep for anything, no matter how much or little I sleep during the day or night before)

Taylovesbrad · November 2015

Thanks ladies. I guess I will take up napping

I've always been regimented about sleep but it's true with baby coming it's going to be wacked out anyway.
Will Def try the guided meditation! @Court11152325

Hubbies not sleeping well with me rolling over either. He has gone to the couch a couple times lately. He says it's like sleeping on a boat during the Perfect Storm.

talinani · November 2015

Taylovesbrad said:
Newly on maternity leave so i now have a choice in if i nap or not. I am having major sleep issues and I'm sure I'm not alone.
I try my best not to nap because then I have trouble falling asleep. But I have been wake up at all hours and can't fall back to sleep.
Wondering what you guys do. Is it just better to take naps?

I've been dealing with this exact problem also .... I actually try to get up, go pee and drink some warm milk. Climb back into bed so I can relax and attempt to fall back asleep. I've also found that if I can't sleep sometimes I'll fall back asleep if I sleep somewhere else in the house. I know these things may sound like they wouldn't work but it has occasionally. Also I'm gonna buy that fancy pillow that wraps around you.

Taylovesbrad · November 2015

@talinani you can have mine! I have had no success with that pillow lol

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