Insomnia Tips!

chelseabriana26 · September 2016

I am so bummed to be posting this already. With my DS, I didn't struggle with insomnia until the last 5 weeks, but here I am at 20 weeks wide awake at 1am already. Yuck! Any tips? I fall asleep fine, but any wake ups in the middle of the night make it very difficult to get back to sleep.

ThePax89 · September 2016

I've read that insomnia can be due to a magnesium deficiency. I also didn't experience it with my first until the last 5 weeks, but I bet it's coming earlier this time.

My pregnant friend takes Tylenol pm per the advice of her midwife

Gogogirl16 · September 2016

I've had insomnia my entire pregnancy and had it with my last too. I tried with my first to go without meds and I could barely make it through the day. My doctor said unisom and tylenol pm were both fine, once I started taking unisom things were so much better! My bad time is around 1 too, but when I take a half unisom it pushes it back until 4. So I adjusted my sleep schedule to go to bed at 8 so I can still get enough hours in! The one good thing is that I'm now awake at 4 so I get up most days and get my workout in! Good luck, I hope you can get some relief

cjs260 · September 2016

Diphenhydramine HCL 25mg (benadryl/some store brand "sleep aids"/sleepy medicine in Tylenol PM/Zzzquil/Unisom) are all safe to take during pregnancy.

vssbrm · September 2016

I have been having the same problem (I'm at 22 wks). I also have anxiety, so if I let myself go there, I start to think of every horrible thing that can happen over the next 5 mths... Btwn being pregnant and a huge home renovation it is not fun.
I try to do my breathing exercises. I will also try to read a book I've read a million times that I also love, often times a few pages in I can start to fall asleep, but not lately. I do keep the bedroom pitch black w/ no lights shining, not even alarm clocks. Also try sleeping w/o your phone or tablet in your room - when I was still working I found I got much better sleep wo them!

katesmama0706 · September 2016

I've started taking a half a unisom around 8 so I'm asleep my 9:30 and waking around 5:30-6. Otherwise I'm awake at 1 and again at 3 and again at 4 and dragging when DD gets up at 6:30. My OB was like "hell take 2 a night if you want to, it's totally safe!" but I haven't needed that much to just keep me asleep. I think if I was having a hard time falling asleep when I went to bed too I'd bump it up to a full one and go from there.

julianna88-2 · September 2016

I'm in the same boat.

aishmc · September 2016

I have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. I have found that having white noise (rain in particular) helps me from waking each time I hear a noise.

Is there something in particular that wakes you up @chelseabriana26? Noise? Pain? Anxiety? Baby dance party?

Wholesome · September 2016

I've been taking my nighttime nausea concoction. Doxylamine (a unisom) and pyridoxine (vitamin B6). I don't need it at night but my nausea creeps back during the day if I stop taking it, must have some residual effect on me. Works great and is pregnancy friendly.

Teach123 · September 2016

I fall asleep fine, but I wake up between 2:30 and 4 am most nights to go to the bathroom. I then have problems going back to sleep. I try not to look at my phone or watch tv as it is stimulating to the mind and makes it harder to go back to sleep. It usually takes me an hour or two before I can fall back asleep.

chelseabriana26 · September 2016

@Teach123 That is my problem too! It has subsided a bit in the last week. Hopefully, it is over!!

chelseabriana26 · September 2016

@aishmc Usually a bathroom break! Then my mind starts going & I can't turn it off!

azwildcat62 · September 2016

My recent sleep problem is tossing and turning all night. I feel like I'm waking up a million times and not getting restful sleep. It is so frustrating!!

canavara · September 2016

Same deal as @katesmama0706 and @wholesome -- I take half a Unisom (also half a B6--basically still doing the "fake Diclegis" regiment). It knocks me out within half an hour usually. Definitely wake up many times a night to switch sides though... and then switch back once switching to the other side causes an impromptu dance party for the baby

.

ETA: Just saw the update about bathroom breaks. Are you turning the light on when you go to the bathroom? Maybe invest in a low-power night light in the bathroom and skip flushing until the next morning if you can bear it. Basically just get there and back to bed with as little sensory feedback as possible to stay close to sleep.

hayhay2501 · September 2016

Ha I'm reading this post at 5am and have been up since 4am following one of my bi or tri nightly bathroom trips. So @teach123 I'm with you!

I usually fall asleep super quickly after my 1am trip and then this one gets me. I know I shouldn't be on my phone but after an hour sometimes it takes a really dry news article to put my mind off trying to sleep and let me sleep... Which I'll be doing now!

BriannaE129129 · September 2016

My only "trick" is that I pretty much zombie walk into the bathroom to pee while barely even opening my eyes, sometimes I won't even flush because of the noise. Sometimes I think I trick myself into thinking I'm still asleep hah!

katesmama0706 · September 2016

I had stopped taking my unisom after my cold cleared up cause I felt like I was sleeping better. Then I was up for hours this morning cause baby objected to every position I tried to lay in, including sitting in the glider and reclining. Back to taking something it is.

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