How can I treat my insomnia in week 15 of pregnancy?

Periods of insomnia during pregnancy is common. It can include delays in falling asleep, poor quality of sleep, frequent awakening and early morning wakefulness. Inability to sleep well can interfere with your ability to function and recover from daily stressors and result in exhaustion and mood changes.

Some self-help measures are:

• Regular physical activity like a 30-minute walk.
• Adequate nutrition and avoidance of caffeine and alcohol.
• Limit fluids 2 hours prior to going to bed.
• Creating a dark sleep environment.
• Sound dampen your room.
• White noise can sometimes be helpful.
• Use of extra blankets and pillows may also be helpful.
• Increasing vitamin B intake helps with stress.

Herbal remedies such as chamomile tea, Valerian tea or tincture, Hops tea or tincture (only after 20 weeks), lemon balm tea, skullcap tincture, and passionflower tea or tincture may be helpful and can be discussed at your visit.

Hydrotherapy with warm soaks in the tub or a nice warm shower is very beneficial.

Hypnotherapy can be useful as well as aromatherapy.

Before bed consider a warm bath with essential oils or using a room diffuser. Lavender, Yling Ylang, and Geranium are scents that promote relaxation and sleep. Ask your partner to massage your back, shoulders and feet after your bath or shower as you go to bed together.

Short power naps during the day are also helpful. Mother nature is trying to help you get use to sleeping when you can, as you will soon be getting up and down with your new baby. At the end of the pregnancy as your baby is down in the birth canal you will be getting up and down a lot to go to the bathroom and getting ready to be up with your new baby. If you are feeling totally exhausted and feel the need for additional sleep we can let you take Benadryl 25- 50 mg over the counter at bedtime or discuss the risks and benefits of prescription sleep meds.