Sleep During Pregnancy May Impact Health of Mother and Baby

Sleep During Pregnancy May Impact Health of Mother and Baby

Make Sleep a Priority During Pregnancy Heartburn, weight gain, stress, frequent urination, sinus congestion – all of these conditions can cause sleeplessness in anyone of any age. Now imagine all of these factors coming together over a nine-month period in a woman’s life - pregnancy. An expectant mother not only must deal with her growing and changing body during the day, but also with the hormone fluctuations and common ailments that impact her nighttime sleep patterns.

The stress of repeated sleepless nights in expectant mothers due to worrying, physical discomfort and general insomnia can cause significant side effects in expectant mothers and the baby. The immune system is impacted by a lack of sleep when the overproduction of cytokines, cellular communication molecules, start attacking healthy cell structures, specifically those rapidly forming throughout pregnancy with the growing baby. The structures building and supporting the placenta can be affected as well as the mother’s circulatory system when the immune system is compromised by sleeplessness. This can lead to complications such as premature birth and depression.

It is important that a pregnant woman implements healthy sleep habits during her pregnancy to ensure her strength and health as well as the wellbeing of the baby.

Sleep disturbances in pregnancy can sometimes be remedied through supportive pillows for the growing belly, darkening shades for the eyes and/or room, regular exercise and proper nutrition, and also meditative techniques of relaxation.

For more tips for pregnant women, refer to this link.

If sleep deprivation continues, it is important that the mother speaks with her doctor to eliminate the likelihood of other factors contributing to her insomnia, for the sake of her baby’s health and her physical and mental well being. Even if you are not pregnant, but experience insomnia or have questions about the quality of your sleep, it would be best to consult a physician. Our expert clinical team at FusionSleep can provide a customized consultation to get you on the path toward restful, healthful, rejuvenating sleep.