What is best for sleep during pregnancy
Much like in preconception, it’s best to aim for 7-8 hours of sleep if possible. If you have difficulty falling or staying asleep, acupuncture and East Asian medicine can be helpful. Preparing for rest is key to ensuring a good night’s sleep.
Try to keep a regular sleep schedule with the same bed and waking times every day.
Keep your bedroom cool and dark. A temperature around 65°F is ideal for sleep.
Try to have your last meal of the day three hours before bed. If you are hungry, have a little something before bed. Some options are a handful of nuts, a handful of berries, a few squares of dark chocolate, Greek yogurt, veggies with hummus, apple with nut butter, or fruit with a small piece of dark chocolate.
Try to have your last beverages of the day two hours before bed.
It’s best to turn off all devices and screens one hour before bed.
Ideally, avoid sleeping on your back or stomach. As you progress in your pregnancy, it is best to sleep on your side. A study of individual patient data found sleeping on one's back during pregnancy increased the risk of stillbirth by 5.8% in pregnant people at 28-weeks gestation or later. E Clinical Med 2019;10:49-57
Which side should I sleep on?
Research has found no association of superiority between sleeping on the right versus the left. Theoretically, sleeping on the left may help blood flow return from the pelvis and lower extremities via the inferior vena cava to the lungs and heart. It may also reduce pressure on your liver and kidneys.
What if I wake up on my back?
Consider a pregnancy pillow that will prevent you from rolling on your back.
What if I can't sleep on my side?
Acupuncture, gua sha, cupping and tui na may all help with pain if you are unable to sleep on yoru side. Until you can get treatment to address this kind of pain and you can't sleep on your side, add wedges to elevate your upper body (10") and knees (7"). If you have a latex allergy, search for one that is latex free and low VOC.