Insomnia during pregnancy is an all too common phenomenon. Whether you just can’t seem to get enough sleep, or whether the sleep that you do get does not seem to be good sleep, insomnia can be particularly frustrating during pregnancy. Insomnia seems to be most common during the first trimester and the third trimester, although it is possible for a woman to experience insomnia at any point during her pregnancy.

One of the major causes of insomnia during pregnancy has to do with hormones. This is especially true during the first trimester. During the first trimester of your pregnancy, the hormone progesterone increases. This can have a sedative effect on the woman that is pregnant. This can lead to insomnia during your pregnancy in a couple of ways. First of all, you may find that you need to nap more often during the day due to this sedative effect. In addition, progesterone can bring on fatigue, which in itself can cause insomnia, or at least interfere with sleep. Add to this the fact that many women can’t roll over at night without bumping their tender or sore breasts during pregnancy, and it is no surprise that insomnia is so common for pregnant women.

Later on in pregnancy, there are different causes of insomnia. At this point, insomnia is more likely to be caused by general discomfort. Your baby’s increasing size can make it difficult for you to get any good sleep at all. Also during the third trimester, your baby might decide that the nighttime is time to kick and play, keeping you up with him. During the third trimester, your bladder will be under even more pressure, this time not just from your uterus, but from the baby inside! Leg cramps and other aches are also very common during the third trimester, and can lead to insomnia.

There are a variety of things that you can do to help with insomnia during your pregnancy. There are herbal teas that are especially designed to help you sleep that you may try. There are also a variety of audio CDs that can play relaxing music and sounds that can help you sleep more deeply and more soundly, as well.

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