Home remedies to cure insomnia during pregnancy

Insomnia refers to a complete lack of sleep. It includes relative problems such as obscurity in falling asleep, difficulty in remaining asleep, early awakening, or combination of these problems. In the present day world, this disease is taken more seriously than ever before, especially among those living in the urban lifestyle.

Causes

Because of the growth of fetus, a lot of biochemical and hormonal changes occur in women during pregnancy. While the production of some hormones is increased significantly, the production of other hormones is reduced to a great extent. These alterations in body during pregnancy cause many problems to the expecting mothers, and insomnia is one among them. Statistics show that around 75 per cent of women suffer from pregnancy insomnia. It is also known as want of sufficient sleep during pregnancy.

During pregnancy, your body is preparing to give birth to a child. This good news usually makes a woman excited or overanxious. A pregnant woman may not feel like sleeping at night thinking about the changes that are likely to take place in her life in future. Stress is a known cause of insomnia and it ought to be avoided. Insomnia is more common during the first trimester.

Suppressed feelings of resentment, anger, and bitterness may also cause insomnia during pregnancy.
Other causes of insomnia during pregnancy include constipation, dyspepsia, overeating at night, too much intake of tea or coffee, smoking, and going to bed hungry.

Home remedies for insomnia during pregnancy

Some of the common and simple home remedies for insomnia during pregnancy are given below:

1. Thiamine: Thiamine or vitamin B is an effective remedy for curing insomnia. It helps to make the nerves stronger and healthier. Lack of thiamine in the body will lead to incapability to relax and fall asleep naturally. Wholegrain cereals, pulses, and nuts are rich in thiamine.
2. Lettuce: Lettuce helps in the treatment of insomnia as it contains a sleep-inducing substance, called lectucarium. Lettuce seeds taken in the form of decoction are also an effective remedial substance for insomnia.

Method: To prepare the decoction, take one tablespoonful of lettuce seeds and boil them in half a liter of water till it is reduced to one-third.

3. Milk: Milk is a valuable remedy for insomnia. A glass of milk with some honey in it should be taken every night before going to bed. It acts as a tranquillizer. Massaging the foot sole with milk is also a proven treatment for insomnia.
4. Curd: Curd is extremely effective in curing the problem of insomnia. A good massage of head with plenty of curd will persuade you to sleep.
5. Bottle Gourd: A mixture of bottle gourd juice and sesame oil in equal proportion is an effective medicine for insomnia. A good massage of this mixture should be done every night before going to bed. Intake of cooked form of bottle gourd leaves also helps in the treatment of insomnia.
6. Aniseed: Aniseed tea is effective in conditions of sleeplessness during pregnancy. To prepare tea, boil about 375 ml of water in a vessel. Add a teaspoon of aniseed in it. Cover the water with a lid and let it simmer for around 15 minutes. The tea may be sweetened with honey and you can also add hot milk to it. Take it after meals everyday.
7. Honey: Honey is a proven remedy for insomnia as it has a hypnotic effect and persuades a sound sleep.

Method: Two teaspoons of honey in a large cup of lukewarm water will make you feel sleepy.

Some lifestyle changes to cure insomnia during pregnancy:

•    Before going to bed at night, ensure that your room is comfortable for a sound sleep.
•    Do not worry about your unsound sleep. Worrying about the problem aggravates it.
•    Take a warm bath before going to bed so as to make yourself more comfortable for sleeping.
•    Practice light relaxation exercises before going to bed at night.
•    Listen to music or watch television till you feel drowsy.

The insomnia patients should take a low-salt diet as it is said that salt interrupts a restful sleep. Also, they should avoid tea, coffee, chocolate, cola drinks, alcohol, fatty foods, fried foods, and foods containing additives. A well-balanced diet with simple changes in the eating and lifestyle will help a lot in the treatment of insomnia.

Note: Avoid resorting to any of the above remedies in case you are allergic to them. Consult your doctor in such a case.