Post: 8 Natural Remedies for Insomnia During Pregnancy

Photo: Stocksy/Aaron Thomas "Sleep while you can. You’re going to miss it once the baby comes."

If you’ve ever been pregnant (or currently are) this is probably advice you’ve heard time and time again. But for some parents-to-be, a lack of sleep is a real struggle that starts way before there’s a crying newborn waking them up in the middle of the night.

It’s true: Insomnia during pregnancy is pretty common. About 25 percent of pregnant people have trouble sleeping in the first trimester, and this number nearly quadruples by the end of the third trimester, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This can look like trouble falling or staying asleep , poor sleep quality, and even daytime sleepiness, fogginess, and irritability.

Experts In This Article Angela Holliday-Bell, MD , board-certified physician, certified sleep specialist, sleep coach, and founder of The Solution is Sleep

But sleep is an essential part of a healthy pregnancy—you actually need more zzzs than usual (about 8 to 10 hours, according to docs). That’s why it’s important to nip pregnancy insomnia in the bud. In the past, you may have popped a melatonin pill or Tylenol PM to fall asleep, but taking medicine while pregnant is tricky. Not many drugs are tested for safety in pregnant people, which limits what you can and can’t take (more on this later).

Another way to treat insomnia then? Natural remedies. Here, a sleep expert shares tips on how to sleep soundly when you’re expecting, plus what OTC medicines are safe […]

8 Natural Remedies for Insomnia During Pregnancy