Small, frequent meals and easy to digest liquids (like soups and smoothies) can help ease up your symptoms. Third trimester heartburn is no joke-spicy foods, tomato-based sauces, large portions, and lying down after dinner can all leave you reaching for the Tums. A small snack before bed can hold you over, just be sure to stick with bland, light foods (think: crackers, fruit, or dry cereal) to avoid feeling uncomfortable. If you’re already having a hard time falling asleep with a bump, a growling stomach won’t help. Tip: try setting an alarm to remind yourself. While you don’t want to cut back on fluids in general, you can front load your intake so that you’re drinking less an hour or two before bedtime. Getting up to go to the bathroom four times a night? You can thank pregnancy hormones and that growing baby pressing on your bladder. (Insomnia may be nature’s way of prepping us for the sleep loss that comes after delivery, but we want you to clock the most zz's while you can.) Try these tips before you hit the sheets next for a better night’s rest. With a round belly and the anxiety of being this close to delivery, home-stretchers often suffer the most. The solution? Carbs! Carbohydrates make your body release insulin, which in turn removes all amino acids from your blood – with the exception of tryptophan.Ĭarb-based snacks will react with tryptophan and give you a much bigger release of serotonin – making a banana the best option for when you’re really struggling!įind out more about our collaboration with Sammy Margo here.You've been warned about sleepless nights with a newborn, but pregnancy insomnia can leave some women just as exhausted. However, food contains loads of different amino acids that compete to reach the brain, with tryptophan struggling the most as it’s usually in such small traces. Your body transforms tryptophan into niacin – a B-vitamin that works to create serotonin (a neurotransmitter that regulates sleep and melatonin levels). Tryptophan is an amino acid present in a range of foods. What is tryptophan and how does it help me sleep? Research has shown that a cup of Chamomile Tea is linked to an increase in Glycine, which acts as a mild sedative and relaxes nerves. Okay – not a food, but it’s the perfect substitute for a warming, pre-bedtime drink to promote a sense of calm. Jasmine rice in particular has been shown to bring on shut-eye even faster! According to certain studies, white rice has a high glycemic index to really help reduce the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep. Kale also contains plenty of antioxidants, iron and folates to keep your immune system and digestion on track.

Which means it’s great for helping your baby’s growth and development, while studies suggest that being calcium-deficient may make it difficult to fall asleep. Dark, leafy greens are a surprisingly good source of Calcium. Rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids too, a handful of walnuts are another go-to snack to have whenever you’re in need of a little help falling asleep. These tasty nuts are another excellent natural source of tryptophan and they also offer their own unique source of melatonin. These all help to release melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycles, making a banana the perfect pre-bedtime snack! Did you know a banana is essentially a sleeping pill in a peel? They’re rich in magnesium and potassium that help muscles to relax, as well as tryptophan, an amino acid which the body uses to make serotonin levels (see below for more info on tryptophan!).

You’ll be surprised at some of the foods that offer unique properties to act as natural sleep remedies! See our top five below. Are you having trouble nodding off, Mama? We spoke to Sammy Margo about how food can impact your sleep during pregnancy and the Top 5 foods to help you catch those precious Zzz’s.Ī careful selection of foods that help you sleep during pregnancy just before bed can really help you drift off easier.

First trimester insomnia help