Pregnant women are more sensitive both mentally and psychologically during pregnancy, so their tolerance for stress decreases. They often experience mood swings, depression, and insomnia.
It is generally believed that the change in mood during pregnancy is caused by hormonal changes. In addition, changes in diet habits can also affect the quality of sleep during pregnancy. Therefore, a balanced diet is important. Some pregnant women have significant changes in taste during pregnancy, but they should try to avoid stress-inducing foods such as coffee, tea, and fried foods.
Pregnant women can follow these four tips to avoid insomnia:
1. Avoid foods that cause bloating
Some foods produce more gas during digestion, resulting in a feeling of bloating and interfering with normal sleep. Examples include beans, cabbage, onions, broccoli, bell peppers, eggplant, potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro, corn, bananas, bread, citrus fruits, and beverages and desserts containing xylitol (sweetener).
2. Avoid spicy and salty foods before bedtime
Spicy foods such as chili peppers, garlic, and raw onions can cause stomach burning and indigestion, interfering with sleep for some people. Additionally, high-salt foods can lead to excessive intake of sodium ions, causing blood vessels to constrict, increasing blood pressure, and causing tension and insomnia. If you already have a history of hypertension, consuming high-salt foods may trigger hypertension-related headaches and strokes.
3. Avoid overly greasy foods before bedtime
A heavy and greasy dinner or consuming a lot of high-fat foods can overload the intestines, stomach, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, stimulating the central nervous system to keep it working and causing insomnia. The smartest approach is to have the most abundant meal for breakfast or lunch and have a lighter and smaller dinner. For example, you can have celery and lily for dinner, which can promote sleep.
4. Choose vegetables with finer fibers
Vegetables with coarse fibers like leeks, garlic sprouts, and mustard greens are not easily digested. If you want to eat them, they should be stir-fried until soft and not too much oil and salt should be added. It is recommended to eat more boiled, stewed, and steamed foods and less fried and grilled foods. Additionally, food should be soft rather than hard, especially rice, which should be cooked to a softer texture.
Here is a little trick to help pregnant women avoid insomnia: place 50-100 grams of fresh pear peels, orange peels, and banana peels in an open bag and place it next to the pillow. The fragrance emitted by the peels can help pregnant women sleep better.
