Have you ever suddenly found your significant other complaining about keeping him up at night? This is why pregnant women snore!
A lot of women have been there and you hear stories about "pregnancy light", can't wait to see it come out, and instead feel like every part of yourself is swollen, complaining about the horrible snoring mid-pregnancy night. It's not quite what you think, is it?
The good news is you're not the only one. It is estimated that 49% of pregnant women snore. Some may not notice, some may not notice, this is a noticeable change, not only for you, but for the rest of your family as well!
Here's something to add to your new nightly soundtrack...
Causes Of Snoring
Weight Gain
Most women who snore during pregnancy develop it in the third trimester. As you can imagine, your body is changing shape and gaining some weight, which can lead to increased weight around your neck, which compresses air waves and causes snoring.
Increased Blood Flow
Another cause similar to weight gain is an increase in blood volume. By the third trimester, your blood volume may be 40-50% higher than it was before pregnancy! Incredibly, blood flow puts pressure around your electrical waves and confines them to cause aliasing vibrations. Snoring.
Hormones
Yes, you guessed it. The good old hormones are making a comeback, bringing more changes to pregnancy. Increased hormones can also lead to increased nasal congestion. It also ties into all the other reasons we've listed here; don't you just love hormones!
Snoring Remedies
While snoring is normal during pregnancy, it can be disturbing or just annoying, especially when it wakes you (or the whole house)! However, you can try to provide some help.
Pregnancy Pillow
They are one of the top-rated purchases for pregnant women. Many women continue to use it after giving birth, even knowing that their partner will pinch them! The great thing about pregnancy pillows is that they help women sleep comfortably on their side, which helps reduce stress on the body. Experts recommend sleeping on the left side to increase blood flow.
Lean On
If sleeping on your side is uncomfortable for you, try a more upright sleeping position. Placing a couple of well-placed pillows under your head and elevating it slightly can not only reduce snoring, but also reduce reflux problems, which often occur later in pregnancy when pressure on your stomach increases.
Remember, snoring is common during pregnancy. However, if you've ever been concerned about snoring, or if your partner notices that you may have sleep apnea, that you snore very loudly, and then go without breathing for a short period of time, you should see your doctor to rule out any underlying problems.
