Insomnia in pregnancy is pretty much common, debilitating around 78% of pregnant women. Despite the fact that the unborn child is out of harm's way, insomnia in pregnancy can cause unimaginable discomfort for the mother-to-be. It'll be nine eternities, er, months before you can return to your blissful sleeping habits, so you might very well try to make the most of your situation.

It just may be that the anxiety and excitement at giving birth to a baby is what's not letting you sleep. Before, you zoned off as soon as your head hit the pillow. Not anymore. Because of some physical and hormonal shifts you will be undergoing, you can expect your sleep to be disrupted by back pains, discomfort as your abdomen swells, increased urinary frequency, heartburn, and even vivid dreams. Aside from the perennial morning sickness, you will also have to cope with headaches, dizziness, nervousness, and irritability.

A lot of employees are known to be insomniacs because of lack of physical movement in their daily routine. Exercise during the day (but not 3 hours or less before bedtime) to help you relax and fall asleep. Avoid being involved in too much exertion just before going to bed as the adrenalin you've built up will only work to keep you awake.

Having insomnia in pregnancy, just like in any other case of sleeplessness, relaxing is a cornerstone of the treatment. Indulge in a nice warm bath, then have your husband or partner give you a firm but gentle massage to loosen muscle tension and relieve stress and fatigue.

Listen to soft, relaxing music, or recordings of relaxing sounds like a steady heartbeat or lapping ocean waves. Make sure your player turns off automatically though; because if you're going to have to get up to turn it off yourself, then it negates the purpose of listening to a recording to help you get to sleep in the first place.

Your bedroom must be conducive to sleep. Not too hot or you'll toss and turn from the heat, and not too cold that you'll be shivering all night. Your mattress should be just the right firmness, not hard or lumpy in places, that you end up with a stiff neck, a bad back, and other aches and pains in the morning.

If it's safe to do, leave the window open for fresh air and proper circulation. Curtains and rugs help absorb light and sound, so the overall ambience of the room is darker and quieter. Earplugs are pretty useful, too. And don't forget to turn off your phone.

If you've tossed and turned but you're not in dream mode yet, get out of bed and keep yourself wrapped up in some light activities like reading or needlework till you're tired. Once you are a bit exhausted, embrace the tiredness and drift off to dreamland.

Sleep on your side to remedy back pain. Bend your knees and put a pillow between your legs. Try placing one under the small of your back, underneath your belly, for more support. Pile on even more to raise your upper body if you suffer from heartburn.

Sleeping on your left side would be beneficial as this causes blood and nutrients to surge to the placenta and your baby, although moving about and shifting positions is perfectly fine. These changes will make your movement limited, though. You won't be able to sleep on your stomach for clear reasons, while lying flat will only exacerbate your back pain.

With the weight of your belly pushing on you, going to sleep on your back could even lead to digestive and respiratory problems, as well as low blood pressure and decreased circulation, which in turn affects not only your heart, but also your unborn child.

Insomnia in pregnancy need not be too much of a bother. At the very least, you need not be part of the demographics that experiences it. We hope that through these steps, you will not only expect a baby, but you'll be sleeping like one, too.