There are several herbs that are known for their relaxation and sleep-inducing properties. Maybe one of the better known of these herbs is chamomile. Chamomile has been used for centuries as an herb that helps people relax. Relaxation is, of course, the key ingredient of going to sleep, as well as staying asleep throughout the night.

Chamomile tea can be purchased either in the form of tea bags or a loose dried herb suitable for making tea. The idea of making all tea is to boil water first and then to add the tea and let it steep. The longer any tea steeps, the stronger it will become. Usually steeping for about five minutes is sufficient for making chamomile tea that will provide the desired effect of inducing sleep.

Valerian is another herb that is also known for inducing sleep. Unlike other sleep-inducing herbs, however, valerian must be taken as a tea on a regular basis rather than just on the occasional sleepless night. Valerian root is the part of the plant that is used for making tea that has sleep-inducing properties. Tea made with fresh valerian root needs to be steeped at least 10 minutes. You should drink a cup or valerian tea once every day for it to be effective.

Lavender is an herb that can be made into a tea, and the essential oil of lavender can be used in a warm bath or in carrier oil and massaged into the skin. The essential oil of lavender should never be used to make tea. Tea needs to be made from either fresh or dried flower petals only.

Even makers of baby products now make a baby bath product that contains a very small amount of the essential oil lavender. The product is recommended for use in bathing a baby just before putting him/her to bed.

Pregnancy is a time when women are supposed to relax and rest in preparation for the arrival of their new baby. However, for many women it is a time of repeated episodes of insomnia. This insomnia could be intermittent or chronic but this is a time when there is a lot of anxiety for the woman along with physical complications as well such as frequent urination, difficulty getting comfortable, stress, and leg cramps. Plus this is a time when there is so much going on, nursery deadlines, baby showers, selecting the precise baby name, worries about delivery, and worries about the baby’s health.

Unfortunately, there is not much that can be given in the form of medication during this time but meditation and yoga are excellent ways to combat pregnancy related insomnia. A nice warm shower before bed can be relaxing and really that is what it is all about, relaxing.

Many pregnant women are so worried about having so much to do and are afraid that they will never get it all done in enough time. Some women claim that it helped them a lot to make a to-do-list as it eased their mind. If getting comfortable is a problem then there are a lot of new products on the market to make sleep for the pregnant woman much easier. There is a new body pillow designed especially for pregnant women that supports the uterus and also allows for cushion in between the legs.

If frequent urination is the problem then doctors advise that limiting fluid intake after dinner can help to ease that problem. Other factors can be dealt with on an individual basis such as if you have a profound sensitivity to outside sounds; this is common with pregnant woman because all of their senses are vulnerable during this time, especially smell. You could try ear plugs or even running a fan in your room to drown out unwelcome sounds.

Eat a snack and a warm decaffeinated beverage before bed. Try and stick with something higher in carbs so it sticks with you through the night and you will not wake up hungry as some pregnant women do. Just relax and enjoy yourself! Remember if this was so impossible and unpleasant why would so many women keep doing it?

Often the insomnia does not appear until mid way through the second trimester or in the third trimester itself when the pregnant body becomes more awkward and difficult to maneuver. Plus at this point the baby inside is bigger and lays lower in the uterus causing increased pressure on the bladder which results in having to urinate very frequently. Many pregnant women have claimed to get up in the middle of the night to urinate and by the time they do and get back in bed, they have to go again.

Considering this and the fact that rapid thoughts blaze through their minds about each and every little detail, especially in first time pregnancies, it is no wonder that pregnant women suffer from insomnia.

Learn more at How To Beat Insomnia