Why Is Sleeping Sometimes Difficult During Pregnancy?
The hormonal changes and physical discomforts associated with pregnancy can affect a pregnant woman’s quality of sleep. Each trimester of pregnancy brings its own unique sleep challenges. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the following are the most common sleep changes that may occur in each trimester:
First Trimester
- Frequent waking due to an increased need to go to the bathroom.
- Disruptions in sleep as a result of physical and emotional stress associated with pregnancy.
- Increased daytime sleepiness.
Second Trimester
Sleep during the second trimester improves for many women since nighttime urination becomes less of an issue as the growing fetus reduces pressure on the bladder by moving above it. Still the quality of sleep may remain poor as a result of the growing baby and emotional stress associated with pregnancy.
Third Trimester
You are likely to experience the most sleep problems during this trimester as a result of the following:
Discomfort due to your growing belly.
Heartburn, leg cramps, and sinus congestion
Frequent nighttime urination returns, as the baby’s position changes to put pressure on the bladder once again.
Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=47533
Your sleep problems may have other causes as well. Many pregnant women report that their dreams become more vivid than usual, and some even experience nightmares. Stress can interfere with sleep, too. Maybe you’re worried about your baby’s health, anxious about your abilities as a parent, or feeling nervous about the delivery itself. All of these feelings are normal, but they may keep you (and your partner) up at night.
Using EFT for Sleep Problems During Pregnancy
In her article “Tired Of Not Being Able To Sleep – The EFT Solution”, Dr. Patricia Carrington acknowledges that “a growing number of people who have learned the EFT technique find it is incredibly useful in helping them to sleep. There are a number of ways EFT can be used to induce pleasant sleep”
EFT can help with the physical and emotional stress associated with pregnancy. EFT can be used to tap on your worries, fears, anxieties and physical problems that may be interfering with your ability to sleep.
Stimulating the EFT points will help to soothe your stressed out nervous system and provide a sedative and calming effect helping you to fall asleep naturally.
If you have not learnt how to perform EFT simply follow the instructions below to apply the technique.
You can use the following EFT tapping scripts every night before going to bed, when you are having difficulty falling asleep or if you wake up during the night. Instead of lying there not being able to sleep, with thoughts running uncontrollably through your mind, you now have a simple and natural strategy you can apply to effectively induce sleep.
Step-By-Step Tapping Instructions For Sleep Problems
If you are not familiar with the EFT Tapping Points click here for the EFT diagram. Use this as a guide to help you locate and learn the points to tap on before you begin.
The first few rounds of tapping will focus on the general problem of inability to sleep.
Step 1: EFT Set Up Statement
While rubbing the “Tender Spot” repeat the following statements:
“Even though I can’t get to sleep I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though I have too many worries, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though I feel anxious and stressed, I deeply and completely accept myself
“Even though I am uncomfortable I deeply and completely accept myself.”
Step 2: The EFT Sequence (Sleep Tapping Script)
Tap each of the points while repeating the following statements at each point:
Eyebrow (EB): I can’t sleep
Side Of the Eye (SE): I have too many worries
Under the Eye (UE): I’m too stressed
Under the Nose (UN): I feel uncomfortable
Chin (CH): I’m too anxious
Collarbone (CB): I have too many worries
Under the Arm (UA): I’m too stressed
Under the Breast (UB): I feel uncomfortable
Top of the Head: TH: I can’t sleep
Take a deep breath and continue..
Eyebrow (EB): I can’t sleep
Side Of the Eye (SE): I have too many worries
Under the Eye (UE): I’m too stressed
Under the Nose (UN): I feel uncomfortable
Chin (CH): I can’t sleep
Collarbone (CB): I have too many worries
Under the Arm (UA): I’m too stressed
Under the Breast (UB): I feel uncomfortable
Top of the Head: TH: I can’t sleep
Take a deep breath and continue..
Eyebrow (EB): I can’t sleep
Side Of the Eye (SE): I have too many worries
Under the Eye (UE): I’m too stressed
Under the Nose (UN): I feel uncomfortable
Chin (CH): I can’t sleep
Collarbone (CB): I have too many worries
Under the Arm (UA): I’m too stressed
Under the Breast (UB): I feel uncomfortable
Top of the Head: TH: I can’t sleep
Take a deep breath and continue..
Eyebrow (EB): I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Side Of the Eye (SE): My body is relaxing now
Under the Eye (UE): I’m allowing myself to go to sleep
Under the Nose (UN): I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Chin (CH): I choose to release my worries now
Collarbone (CB): My body is relaxing now
Under the Arm (UA): I am allowing myself to go to sleep
Under the Breast (UB): I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Top of the Head: TH: I’m allowing myself to go to sleep
Take a deep breath and continue..
Eyebrow (EB): I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Side Of the Eye (SE): My body is relaxing now
Under the Eye (UE): I’m allowing myself to go to sleep
Under the Nose (UN): I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Chin (CH): I choose to release my worries now
Collarbone (CB): My body is relaxing now
Under the Arm (UA): I am allowing myself to go to sleep
Under the Breast (UB): I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Top of the Head: TH: I’m allowing myself to go to sleep
Take a deep breath and continue..
Eyebrow (EB): I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Side Of the Eye (SE): My body is relaxing now
Under the Eye (UE): I’m allowing myself to go to sleep
Under the Nose (UN): I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Chin (CH): I choose to release my worries now
Collarbone (CB): My body is relaxing now
Under the Arm (UA): I am allowing myself to go to sleep
Under the Breast (UB): I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Top of the Head: (TH): I’m allowing myself to go to sleep
Take a deep breath and assess how you are feeling. Continue with this exercise for about 5 – 10 minutes. Some people fall asleep in the middle of tapping. If so, great! If not, below are more statements you can pick and choose from, dependant on your particular situation. Create your own statements using the formula you have just learnt.
Step 3: Getting More Specific
Repeat the above process to:
1) Tap on Your Anxieties Fears & Worries
“Even though I’m anxious about (worried that, etc., fill in whatever it is that worries you), I choose to be calm and relaxed”
Examples:
Even though I’m worried about my baby I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though I’m worried about how we’re going to pay the bills I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though everything worries me I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though I’m worried about the results of the tests I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though I don’t have enough help and support I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though I’m exhausted during the day because I can’t sleep at night, I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though I’m too physically exhausted to cope with all my day-to-day demands, I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though I don’t have any time to myself, I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though I cry all the time, I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Write down your own list of anxieties, fears and worries
2) Tap on Your Anger
“Even though I’m angry (fill in with, who or what you are angry about), I choose to stay calm and relaxed”
Examples:
Even though I’m too angry to sleep, I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though I’m furious with the hospital/doctor/nurse, I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though I’m angry with myself for_____, I choose to stay calm and relaxed
Even though I loose my patience with_______, I choose to stay calm and relaxed
3) Tap on Your Physical Discomforts
“Even though I have (fill in whatever physical discomfort you are experiencing), I deeply and completely love and accept my body
Examples:
Even though I have these leg cramps I deeply and completely love and accept my body
Even though I have to urinate so often I deeply and completely love and accept my body
Even though I have an active baby I deeply and completely love and accept my body
Even though I have difficulties turning over in bed I deeply and completely love and accept my body
Even though I am short of breath I deeply and completely love and accept my body
Even though I have heartburn I deeply and completely love and accept my body
Even though I have this backache I deeply and completely love and accept my body
3) Tap on Your Nightmares
If you wake up from a nightmare feeling upset, traumatized, scared and worried, simply start tapping on the points. Your body is flooded with the chemicals of fight or flight, and your energy system is disrupted effecting you ability to go back to sleep. Tapping a few rounds of EFT with settle your emotions and help to release the awful feelings you may experiencing. You don’t need to repeat any statements when you do this. Simply tap while you feel upset until you fell calm again.
Angie Muccillo
EFT Practitioner & Instructor
Remedial Massage Therapist (Member AAMT)
(BA Social Science- Psych/Soc)
(Dip Illustrative Photography – Fine Art/Photjournalism)
(Cert IV Remedial Massage)
(EFT-ADV)
Location
Sublime Massage Clinic
Hutton Street
Thornbury Melbourne
Vic Australia 3071
mob: 0417391055
sublime@pacific.net.au
angiemuccillo@gmail.com
