Excessive Tiredness During Your First Trimester

Posted on Oct 17, 2012 | Articles, Pregnancy Symptoms Category | | Print This Article

Tiredness in the first trimester is extremely common. For many women, the tiredness that they experience during the first trimester goes well beyond your average feeling of low energy; many women experience full-blown exhaustion and fatigue during the first trimester. While there is nothing that you can do to directly address the causes of tiredness in the first trimester, there are things that you may be able to do to combat it to one degree or another.

A number of factors can cause tiredness in the first trimester. First of all, there are hormonal changes that are going on in your body. In the first trimester, you experience a spike in progesterone, which helps to contribute to a feeling of tiredness and sluggishness. In addition, if you experience nausea and vomiting as many women do, these can make you tired as well. Feeling anxious or nervous about being pregnant can also make you tired. Finally, you may have trouble sleeping in the first trimester, due to hormones, worry, or just the increased need to urinate frequently.

To cope with tiredness in the first trimester, there are some things that you can do. First of all, it is important to listen to what your body is saying to you. Go to bed a little bit early, and take a nap during the day if you can. Sometimes, a 15 or 20 minute nap can get rid of tiredness as quickly as a 3 hour nap can.

You should also watch what you are eating to avoid tiredness in the first trimester. You will need, of course, to take in about 300 extra calories every day when you are pregnant. Try to make sure that the foods that you are eating aren’t just empty calories. Use snacks like fruit or yogurt. Cut down on your caffeine intake. Drink enough water to make sure that you are keeping hydrated.

Exercise can, believe it or not, also help to combat tiredness in the first trimester. Exercise causes your body to release endorphins, which are chemicals that help you to feel better in general, and will also help you to have more energy. Be sure to stretch sufficiently when you do exercise, as your tendons and ligaments are more suceptible to pulling when you are pregnant.

   Top of Page