Good sleep: why it’s important during pregnancy
When you get the rest and sleep you need, it’s good for your physical, emotional and mental health. And when you’re pregnant, it’s also good for your baby’s growth and development.
Good sleep during pregnancy can:
- help your baby develop well
- improve your mood, memory and concentration
- reduce stress and fatigue during pregnancy and labour.
Good sleep can also reduce your chance of:
- having a premature birth
- falling or having other accidents
- developing mental health conditions like antenatal anxiety and antenatal depression
- developing health conditions like high blood pressure and gestational diabetes.
For most adults, including pregnant women, 7-9 hours of sleep each night is recommended. But when you’re pregnant, it can be more difficult to sleep during the night. If this happens to you, it’s OK to try to get more sleep by napping during the day.
Sleep during pregnancy: what to expect
Throughout your pregnancy, you might find that it’s harder to fall asleep, and you might wake up more often during the night.
You might also notice that your sleep quality and habits change as you move through the stages of pregnancy:
- First trimester – you might start experiencing pregnancy symptoms. You’ll probably feel sleepier than usual, but you might also have trouble sleeping.
- Second trimester – some of your pregnancy symptoms, like nausea, might ease. This usually makes it easier to sleep, compared to other trimesters.
- Third trimester – your growing bump and your pregnancy symptoms might make it hard to get comfortable and to move in bed. You’ll probably have trouble sleeping.
These changes happen for various reasons:
- increasing hormone levels, especially progesterone and oestrogen
- morning sickness or hyperemesis gravidarum
- heartburn
- the need to urinate frequently throughout the night
- pain or discomfort in your pelvis, hips or lower back
- sciatic nerve pain (sciatica)
- discomfort from your growing baby’s position in your uterus
- swelling in the nose, snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea
- itchy skin
- the feeling of being too hot
- restless legs syndrome.
Stress, anxiety and mental health conditions like depression can make it difficult to sleep well during pregnancy. If you’re feeling stressed, worried, anxious or depressed, it’s a good idea to talk to your midwife or doctor.
Safe sleep during pregnancy
Before 28 weeks of pregnancy, it’s generally safe to sleep in a position that’s comfortable for you.
From 28 weeks of pregnancy, it’s safest to sleep on your side.
You can sleep on either side. To sleep comfortably on your side, try putting a pillow or rolled blanket between your legs and another behind your back. This can prevent or ease back pain. You can also put a pillow under your baby bump if this feels comfortable for you.
It’s OK if you wake up during the night on your back. Just roll back onto your side.
Side sleeping from 28 weeks reduces the risk of stillbirth. Lying flat on your back can cause your uterus to press on a big vein called the vena cava. Pressure on this vein can reduce the flow of blood and nutrients to your baby.
Better sleep during pregnancy
In general, managing your symptoms, using good bedtime routines and increasing your comfort can help you sleep better during pregnancy.
If it’s hard to get comfortable, use multiple pillows or rolled blankets to support your back, legs and baby bump.
If you’re having trouble falling asleep:
- Avoid tea, coffee, soft drinks, chocolate and other stimulants close to bedtime. They affect how well you sleep. Limit caffeine, and avoid energy drinks at all times throughout pregnancy.
- Aim for a regular bedtime routine and try to go to sleep at around the same time each night.
- Find ways to switch off and wind down before bed. You could read a book, listen to gentle music or have a warm shower.
- Avoid using screens in your bedroom, including television, mobile phones and tablets. Screens emit blue light, which can interfere with sleep. Try to avoid using screens 1-2 hours before going to bed.
- Try breathing exercises or muscle relaxation exercises. These can help if anxious thoughts are keeping you awake.
If heartburn is making it hard to feel comfortable:
- After eating, wait at least 2 hours before lying down.
- Try not to drink 2-3 hours before bed. But still drink whenever you’re thirsty, and drink plenty of water during the day.
- Use pillows to keep your head and shoulders a bit higher than the rest of your body. If you don’t have enough pillows, use a rolled blanket underneath your pillow.
- Avoid spicy, fatty and acidic foods and drinks like citrus fruit juices, carbonated drinks and caffeine. These foods and drinks can make heartburn worse.
- Sleep on your left side. This might help with digestion.
- Ask your midwife or doctor about heartburn medicines that are safe to use during pregnancy.
If you’re waking up often because you need to urinate:
- Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water during the day, aiming for the recommended daily intake of 2.3 L or 9 cups.
- Try to drink less water at night – but drink whenever you’re thirsty.
If you’re having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, try not to get worried and frustrated. Instead, remind yourself that it’s OK just to be resting in bed. If this doesn’t work, it might be worth getting up and writing down what’s on your mind. Then you can try going through your bedtime routine again.
Obstructive sleep apnoea during pregnancy
When you’re pregnant, you might develop breathing problems during sleep. And if you had these breathing problems before pregnancy, they might get worse during pregnancy.
Sleep-related breathing problems can range from snoring to obstructive sleep apnoea. Obstructive sleep apnoea is when you repeatedly stop breathing while you’re asleep. It happens when the throat muscles relax and block the airway.
Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea include:
- more snoring than usual
- a dry mouth when you wake up
- pauses in breathing while asleep
- excessive sleepiness during the day
- blocked nose
- mood changes and difficulty concentrating
- gasping or choking when you wake up.
It’s important to talk to your midwife or doctor about these symptoms.
If you have obstructive sleep apnoea, it’s a good idea to avoid sleeping on your back. This is because lying flat can make it worse.
Getting professional help for sleep during pregnancy
It’s important to talk to your midwife or doctor if you:
- haven’t been sleeping well for a while
- feel stressed or anxious about labour, birth or early parenting, and this is affecting your sleep
- have heartburn that’s severe, persistent or worrying you
- have trouble sleeping because of itchy skin, restless legs syndrome or cramps in your legs
- think you might have obstructive sleep apnoea or another sleep-related breathing problem
- notice your sleep problems interfering with your daily activities
- experience changes in your mood, concentration, appetite or health.
Your midwife or doctor can refer you to appropriate professionals and services.
Sleep medicines, including herbal remedies, aren’t usually recommended during pregnancy because they might not be safe for you or your baby. It’s important to talk to your midwife or doctor before taking any sleep medicines.