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How to Get Better Sleep While You're Pregnant
How to Get Better Sleep While You're Pregnant

How to Get Better Sleep While You're Pregnant

At a time when sleep is so important, it may be tougher than ever to get.

author-Amylia Ryan
By Amylia Ryan
Fact Checked by Shannon Vestal Robson
Published Dec 3, 2024|Updated On Dec 3, 2024
Published Dec 3, 2024Updated On Dec 3, 2024
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In This Article

Having difficulty sleeping during pregnancy?
The Best Sleeping Positions During Pregnancy
When to stop sleeping on your stomach
When to stop sleeping on your back
How much sleep do you need during pregnancy?
7 (more) tips for better sleep during pregnancy

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy. So it’s normal if you feel more tired than usual—or if you’ve never felt so tired in your life.

With all you have going on throughout each trimester, your body needs more sleep than ever, right from the start. According to Johns Hopkins, research shows that adequate sleep during pregnancy is important for keeping certain complications at bay. 

The trouble is that even though sleep is so important right now—and so wanted!—it may be tougher than ever to get. The reasons may be physical—your growing bump, back pain or sore breasts keeping you up at night. Or they may be psychological, as you’re contemplating a major life change.

Hopefully, each night’s sleep will be restful, and you’ll never need this FAQ. But just in case your pregnancy includes lots of sleepless nights, we’re answering all the questions you may have.

Having difficulty sleeping during pregnancy?

You’re not alone. Sleep can differ from person to person and even from pregnancy to pregnancy, but it’s pretty common to go through stages that are more challenging. In the first trimester, for example, you’re pumping out more progesterone than normal in order to build up the uterine lining and prevent miscarriage—but these higher pregnancy hormone levels can also make you feel nauseous, so middle-of-the-night bathroom trips might be an unfortunately common occurrence.

Later on in pregnancy, as your body continues to change, it can be harder to find a comfortable position. “The growing fetus, especially in the third trimester, can push against internal organs, including the lungs, and make it difficult to not only breathe but get comfortable, which, if it happens overnight, can ultimately impact sleep,” says Dr. Nilong Vyas, pediatrician, founder of Sleepless in NOLA Sleep Consulting and medical reviewer for Sleep Foundation. So do whatever it takes to get comfortable, including sleeping with an extra pillow (or five), a pregnancy body pillow or even sleeping on the couch.

Besides nausea and a firm, watermelon-sized belly suddenly in the way, there are a few other (totally normal) reasons you may have trouble sleeping during pregnancy. You may be dealing with some or all of these sleep disruptors:

  • Back pain. Backaches are common during pregnancy, thanks to the added pressure on your spine and nerves as your baby grows. Try sleeping on your side with a pillow between your belly and the mattress, and another pillow between your legs to ease some pressure.

  • Heartburn. Pillows can help with this annoyance too—specifically wedge pillows. Try propping up your upper body to lessen heartburn discomfort.

  • Snoring. Between extra nasal congestion (a real pregnancy symptom, believe it or not) and your uterus pushing on your diaphragm, you might find yourself snoring, even if you never snored before. Tell your doctor about this symptom—they may be able to recommend some treatments, but it could also be a sign of sleep apnea, high blood pressure and/or preeclampsia, which is a pregnancy condition that can lead to complications.

  • Restless legs syndrome. Just can’t keep those legs still? If you feel leg discomfort or creepy crawlies that won’t go away, it might be restless legs syndrome. Sometimes iron and/or folate supplements can help, so talk to your doctor.

  • The need to pee. Some pregnant people have their sleep disrupted because they have to keep getting up to go to the bathroom, and it’s hard to settle back down afterward. It could be due to hormonal changes in the first trimester or the weight of your baby and uterus pushing down on your bladder in the third trimester.

  • Anxiety and/or stress. You (quite understandably) have a lot on your mind. After all, your life is going to change a lot once this baby comes and there are probably a lot of to-dos on your list. If anxiety is keeping you from falling or staying asleep, meditation sometimes can help. Apps like Calm, Headspace and Expectful provide guided meditation sessions that may help quiet your mind.

The Best Sleeping Positions During Pregnancy

With so many ways for sleep to be disrupted while you’re pregnant, you may be looking for any and every technique to get a restful night. From the number one sleeping position recommended by doctors to special pillows and blankets, here’s how you can keep your body more comfortable and hopefully get some shut-eye.

First and foremost, there’s some pretty specific pregnancy sleeping position guidance out there. It’s all to ensure you’re feeling your most comfortable (and that you actually get some rest), but also to keep you and baby safe and healthy.

Doctors recommend that pregnant people sleep on their side to maximize blood flow to the placenta. In fact, experts say that sleeping on your left side may be even better for this than the right side—it allows for better circulation between your heart and the placenta, which means your baby is getting more nutrients, and keeps weight off your liver.

That said, sleep is important for you, so don’t stress out thinking there’s only one position you should be sleeping in during pregnancy. “The best sleeping positions for pregnancy are those where you’re most comfortable,” Dr. Vyas says. “Typically, the best sleeping position is one where you’re lying on your left side with a pillow between your legs.”

Pregnancy pillows can be your best friend for getting comfy while in a side-lying position, since they support your bump and provide cushioning for sore hips. “I encourage pregnant people to use as many props as needed to become comfortable in the bed, including pillows, positioners and cooling blankets,” Dr. Vyas says.

And if you’re someone who snores, give breathing strips a try—they can help you breathe easier at night no matter what position you find yourself in.

When to stop sleeping on your stomach

Even if you’re a devoted stomach sleeper, it won’t really be possible once your belly gets large enough to show (typically near the middle of the second trimester, but it could be sooner than that or later). So you can estimate that stomach sleeping will start to get uncomfortable around week 16 to 18 of pregnancy.

If you’re worried that sleeping on your stomach will hurt your baby, there’s no conclusive evidence that it will. But if you continue sleeping on your stomach past the point where it stops being comfortable and causes your sleep to be disrupted, just remember that poor sleep can increase your risk of pregnancy-related complications. These risks aren’t associated with stomach sleeping specifically, but you should choose whatever position will get you the most sleep. 

If all other sleeping positions are also causing you discomfort, you can try using a wraparound U-shaped pregnancy pillow that has a special hole cut out for your bump to fit through. (Just keep in mind that all bumps are different, so the hole may not be the right size for you.)

When to stop sleeping on your back

About midway through your pregnancy, you should try to stop sleeping on your back. Among other issues like backaches and difficulty breathing, the main reason for stopping back-sleeping is because your growing uterus could put pressure on major blood vessels, which can cause low blood pressure and decrease circulation to your heart and your baby. Don’t freak out if you wake up in the middle of the night on your back though. Just adjust, and you and baby will be fine.

How much sleep do you need during pregnancy?

You’re likely going to feel like you need more sleep during pregnancy than you did before. There’s no magic number of hours when it comes to sleep, though it’s recommended that “pregnant people need approximately one to two hours more” than non-pregnant adults, Dr. Vyas says.

And at a time when you may be feeling more uncomfortable and sleepless than ever, it’s important to catch sleep where you can, even if that means mid-day naps. Your body should be your guide—if you’re more tired than usual, or you catch yourself nodding off during the day, you probably need more sleep. Try to get extra rest if and when you can.

Napping during the day is often easier said than done, so we recommend getting a few small, inexpensive accessories to help block out all that extra midday light and noise.

7 (more) tips for better sleep during pregnancy

Along with pregnancy pillows and the other products we’ve provided above, you can also try these techniques to more effectively power down at night:

  1. Establish a regular bedtime. Go to bed at the same time every day. Even weekends.

  2. Create the ideal sleep environment. You want your bedroom to stay cool, dark and comfortable.

  3. Ditch the screens. Whether it’s social media, online shopping or work, looking at digital screens like smart phones, tablets, laptops and TVs right before bed can make it hard to fall asleep.

  4. Exercise during the day. Gentle pregnancy-safe physical activity, like walking, swimming and yoga, can help you tire your body out and get more restful sleep.

  5. Eat a little before bed. A light snack can help settle your stomach against any first trimester nausea and keep you from getting too hungry overnight. Just don’t eat too much, or else you might end up with heartburn. 

  6. Avoid heartburn. Spicy, greasy and fried foods can activate heartburn, so wait at least an hour after eating these before going to bed.

  7. Nap when you can. Grabbing an hour here and there is great, as long as you can still fall asleep at night.

If these techniques don’t help after a week or two, talk with your doctor about possibly getting treatment for insomnia. There may be some options for over-the-counter or prescription medication. Sleep is so important throughout pregnancy, so don’t be afraid to seek help if you’re struggling to get enough rest.

Sources

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