Pregnancy sleep problems & solutions

Getting a good night’s sleep can be difficult at the best of times, but this is especially true when you’re pregnant. Hormonal changes, a growing bump and unexpected aches and pains can all conspire against you to make sleeping well a difficult task.

To help you with this, here’s our guide to common pregnancy sleep problems – and how you can overcome them...

Heartburn

Heartburn is when acid travels up from your stomach towards your throat – and it is very common in pregnancy. This is due to both hormonal changes, and the fact that the muscles of the lower gullet relax more when you’re pregnant, making it easier for the acid to come back up.

Heartburn is often worse while you sleep, as you’re lying down. And you may find that you wake up in the night with a sour taste in your mouth – created by the acid - or feeling sick.

To avoid it, try not to eat too much at one time – and avoid spicy and fatty foods. Eating your evening meal earlier can also help. Also, try and sit up straight when you are eating, to avoid putting pressure on your stomach. Using 2-3 pillows to prop up your head and shoulders when lying in bed can also help reduce this annoying problem.

Bad dreams

It’s perfectly normal to have vivid dreams while you’re pregnant. This is thanks to changes in hormones, sleep patterns and your emotions being up and down. Sometimes these can be unpleasant dreams, even nightmares – often about bad things happening to your baby, or problems during the birth. This can make you wake up and affect your night’s sleep – and even make you anxious about going to sleep.

Try and remember that these are just dreams – it’s not going to happen. Also, talking it over with your partner or a friend may help you.

Feeling uncomfortable

As your bump gets bigger, it is inevitable that you are going to be progressively less comfortable in bed. But it’s important to try and always go to sleep on your side – left or right - as research suggests that falling asleep on your back can double the risk of still birth after 28 weeks. But don’t worry if you wake up in the night on your back, just roll onto your side and go back to sleep.

Leg cramps

Leg cramps – sudden sharp pains in your calves or feet - are very common in pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, and often occur during the night. It’s not clear exactly why these cramps happen, but they are obviously connected to pregnancy as they normally go away after the baby is born.

To avoid cramps, make sure your bedding is loose – to give your feet and legs plenty of room – and go to sleep with your feet on a pillow and your toes pointing down. A warm bath before bed may also help.

And If you are jolted awake with cramps during the night, get up and try and walk about gently on your heels until the pain subsides.

Restless leg syndrome

Restless leg syndrome (or RLS) is an overwhelming urge to move your legs. It affects an estimated 10% to 25% of women during pregnancy – especially during the last three months – and is often worse at night, which can make it difficult to fall asleep.

Rubbing and/or stretching your legs, or having a warm bath before bed, may help to relieve restless leg syndrome.

Insomnia

All of the problems above can lead to insomnia, which means difficulty getting to sleep and/or staying asleep.

It’s important to remember that insomnia – while it can be tiring, worrying and upsetting – won’t harm your baby, so try not to let it get to you.

Here are some things you can do to overcome insomnia in pregnancy:

Start to relax an hour or so before bed, by reading a book, having a bath, or listening to some music
Do some gentle exercise during the day – like going for a walk or a swim
Join an antenatal yoga or Pilates class
Make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark and that you have a comfy mattress and pillows
Avoid caffeine and exercise in the evening

Sometimes insomnia is a symptom of depression, which can make you feel low and anxious. If you are worried that you may be depressed then you should talk to your doctor.