Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Pregnancy Affects SleepSleep Changes in Later PregnancyManaging InsomniaFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How Pregnancy Affects Sleep

Sleep Changes in Later Pregnancy

Managing Insomnia

Frequently Asked Questions

People who are pregnant often experienceinsomnia, or trouble falling or staying asleep. Though it can occur in the first trimester, insomnia is not a reliable indication that you are pregnant. It is prevalent in the third trimester.

Insomnia in pregnancy is a result of changes in hormone levels andsymptoms of pregnancythat can interrupt a good night’s sleep, such as heartburn, leg cramps, or the frequent need to urinate. Insomnia is also the most commonsleep disorder, affecting millions of people of all sexes and ages—pregnant or not.

This article explores insomnia during early pregnancy, including why it occurs and how it changes as the weeks pass. It also offers tips for getting a proper night’s rest if you struggle with sleep during pregnancy.

Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin

sleep changes during pregnancy

The Effects of Lack of Sleep and Poor Sleep During Pregnancy

Sleep Changes in Early Pregnancy

The first trimester of pregnancy involves many changes to a person’s body, some of which occur soon after conception. A handful of these changes can directly or indirectly interrupt sleep, leading to insomnia.

During the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the hormonesprogesteroneandestrogenskyrocket to prepare the uterus forgestation(the process of carrying the fetus to term).Progesterone in particular can affect sleep in two ways:

Even if you are exhausted, your inability to have uninterrupted sleep can create a worsening cycle of daytime sleepiness and nighttime awakening.

Other factors can also contribute to sleep problems during the first trimester, including:

Sleep patterns tend to improve during the second trimester as your body adapts to the elevated levels of progesterone. However, they can start to worsen again the closer you get to your delivery date.

One of the reasons for this is an increase in the hormoneoxytocin, which helps trigger uterine contractions before and during labor. During the third trimester, oxytocin levels will peak at night and may cause sleep fragmentation in the same way as progesterone.

All of these can interfere with sleep and contribute to worseningsleep deficitandsleep deprivation.

Sleep Changes During Pregnancy

Managing Insomnia During Pregnancy

If you have insomnia, no matter the reason, you should seek help to sleep better. Poor sleep, over time, can contribute tocomplicationsfor both you and your fetus.

For temporary relief, over-the-counter or prescriptionsleep medicationsare available, but speak with your healthcare provider first to ensure they are appropriate for you.

Sleep Study

Therapy

Since some medications may not be safe to use during pregnancy, you may want to try other solutions.Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI)is an option to fix the condition without relying on sleeping pills.This education program teaches you a set of skills that will help you to sleep better for the rest of your life, no matter the cause of insomnia.

You can use our Doctor Discussion Guide below to start a conversation with a healthcare professional about the proper treatment approach for you.

Insomnia Doctor Discussion GuideGet our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.Download PDFEmail AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.

Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.

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Summary

While insomnia is common in early pregnancy, it is not a reliable indicator that you could be pregnant. That’s because insomnia can affect anyone for a variety of reasons, pregnant or not.

A Word From VerywellAlthough insomnia is not an indicator of pregnancy, it is common and can be a significant issue for some people throughout the pregnancy. I recommend patients try conservative measures and lifestyle changes first to help with sleep. If these don’t work, medication options are available, but be mindful that some medications are not recommended during pregnancy.—CORDELIA NWANKWO, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD

A Word From Verywell

Although insomnia is not an indicator of pregnancy, it is common and can be a significant issue for some people throughout the pregnancy. I recommend patients try conservative measures and lifestyle changes first to help with sleep. If these don’t work, medication options are available, but be mindful that some medications are not recommended during pregnancy.—CORDELIA NWANKWO, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD

Although insomnia is not an indicator of pregnancy, it is common and can be a significant issue for some people throughout the pregnancy. I recommend patients try conservative measures and lifestyle changes first to help with sleep. If these don’t work, medication options are available, but be mindful that some medications are not recommended during pregnancy.

—CORDELIA NWANKWO, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD

Cordelia Nwankwo, MD

Chadwick’s Sign in Pregnancy

9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy.Holder S, Narula NS.Common sleep disorders in adults: diagnosis and management.AFP. 2022;105(4):397-405.Yale Medicine.Women, are your hormones keeping you up at night?Won CHJ.Sleeping for two: the great paradox of sleep in pregnancy.J Clin Sleep Med.2015;11(6):593–4. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4760Reichner CA.Insomnia and sleep deficiency in pregnancy.Obstet Med. 2015;8(4):168-171. doi:10.1177/1753495X15600572Manber R, Bei B, Simpson N, et al.Cognitive behavioral therapy for prenatal insomnia: A randomized controlled trial.Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133(5):911-919. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000003216Katrachouras A, Kontos H, Konis K, Skentou C, Makrydimas G.Early non-invasive prenatal testing at 6–9 weeks of gestation.Genes. 2024;15(7):895. doi:10.3390/genes15070895McFadzen M, Dielentheis DP, Kasten R, Singh M, Grundle J.Maternal intuition of fetal gender.J Patient Cent Res Rev.2017 Summer;4(3):125–30. doi:10.17294/2330-0698.1454Kember AJ, Elangainesan P, Ferraro ZM, Jones C, Hobson SR.Common sleep disorders in pregnancy: a review.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;10:1235252. doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1235252

9 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy.Holder S, Narula NS.Common sleep disorders in adults: diagnosis and management.AFP. 2022;105(4):397-405.Yale Medicine.Women, are your hormones keeping you up at night?Won CHJ.Sleeping for two: the great paradox of sleep in pregnancy.J Clin Sleep Med.2015;11(6):593–4. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4760Reichner CA.Insomnia and sleep deficiency in pregnancy.Obstet Med. 2015;8(4):168-171. doi:10.1177/1753495X15600572Manber R, Bei B, Simpson N, et al.Cognitive behavioral therapy for prenatal insomnia: A randomized controlled trial.Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133(5):911-919. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000003216Katrachouras A, Kontos H, Konis K, Skentou C, Makrydimas G.Early non-invasive prenatal testing at 6–9 weeks of gestation.Genes. 2024;15(7):895. doi:10.3390/genes15070895McFadzen M, Dielentheis DP, Kasten R, Singh M, Grundle J.Maternal intuition of fetal gender.J Patient Cent Res Rev.2017 Summer;4(3):125–30. doi:10.17294/2330-0698.1454Kember AJ, Elangainesan P, Ferraro ZM, Jones C, Hobson SR.Common sleep disorders in pregnancy: a review.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;10:1235252. doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1235252

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy.Holder S, Narula NS.Common sleep disorders in adults: diagnosis and management.AFP. 2022;105(4):397-405.Yale Medicine.Women, are your hormones keeping you up at night?Won CHJ.Sleeping for two: the great paradox of sleep in pregnancy.J Clin Sleep Med.2015;11(6):593–4. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4760Reichner CA.Insomnia and sleep deficiency in pregnancy.Obstet Med. 2015;8(4):168-171. doi:10.1177/1753495X15600572Manber R, Bei B, Simpson N, et al.Cognitive behavioral therapy for prenatal insomnia: A randomized controlled trial.Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133(5):911-919. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000003216Katrachouras A, Kontos H, Konis K, Skentou C, Makrydimas G.Early non-invasive prenatal testing at 6–9 weeks of gestation.Genes. 2024;15(7):895. doi:10.3390/genes15070895McFadzen M, Dielentheis DP, Kasten R, Singh M, Grundle J.Maternal intuition of fetal gender.J Patient Cent Res Rev.2017 Summer;4(3):125–30. doi:10.17294/2330-0698.1454Kember AJ, Elangainesan P, Ferraro ZM, Jones C, Hobson SR.Common sleep disorders in pregnancy: a review.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;10:1235252. doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1235252

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy.

Holder S, Narula NS.Common sleep disorders in adults: diagnosis and management.AFP. 2022;105(4):397-405.

Yale Medicine.Women, are your hormones keeping you up at night?

Won CHJ.Sleeping for two: the great paradox of sleep in pregnancy.J Clin Sleep Med.2015;11(6):593–4. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4760

Reichner CA.Insomnia and sleep deficiency in pregnancy.Obstet Med. 2015;8(4):168-171. doi:10.1177/1753495X15600572

Manber R, Bei B, Simpson N, et al.Cognitive behavioral therapy for prenatal insomnia: A randomized controlled trial.Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133(5):911-919. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000003216

Katrachouras A, Kontos H, Konis K, Skentou C, Makrydimas G.Early non-invasive prenatal testing at 6–9 weeks of gestation.Genes. 2024;15(7):895. doi:10.3390/genes15070895

McFadzen M, Dielentheis DP, Kasten R, Singh M, Grundle J.Maternal intuition of fetal gender.J Patient Cent Res Rev.2017 Summer;4(3):125–30. doi:10.17294/2330-0698.1454

Kember AJ, Elangainesan P, Ferraro ZM, Jones C, Hobson SR.Common sleep disorders in pregnancy: a review.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;10:1235252. doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1235252

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