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Sleep during pregnancy

Key facts

  • During pregnancy, you may find that your sleep is not as deep, you wake up more often and wake up less refreshing.
  • Pregnancy causes many hormonal and physical changes to your body that impact your quality of sleep.
  • From week 28 of your pregnancy, it is important that you sleep on your side to help reduce your risk of stillbirth.
  • A pregnancy pillow can help improve the quality of your sleep during pregnancy.

    • How much sleep do I need when I am pregnant?

    When you are pregnant, you need more sleep than usual. However, during pregnancy, your sleep might be less as deep or refreshing than usual. You may also wake up more often throughout the night. You may feel especially tired at the beginning and towards the end of your pregnancy.

    Getting more sleep is not always easy. It can be even more difficult if you have work, other children, or other responsibilities. To get enough rest, it can help to:

    • have a daytime nap
    • rest as much as you can during the day
    • go for a walk in the late afternoon or early evening
    • avoid tea and coffee before bedtime
    • relax before bed by taking a bath, reading, listening to music, watching TV, or having a backrub
    • go to bed earlier than usual

    How does pregnancy affect my sleep?

    You may have many pregnancy-related symptoms that affect your sleep, especially during the first and third trimesters. Examples include:

    How do I sleep safely during pregnancy?

    From 28 weeks until your baby is born, doctors recommend that you sleep on your side. This includes sleeping on your side at night and when you nap during the day. You can sleep on either or both sides.

    Usually, the position you fall asleep in is the position you are in for the longest amount of time when you sleep. Changing positions when you sleep is also normal. Don't worry if you wake up on your back. If you wake up in the middle of your sleep time, just roll over onto your side and continue sleeping.

    The reason doctors recommend that you sleep on your side is because lying on your back during the later stages of your pregnancy puts pressure on your major blood vessels. This can reduce the flow of blood to your uterus and restrict your baby's oxygen supply. This can also affect their heart rate. Research suggests that this causes a higher risk of stillbirth.

    Remember, stillbirth can occur because of many different reasons. Most causes are not in your control. Research shows that sleeping on your side can reduce the risk of stillbirth.

    To make sleeping on your side easier and more comfortable, bend your knees while you are lying down. Then, put a pillow between them. You can also put a pillow under your belly for support.

    What problems might I have when sleeping during pregnancy?

    During pregnancy you or your partner may notice some of the following sleeping problems:

    • snoring, sometimes for the first time in your life
    • pauses in your breathing (Opens in new tab)
    • insomnia (Opens in new tab)
    • light sleep and/or waking up frequently throughout the night
    • trouble going back to sleep after you have woken up at night
    • periodic limb movements — you may move, jerk or kick your legs a lot just as you are going to sleep or through the night

    When should I see my doctor?

    You should see your doctor if you have trouble sleeping and you are worried it is affecting yours or your baby's health.

    You should also speak to your doctor if you started snoring during your pregnancy. It could be a sign of other medical problems that can affect your and your baby's health.

    FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

    How can I improve my sleep during pregnancy?

    Improve your sleep during pregnancy by doing the following:

    Manage these pregnancy symptoms to improve your sleep:

    Morning sickness

    Nausea may keep you awake. You can reduce this nausea by not letting yourself get too hungry. During the day eat bland snacks such as crackers.

    Frequent urination

    During early stages of pregnancy, hormonal changes cause you to go to the toilet more often.

    During the later stages of pregnancy, your baby can press on your bladder causing you to need the toilet a lot.

    To help avoid disturbances at night, keep hydrated during the day and avoid drinking too much before bed.

    Pelvic floor exercises can help you manage any 'leaks' you get when you sneeze, cough or lift something. They will also help you avoid continence problems in years to come.

    If you feel pain or burning when you pass urine, talk to your doctor or midwife. These could be signs of an infection.

    Leg cramps

    Leg cramps are very common during pregnancy, especially at night. It's not really understood why they happen.

    You can ease a cramp by stretching and massaging your calf muscles when it happens.

    Back pain

    You might find your back aches more at night. If you can, try to avoid heavy lifting, housework, and long periods of standing. Take breaks during the day and rest with your legs up if you can.

    Disruptive dreams

    When you are pregnant, you may have more dreams than you would normally. They may be unusual dreams or nightmares. Sometimes it can be related to stress, or it could be due to inconsistent sleep.

    Try to stick to a regular schedule, try different sleep positions or use a pregnancy pillow. If you are having dreams that are disturbing you, it can help to:

    • talk to your partner or a friend
    • consider seeing a counsellor

    Nasal congestion

    Due to hormonal changes as your pregnancy progresses, you may get a blocked nose and feel stuffed up, affecting your sleep. Nasal sprays can help.

    Indigestion

    Heartburn is common in pregnancy and can keep you from sleeping. This happens when your growing baby presses on your body organs, causing reflux (Opens in new tab).

    Sleeping with your head raised and supported by pillows can also help ease the pain. Antacids may help — ask your pharmacist to recommend one. Try to avoid overeating, and foods that are spicy, acidic or fried.

    See your doctor if heartburn is causing you severe discomfort, or if you have other symptoms such as:

    Sleep hygiene

    Sleep hygiene

    Try these good sleep habits to help you sleep better:

    • Keep regular sleep patterns — Go to bed and wake up at around the same time every day. Limit napping to no more than 20 minutes in the day.
    • Stop smoking, reduce or avoid alcohol — and limit caffeine to mornings only.
    • Exercise regularly — but not in the evening.
    • Do something relaxing before bed. If you don't feel sleepy, or wake in the night, go to another room and do a relaxing activity (such as reading or meditating) until you feel sleepy, and then try again.
    • Try to manage anything that is worrying you earlier in the day — rather than at bedtime.
    • Make sure your bedroom is comfortable — It should be quiet and dark, not too hot or too cold. Consider removing clocks from your bedroom, so you don't keep checking the time. Avoid screens in your bedroom and don't use screens for around an hour before going to bed.

    Who can I talk to for advice?

    Whether you are experiencing common pregnancy problems or more serious sleep disorders (Opens in new tab), anxiety or depression, you can get support from a range of professionals and services. These include:

    Resources and support

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

    Other languages

    Safer Baby (Opens in new tab) has information that has been translated into 25 languages to help with a safer pregnancy.

    Speak to a maternal child health nurse

    Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 (Opens in new tab) or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

    Last reviewed: May 2024

    Need more information?

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    Changes to sleep during pregnancy

    Although it is recommended that pregnant women get 7-9 hours sleep per night, it’s common for women to experience disrupted sleep patterns at various stages throughout their pregnancy. Studies show that pregnant women experience less sleep, increased wakefulness, and excessive daytime sleepiness, with around 80% of women reporting poor sleep throughout pregnancy.
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