The basics of good pregnancy sleep

Lady in bed
Sleep troubles are common during pregnancy. In addition to the aches and pains that go with a growing belly, there’s heartburn, leg cramps and other complaints that may keep you up at night. But don’t worry, there are things you can do for better pregnancy sleep, including avoiding spicy food, cutting back on caffeine and working out earlier in the day, to improve your chances of catching more Zs. It’s okay to catch a nap during the day, too!

Why am I having trouble sleeping now I'm pregnant?

The changes to your body during pregnancy can bring on all sorts of sleep disturbances, particularly during the first and third trimesters. In fact, more than half of pregnant people report poor sleep (Silvestri and Arico 2019). In early pregnancy, you may find nausea keeps you awake. As your pregnancy progresses, other symptoms may disturb your rest, including:

As your unborn baby grows, they are unlikely to keep the same hours as you. So you may find your sleep disturbed by your baby’s nocturnal kicking.

On top of all this, you'll probably have to make lots of night-time trips to the bathroom (HC 2021).

What can I do to make sleeping easier?

Here are some tips to help you get a better night's sleep, both during pregnancy and once you're a mom:

Stick to a sleep schedule

Try to regulate your body clock by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. Although it's tempting to sleep late, especially during the weekend, you may find it harder to get to sleep at night.

Have a relaxing bedtime routine

Treat yourself to a soothing bedtime routine, such as reading, taking a bath, or having a warm drink. Make your wind-down last a good 20 to 30 minutes before you turn off the lights.

Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary

You may feel warmer when you're pregnant, so keep your room on the cool side. Put up a black-out blind to block out light. Use ear plugs to shut out noise. Light and noise can wake you from a light sleep (SF 2021).

Use your bed only for sleep and sex

If you're in the habit of using your smartphone or tablet, or watching television in bed, stop. Keep your bed for other activities like sleep, sex and light reading (Johns Hopkins Medicine 2022).

Learn the best sleeping position during pregnancy

It's a good idea to learn to sleep on your left side during the first months of pregnancy. This position helps blood and nutrients to flow to your baby and uterus (womb) and helps your kidneys get rid of waste and fluids. It will also help you to get comfy and sleep better as your belly grows. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada recommends that you don’t lie on your back after 16 weeks, since this puts pressure on the blood vessels that run down the back of your stomach, reducing circulation to your baby.

If you wake up in the night and find yourself lying on your back, just turn over to your left side again to go back to sleep. You could try using pillows to help prop you onto your left side and to stop you from rolling onto your back during the night.

It helps to sleep with a body pillow, or pregnancy pillow, wrapped around your back or between your knees. This will help with hip pain, which could keep you awake as your pregnancy progresses.

Give up cigarettes and alcohol

If you haven't already, quit all nicotine products (including smoking and vaping) and cut out drinking. Smoking is harmful for your growing baby and can also disturb your sleep.

Nicotine is a stimulant that increases your heart rate and metabolism. Smokers have less deep, restful sleep and feel less rested than non-smokers. If you’re a smoker, you're more likely to suffer from disrupted breathing patterns, or sleep apnea (SOGC nd).

Alcohol makes you fall asleep quickly, but you're more likely to have disturbed sleep and to wake up in the night. As your body breaks down alcohol, it produces chemicals that wake you up. Alcohol also dehydrates you and can make you thirsty (SOGC nd). In any case, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Canada recommends you don't drink any alcohol at all during pregnancy. Alcohol can enter your baby’s bloodstream and may lead to the development of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (SOGC nd).

Which foods and drinks might affect my sleep?

Beware of caffeine

You'll get a better night's sleep if you avoid caffeinated drinks within six hours of going to bed, since it’s a diuretic (which will make you pee more often) and a stimulant, which can keep you awake. Caffeine is in coffee, tea (including green tea), cola, some energy drinks, and chocolate.

Limit your caffeine intake to no more than 300 mg per day (roughly two cups of coffee or tea) (MHA 2020).

Have light meals and keep them simple

Rich, high-fat or spicy dishes, chocolate, citrus fruits, alcohol and coffee can lead to heartburn and indigestion. So, too, can eating a big meal close to bedtime. Eat lighter and smaller meals earlier, and give yourself two or three hours to digest your food before you head to bed.

Snack before bedtime to keep nausea at bay

However, if you're troubled by morning sickness, it may help to keep your stomach from getting totally empty. Try nibbling on bland snacks, such as crackers, before bedtime. Read more tips for coping with nausea at night.

Drink less in the late afternoon and evening

Keep drinking lots of fluids, but try to drink less in the late evening. This may stop you getting up to pee in the middle of the night (Health Canada 2021).

How can I relax at night?

Don't exercise late in the day

Exercise during pregnancy has many benefits, but do it early enough in the day to give your body time to wind down afterwards. Exercising too close to bedtime can rev you up and rob you of deep sleep by interfering with your natural sleep cycle. Aim to finish your workout at least a few hours before you turn in, or opt for a meditative prenatal yoga routine in the evening, to get some movement in before bedtime (Frimpong 2021).

Leave your worries by the bedroom door

If you keep a to-do list, finish making it by the time you have your evening meal. Worried you'll wake up in the night having forgotten something urgent? Keep a pen and pad next to your bed so you can jot it down and go back to sleep (JHM nd).

Try some relaxation techniques

Practise sleep-inducing techniques, such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation.

To relax tight muscles, you need to first tense them, and then completely relax them. Focus on one group of muscles at a time, and alternate between your right and left side. Work your way through each muscle group.

Start by tensing and releasing your hand and forearm muscles. Then, repeat with your biceps and triceps, face and jaw, chest and shoulders, tummy (as best you can!), thighs, and so on until you reach your feet.


Sign up for a class

If you're anxious about labour and birth, caring for your baby or breastfeeding, find prenatal classes in your area. Knowing what to expect can help to put you at ease.

Is it OK to nap during the day?

The physical and emotional changes of pregnancy can mess with your night-time rest. If you're getting very little sleep at night, it's fine to take short naps in the day.

Listen to your body, and rest or nap if you're tired. A lack of sleep won't harm your baby, but consistently getting very little sleep (less than five hours a night) in early pregnancy may not be good for you. Sleep deprivation is linked to a higher than usual risk of pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes (SOGC nd).

In the last few weeks of pregnancy, getting very little sleep may make delivery more difficult. You'll find it harder to cope with the demands of labour if you're exhausted before you begin. There’s also a link between longer labours and higher rates of caesarean section, especially among women who get fewer than six hours of sleep (JHM nd).

A snooze that lasts between 30 and 60 minutes can help you feel refreshed and sharpen your memory. Time your naps carefully, though. Napping too late in the day, or for too long, may affect your sleep at night.

What if I still can't sleep?

Get up for a while

If you've tried all our tips and still can't nod off, get up and go into another room. Listen to soothing music or read a book. When you feel drowsy, go back to bed.

Don't worry about it

Interrupted sleep during pregnancy is normal. It may help you to know that, on average, pregnant women get less sleep at night (about seven hours) than non-pregnant women (about seven and a half hours) (Facco et al 2010).
Although sleeping through the night may seem impossible right now, you'll get into a sleep routine that works for you.

Should all else fail

If you really can't get comfy in bed towards the end of your pregnancy, it's fine to sleep in an armchair or on a sofa.

Don't be tempted to take sleep-inducing over-the-counter medication or prescription drugs. If you’re really suffering from sleep deprivation or you think you have a sleep disorder, speak to your doctor or midwife.



Health Canada. 2021. Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. Health Canada. [Accessed February 2022]

HealthlinkBC. 2021. Sleep problems during pregnancy. [Accessed February 2022]


Frimpong E, Mograss M, Zvionow T, et al. 2021. The effects of evening high-intensity exercise on sleep in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Review. 2021 Dec;60:101535.

JHM. nd. Get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy. Johns Hopkins Medicine. [Accessed February 2022]

MHA. 2021. Caffeine during pregnancy. My Health Alberta. [Accessed February 2022]

Naud K, Ouellet A, et al. 2010. Is Sleep Disturbed in Pregnancy? JOGC. 32(1):28-34.

Sedov ID, Cameron EE, Madigan S et al. 2018. Sleep quality during pregnancy. Sleep Medicine Reviews. April; 38:168-176.

Silvestri R, Arico I. 2019. Sleep disorders in pregnancy. Sleep Science. 12(3):232-239.

SOGC. nd. Alcohol. Pregnancy Info. [Accessed February 2022]

Karen Robock
Karen Robock is an award-winning journalist who has extensive experience of reporting on pregnancy, parenting and women’s health.

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