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Each trimester brings its own unique changes, including changes in your sleep
patterns. Although you may not experience much disruption in your sleep, according
to National Sleep Foundation (NSF), these are the most common sleep changes that may occur in each trimester:
First Trimester
Waking to take a trip to empty your bladder.
Disturbed sleep patterns resulting from physical and emotional changes in your
life.
Sleepiness during the day as a result of disturbed sleep during the night –
a side effect of increased levels of the hormone progesterone.
Second Trimester
Sleepiness during the day may increase from the first trimester, but with the
progesterone levels rising more slowly, you have more restful periods of sleep
at night than in your first trimester. As the fetus grows, it moves well above the bladder, reducing the urgent need
for nighttime urination. As your physical size grows, so does your general physical discomfort during sleep
leading to a decrease in the quality of sleep from what it was before.
Third Trimester
You’re probably experiencing the most of your sleep problems during this
trimester.
You may feel uncomfortable in general as your belly increases in size and your
weight increases.
Heartburn, leg cramps, and sinus congestion are common reasons you might be experiencing
disturbed sleep.
Frequent nighttime urination returns, as the baby's position changes to put pressure
on the bladder once again.
According to the NSF, by the end of pregnancy, 97 percent of women frequently
wake during the night. While you may fear you won't get a decent night's sleep until your baby is born,
for most women that's unlikely to be the case. You may suffer more sleep disturbances
than usual, but with strategies such as regular exercise, proper diet, decreased
fluid intake before bedtime, and an established soothing bedtime routine, you
should be able to have better sleep at night.
If you're still having occasional bad nights, start taking daytime naps. These will help give you the rest you need. Of course, if your sleep disturbances are severe or you think your snoring may
be a result of sleep apnea, don't hesitate to ask your doctor to help you find
solutions that will work for you.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
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