Pregnancy affects sleep differently in each trimester. Early on, rising progesterone makes you sleepier during the day but can fragment night sleep, alongside nausea and frequent urination. By the third trimester, a growing bump, back pain, heartburn and restless legs make finding a comfortable position genuinely difficult.
Sleeping on your left side improves blood flow to the placenta and is generally recommended from the second trimester onward. A pillow between the knees and one supporting the bump reduces pressure on the hips and lower back.
Restrict fluids in the two hours before bed to cut down on night-time bathroom trips, but don't restrict them earlier in the day — good hydration matters. If heartburn wakes you, try propping your upper body slightly and avoiding food in the 2-3 hours before bed.
Some sleep disruption in pregnancy is unavoidable, but CBT-I techniques — a consistent wake time, a proper wind-down, and not lying awake frustrated — still help you get the most out of the sleep you can get.
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