Insomnia During Pregnancy Leads to More Health Problems Than Previously Thought

Most people who have been pregnant have tossed and turned, frustrated about trying to sleep comfortably with a growing belly and sometimes anxious mind. But others have experienced full-blown insomnia during pregnancy and even postpartum, a “significant medical care challenge” that heightens risks of adverse outcomes for both the mom and the baby, a new meta analysis of 44 studies determined.

Researchers published an article in Frontiers in Psychiatry which included data from nearly 50,000,000 pregnancies across those studies. (1) They analyzed the issue on a global scale, but also with specific regions in mind as well. They looked at maternal age, depressive and anxiety symptoms, research type and publication date, and other regional influences to make conclusions.

The study matters because it indicates more attention towards the adverse outcomes that insomnia during pregnancy causes, and that yet few doctors are educated about truly addressing insomnia in pregnancy and write it off as something that will stop postpartum.

The study found insomnia symptoms during pregnancy took place in 43.9 percent of participants. These rates varied by region as follows:

• Europe: 53.6 percent
• North America: 41 percent
• South America: 50.6 percent
• Asia: 40.7 percent

What Do Researchers Think?

Researchers also concluded that higher depression rates correlated with increased insomnia symptoms, at 56.2 percent, compared to low depression rates. This points to a well-known relationship and “chicken and the egg” scenario between mental health conditions and sleep disorders, with the two playing off and exacerbating each other.

So what does insomnia in pregnancy look like, anyway? For starters, the many nighttime trips to the bathroom sure don’t help with uninterrupted sleep. In addition, mental health concerns on the rise, such as the depression and anxiety indicated in the study, contribute to being unable to fall asleep with worry, or waking up in the middle of the night with anxiety.

Other research indicates that insomnia in pregnancy peaks in the third trimester, which is when pregnant women are often most physically uncomfortable as muscles and organs scratch and move to accommodate the growing baby. Issues like reflux, back and hip pain, and just plain struggling to get comfortable are a struggle as well. 

Symptoms of insomnia include not feeling well-rested as well, potentially leading to healthcare professionals writing off patient complaints as just a normal part of pregnancy (after all, most people are tired in pregnancy!). 

Luckily, even while pregnant, there are concrete steps you can try tonight, including:

• Evaluate your sleep hygiene routine. If you are scrolling through the best nursery designs at 2 a.m., monitor your screen time in the hours leading up to bed, and during the night.
• Meditation is sometimes a go-to for pregnancy relaxation and even labor preparation, so consider using it to help settle your mind before bed.
• Minimize physical stressors contributing to insomnia by adding fluffy pregnancy pillows to your bed, taking a gentle walk to stretch out stiff muscles, or indulging in a perinatal massage if possible.
• Ensure you are in a cool and comfortable environment by using black out curtains, lowering the temperature, selecting cooling pajamas and sheets, and minimizing distractions in your bedroom.

As with any pregnancy issue, don’t wait or write it off as just another part of growing a baby. There are specific steps your healthcare team can take to address the underlying problems associated with insomnia, for your baby’s health and your own.