Why Sleeping Well Becomes More Challenging in Pregnancy

• 1. Hormonal changes influence your sleep cycle
  
  

  Progesterone increases significantly during pregnancy. It helps maintain the pregnancy, but it also relaxes smooth muscle tissue — including the digestive tract — which can lead to indigestion, reflux and discomfort that make sleep more fragmented.

   Melatonin production can also shift, altering your natural rhythm of alertness and rest.

  As hormones fluctuate, your internal sense of “day” and “night” becomes less predictable.
  
  
  
• 2. Your nervous system is more sensitive
  
  

  Pregnancy heightens your sensory awareness. Your body becomes more reactive to small changes in temperature, noises, light and even your own thoughts.

  This is not a flaw — it’s a biological adaptation to protect you and your baby.

   But it also means your nervous system may take longer to settle at night.
  
  
  
• 3. Physical discomfort increases as your body expands
  
  

  As the uterus grows, pressure on the diaphragm, bladder and lumbar spine increases. This can result in:
  
  

  - Frequent night-time waking to pee.
  - Difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position.
  - Tightness in the ribs and upper back.

  - Sciatica or pelvic pressure

  
  Your body is working hard. Sleep is affected simply because everything is changing.
  
  
  
• 4. Mental load and anticipatory thoughts

  
  Preparing for birth, imagining motherhood, navigating work or family demands, researching, planning, organising…

  
  Your mind may feel busy, even when your body is tired.

  This cognitive load can keep the system “on”, making it harder to unwind at night.
  
  
  

How Prenatal Yoga Supports Better Sleep

• 1. Physical relief

  
  Gentle movements free the diaphragm, ribs, shoulders and lower back — the areas that most often disturb comfort at night.

  
  When the breath can expand more easily, your whole system relaxes.
  
  
  
• 2. Nervous system regulation
  
  

  Slow breathing, grounding postures and gentle transitions shift the body toward the parasympathetic state — the “rest and restore” mode required for sleep.
  
  
  
• 3. Emotional decompression

  
  When you create space to breathe and connect with your body, the mental noise quiets down.

   
  You soften the inner dialogue and return to a sense of safety.

  
  
  

My Tips 

• A soothing sequence to calm insomnia — watch here
• Simple routine to soothe pregnancy insomnia — watch reel ​​

Additional Tips to Support Sleep Naturally

• Create a gentle evening routine

  Your body benefits from predictable rhythms.

  Try dimming the lights, slowing your pace and avoiding screens at least 45 minutes before bed.
  
  
• Eat light in the evening

  Heavy meals increase reflux, which often worsens at night.

  Opt for warm soups, vegetables, or something easy to digest.
  
  
• Support your body with pillows

  Place a pillow between your knees, one behind your back, and (if needed) one under the belly.

  Comfort supports deeper rest.
  
  
• Let your exhale be longer than your inhale

  This simple breathing pattern signals to your nervous system: you’re safe, you can rest.

  
  

Mini Somatic Exercise: “Rocking the Breath Back Home”

• Lie on your left side with a pillow between your legs.
• Place one hand on your lower ribs and the other gently on the side of your head.
• Inhale softly through the nose, feeling your ribs expand into your hand.
• Exhale—and imagine your whole body melting into the bed.
• Begin a small, rhythmic rocking: the slightest forward–back movement of the ribs, as if you were soothing yourself.
• Repeat for 2–3 minutes, letting the breath guide the movement.