Lack of Sleep in Pregnancy | Can It Raise Blood Pressure?
Discover whether lack of sleep during pregnancy can affect blood pressure, what increases the risk, and when symptoms should be checked by a doctor.
You barely manage four hours a night, then read that sleepless nights are bad in pregnancy, and wonder whether it is raising your blood pressure. Research links ongoing lack of sleep during pregnancy, especially under five hours, plus snoring and sleep apnea, with higher blood pressure and preeclampsia. One bad night is not a worry.
This guide explains what the research shows in numbers, when broken sleep is a sign worth checking, and how to improve your sleep safely.
Can lack of sleep cause high blood pressure during pregnancy?
The best-known study on this was published in the journal Sleep in 2010 and followed 1,272 pregnant women. They were asked how many hours they slept at around 14 weeks, and their blood pressure was tracked until the end of pregnancy.
The results:
Women who slept 6 hours or less had third-trimester systolic blood pressure about 3.7 mmHg higher than women who slept 9 hours.
Women who slept less than 5 hours were clearly more likely to develop preeclampsia than those who slept 7 to 9 hours.
Interestingly, very long sleep (10 hours or more) was also linked to higher blood pressure.
This is an association study, so it does not prove that lack of sleep during pregnancy is the cause on its own. Other factors, such as weight or breathing problems during sleep, may also play a part. In practice, 7 to 9 hours remains the best target for most pregnant women.
Has your sleep been broken since early pregnancy?
If short sleep continues, or comes with loud snoring or severe daytime sleepiness, a sleep medicine consultant can help you find the cause and treat it in ways that are safe in pregnancy.
Book a sleep disorders consultation
Hard to get to the clinic? Book an online sleep consultation
Does lack of sleep cause preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia usually starts after 20 weeks: blood pressure rises along with protein in the urine or signs that other organs are affected. High blood pressure after 20 weeks without these signs is called gestational hypertension.
In the study above, women sleeping under 5 hours in early pregnancy were more likely to develop preeclampsia. But the number of cases was small, so the exact figure is uncertain. What matters is the overall direction: very short, ongoing sleep is not good for blood pressure in pregnancy.
So lack of sleep during pregnancy does not cause preeclampsia on its own. It is one of several factors that may raise the risk, alongside others your obstetrician monitors.
Does one sleepless night raise blood pressure in pregnancy?
We found no study looking at this in pregnant women specifically. In adults generally, a University of Arizona study found higher systolic blood pressure the day after a restless night.
So a bad night may raise blood pressure briefly, and it then settles after good sleep. What research links with high blood pressure is lack of sleep during pregnancy that continues for weeks, not a single night.
Insomnia during pregnancy: why sleep gets shorter
Before asking whether lack of sleep during pregnancy affects blood pressure, it helps to know why sleep gets shorter in the first place. Lack of sleep during pregnancy is very common. A review of 44 studies found that about 44% of pregnant women had insomnia symptoms.
Common causes include:
Hormonal changes
Progesterone rises in early pregnancy, increasing daytime sleepiness and breaking up sleep at night.
Needing to urinate
The womb presses on the bladder, so you wake several times a night, especially in the first and third trimesters.
Heartburn and reflux
They get worse when you lie down and as the womb grows, and can stop you sleeping on your back or right side.
Restless legs
An uncomfortable feeling in the legs that gets worse at rest, and is more common in pregnancy. To learn about its causes and how to manage it, read our article on the causes of restless legs during sleep.
Back pain and finding a comfortable position
Especially in the last months as the bump grows.
Anxiety and the baby's movements
Thinking about the birth and new responsibilities, along with the baby moving at night, all break up sleep.
Snoring during pregnancy and high blood pressure
Snoring increases in pregnancy because of nasal congestion and weight gain. The American Thoracic Society notes that frequent snoring may affect up to half of pregnant women.
But snoring that starts in pregnancy is more than a nuisance. In a University of Michigan study of 1,719 pregnant women:
25% started snoring for the first time during pregnancy.
Regular snoring (3 to 4 nights a week) was linked to more than double the risk of gestational hypertension.
It was also linked to a higher risk of preeclampsia.
Snoring also breaks up sleep, adding to lack of sleep during pregnancy. So if your partner notices you have started snoring in pregnancy, mention it at your next antenatal appointment.
Sleep apnea during pregnancy: the cause you may not notice
Sleep apnea becomes more common as pregnancy progresses. In a study published in Thorax, it rose from about 10% in the first trimester to about 27% in the third.
In a large US study of 3,705 women in their first pregnancy, sleep apnea in mid-pregnancy was linked to nearly double the risk of preeclampsia, and up to about three times the risk of gestational diabetes.
This shows that lack of sleep during pregnancy is not only about the number of hours, but also about sleep quality. You may sleep eight hours, yet repeated pauses in breathing break up your sleep without you noticing.
Signs to watch for:
Pauses in breathing during sleep noticed by your partner
Loud snoring that started or got worse in pregnancy
Waking up choking
Severe daytime sleepiness despite sleeping at night
Frequent morning headaches
Snoring, or has your partner noticed pauses in your breathing?
A home sleep apnea test checks for sleep apnea in your own bed within Riyadh, with no overnight stay anywhere, and the doctor then decides on the right treatment for you in pregnancy.
Or start with a sleep disorders consultation
💬 Ask about the test on WhatsApp
Is CPAP safe during pregnancy?
A positive airway pressure (CPAP) device is the most effective treatment for sleep apnea, and the American Thoracic Society considers it the first choice in pregnancy too. An auto-adjusting device is often preferred because sleep apnea severity changes as pregnancy progresses.
Recent studies suggest a possible benefit for blood pressure in pregnancy:
In a trial of 310 high-risk pregnant women, preeclampsia occurred in 13% of those using CPAP compared with 22% without it, and no serious side effects were reported.
In a review published in JAMA Network Open, CPAP use was linked to about 30% less preeclampsia.
This means that when lack of sleep during pregnancy comes from a sleep disorder, treating that disorder may be part of the answer, not just adding more hours of sleep. Research is still ongoing, and there are no final recommendations yet to test every pregnant woman.
How to manage lack of sleep during pregnancy
Because ongoing lack of sleep during pregnancy is linked with higher blood pressure, improving your sleep is worth the effort. These steps are safe and can help:
Sleep on your side, ideally the left in later pregnancy, with a pillow between your knees.
Raise your head slightly if you have heartburn, and avoid eating in the two hours before bed.
Drink most of your fluids during the day and cut back before bed.
Keep your bedtime and wake time as steady as you can.
Take a short nap during the day if you need it, but not late in the day.
Do light activity such as walking, after checking with your doctor.
Write down what is worrying you before bed, and talk it through with someone you trust.
If insomnia continues, cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the most suitable option in pregnancy, because it does not rely on medicines.
Insomnia still there despite everything?
CBT-I sessions help you get your sleep back without medicines, and some sessions can be attended remotely to save you the trip during pregnancy.
💬 Ask about the sessions on WhatsApp
Are sleeping pills safe in pregnancy?
You may be tempted to take something for lack of sleep during pregnancy, but sleeping pills are generally best avoided. Don't take any sleep medicine, melatonin or herbal sleep aid without checking with your doctor, as the safety of some of these for the baby has not been studied enough.
And don't stop any medicine prescribed to you before pregnancy without talking to your doctor.
Signs of high blood pressure in pregnancy
High blood pressure in pregnancy may not cause symptoms at first, which is why your doctor checks it at every antenatal visit. A reading of 140/90 or above is considered high, and a systolic reading of 160 or a diastolic reading of 110 is considered severe.
These signs may point to preeclampsia and mean you should contact your obstetrician straight away or go to the emergency department:
A severe or persistent headache that doesn't improve
Changes in vision, such as blurring or sensitivity to light
Pain in the upper right part of the belly
Nausea or vomiting in the second half of pregnancy
Shortness of breath
Sudden swelling of the face or hands
Sudden weight gain
Remember that monitoring and treating blood pressure in pregnancy is your obstetrician's role, while a sleep doctor helps treat the sleep disorders that may make it worse. If these signs appear, don't wait to work out whether lack of sleep during pregnancy is to blame: contact your doctor right away.
Does sleep affect the baby's sex?
A common belief says that sleeping too much or too little reveals the baby's sex. This is not true. The baby's sex is set at conception by the chromosomes, and nothing you do during pregnancy, including how you sleep, can change it or predict it.
Why Subat Clinics?
If lack of sleep during pregnancy is worrying you because your sleep really is disturbed, it needs an assessment that keeps you and your baby safe. At Subat Clinics you will find:
A consultant in sleep medicine to diagnose sleep apnea and insomnia in pregnancy
A home sleep test within Riyadh, with no need to sleep away from home
CBT-I sessions without medicines
Online consultations if it is hard to come to the clinic
How to prepare for your appointment
These details help the doctor assess your sleep and how lack of sleep during pregnancy may be affecting you:
How many weeks pregnant you are, and the date of your next antenatal appointment
Your recent blood pressure readings, if you have them
A sleep diary for one or two weeks
Notes from your partner about snoring or breathing pauses
The medicines and vitamins you take
Any past conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes before pregnancy
Conclusion
Research links ongoing lack of sleep during pregnancy, especially under five hours, with higher blood pressure and a greater risk of preeclampsia, and snoring and sleep apnea in pregnancy are linked with these too. A single bad night is not a cause for worry. Aim for 7 to 9 hours where you can, keep your blood pressure checks with your obstetrician, and don't ignore new snoring or severe daytime sleepiness.
Book your appointment
Good sleep is part of caring for your pregnancy. Book now and start by finding the cause of your sleep problems.
Choose the service that suits you and book directly:
Address: Othman Ibn Affan Road, Al-Taawun District, Riyadh 12477
Phone: 0112011100
WhatsApp: 0505999713
The clinic is not an emergency facility and does not manage blood pressure in pregnancy. In an emergency or with signs of preeclampsia, call 997 or go to the nearest hospital.
Sources:
Williams et al. — Sleep duration in early pregnancy, blood pressure and preeclampsia (Sleep 2010)
NHLBI — Sleep-disordered breathing linked to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
O'Brien et al. — Snoring during pregnancy and hypertensive disorders (AJOG 2012)
Yang et al. — Prevalence of insomnia in pregnancy (Frontiers in Psychiatry 2024)
This content is for health awareness and does not replace antenatal care with your obstetrician. Do not take any sleep medicine or supplement in pregnancy without your doctor's advice.
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Ahmed Alruhaimi, Consultant in Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Medicine, Subat Clinics
Last reviewed: October 2026
Frequently asked questions
Does sleeping on my back in late pregnancy affect blood pressure?
Lying on your back in late pregnancy can press on large blood vessels, so sleeping on your side is advised, and the left side is best.
Does snoring stop after the baby is born?
It usually eases after birth as nasal congestion and weight go down. If it continues or comes with breathing pauses, a reassessment is advisable.
Can I have a home sleep test while pregnant?
Yes. A home sleep test involves no medicines or radiation, and you sleep in your usual bed.
Is staying up late in Ramadan harmful in pregnancy?
Changing sleep times in Ramadan can cut your total sleep. Splitting sleep into two fixed blocks and taking a short daytime nap can help make up for it.