Abstract
Pregnancy affects women's sleep in many ways. Physical and emotional difficulties, especially towards the end of pregnancy, can lead to sleep disorders. Several studies suggest associations between sleep quality and high blood pressure, diabetes and depression. Sleep deprivation affect both mother and fetus. Sleep disorders are associated with low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, premature birth and cesarean births. This paper is a review based on information from the literature. The analysis was limited to articles and guidelines in English published between January 1, 2000 and May 1, 2020 on PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar using the following keywords: sleep, pregnancy, depression, anxiety, mental health, sleep disorders, pregnant women, interventions, treatment. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of prenatal maternal sleep, hormonal changes during pregnancy and their effects on sleep, the effects of changing sleep patterns on the pregnant woman, and the interventions needed to optimize sleep quality. According to the literature, sleep disorders are significant risk factors for mood disorders. Knowing sleep changes and their effects is useful for informing mothers. Consideration of non-pharmacological treatments and interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness therapy and relaxation exercises can be effective in optimizing the quality of sleep in pregnant women.
Highlights
For most women, pregnancy is a special experience that is most often accompanied by substantial changes regarding both their physical and emotional well-being
The implications of untreated sleep deprivation on the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus must be taken into account when deciding whether treatment of sleep disorders or sleep deficiencies is necessary
Non-pharmacological treatments and psychological interventions against sleep deprivation could be effective, but further research is needed in order to increase its efficiency
Summary
Pregnancy is a special experience that is most often accompanied by substantial changes regarding both their physical and emotional well-being. Pregnancy is generally portrayed as a challenging experience that incorporates both physical changes and emotional trials, factors which can trigger the appearance of sleep disorders. It is reciprocally linked to the: improvement of the functioning of the immune system, the suppression of cancer cell growth, the balance between one’s metabolism and hormone levels and the regulation of blood glucose and blood pressure. Amongst the numerous beneficial aspects of restful sleep, improved problem-solving skills, memory and concentration, superior emotional self-regulation and coping mechanisms, as well as maximized creativity are noted [4,5]
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