Sleep disorders and pregnancy

Abstract

Sleep patterns in women present different characteristics than in men. Menstrual cycle, puberty, menopause, and hormonal, emotional, and body heat changes emerging in pregnancy affect the sleep. Dynamic and physiologic changes affecting the functions of many organs and systems occur in pregnancy. Mechanical and hormonal changes occurring in pregnancy affect regular sleep routine, sleep duration, and pattern. Besides sleep duration, sleep pattern also presents changes in pregnancy. The factors causing this change can be discussed in two groups, hormonal and mechanical factors. Estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol levels changing in pregnancy are the major hormonal factors affecting the sleep. Estrogen and progesterone progressively increase in pregnancy. Estrogen has been reported to decrease rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and progesterone to increase non-REM sleep. Other sleep disorders that have been reported to occur and in some cases were triggered or worsened by pregnancy are periodic leg movements (PLM), leg cramps, restless legs syndrome (RLS), sleepwalking, night terror, and narcolepsy.