Feeling unusually fatigued is a sign of pregnancy and this might begin even before you know that you have conceived. However the reasons for this extreme fatigue can be different. It depends on which stage of pregnancy you are in.

First Trimester

During this stage your progesterone levels are quite high. This hormone reduces the quality of sleep at night thereby causing day time sleepiness. Your need to go to the bathroom more frequently at night also causes drowsiness during the morning hours.

Second and Third Trimester

Later stages of pregnancy sees the increase your leg cramps (called restless legs syndrome) and heartburn (called gastroesophageal reflux disease). Also during this phase your heart works harder to pump blood throughout your body. And since you are under a lot of emotional upheaval, your sleep might get interrupted by vivid dreams. All these reasons will leave you feeling uncomfortable during the night hours.However none of this should become a cause of concern as it’s a very normal phenomenon.

But it can become serious in some cases when sleep apnea sets in. This is a condition when you are unable to breathe during sleep. It is often linked to diabetes, high blood pressure and can result in babies with a low birth weight. Under such conditions visit your doctor immediately.

Did you experience sleeplessness during pregnancy as well? what did you do to overcome it? Share it with us here.

Looking for tips on getting more sleep during pregnancy? Read our article “Reducing Sleeplessness During Pregnancy”