Pregnancy Pain Sleeping: Why Does It Hurt to Sleep During Pregnancy?
You finally get into bed. You have your pillows arranged, you’ve found a position that feels almost comfortable — and then you need to turn over. And that’s when you feel it. A sharp pain through your pelvis. An ache in your hip. A tug through your groin. Pain across your lower back. Perhaps your ribs are uncomfortable, your shoulders are aching, or your neck feels stiff. You shift position again. And again. If sleeping during pregnancy has become uncomfortable or painful, you are definitely not the only one. Pregnancy can change the way your body moves, carries weight and rests at night. As your baby grows, positions that were once effortless can become surprisingly difficult. But while some discomfort is very common during pregnancy, you don't have to simply put up with significant pain because you're pregnant.
Why does sleeping hurt during pregnancy?
There isn't one single reason why sleeping can become painful. Your body is changing constantly throughout pregnancy, and several things can contribute to pregnancy pain at night. Your growing bump changes how your weight is distributed. Your pelvis and hips are adapting to increased load. Your abdominal muscles and pelvic floor are working differently. Your ribcage has less room as your baby grows, and you may spend much more time sleeping on your side than you normally would. Then there is the simple fact that you're often staying in one position for much longer than you would during the day. A position that feels fine for ten minutes can become uncomfortable after an hour.
Where can pregnancy pain affect you when sleeping?
It isn't always just your back. You may notice discomfort in one area, or a combination of several.
Pelvis and pubic bone - Turning in bed or moving your legs apart can aggravate pelvic pain, pubic bone pain or pelvic girdle pain. Some women describe a pulling, aching or sharp sensation around the front of the pelvis.
Hips- Sleeping on your side can put prolonged pressure through the hip. You may develop an aching hip that becomes worse the longer you lie on it.
Sacroiliac joints and buttocks - The SI joints at the back of the pelvis can become uncomfortable, particularly when rolling from one side to the other or changing position in bed.
Lower back - Pregnancy back pain can be particularly frustrating at night. Your changing posture, increased load through the pelvis and prolonged time in one position can all contribute.
Groin and inner thighs - You may notice pulling, aching or discomfort through the groin or inner thigh, particularly when moving your legs or turning over.
Thighs and knees - Changes in the way you walk and stand during pregnancy can affect the muscles and joints further down the body. Your knees may ache, particularly if you are already compensating for pelvic or hip discomfort.
Calves, ankles and feet - Your legs and feet are carrying more load as pregnancy progresses. Calf tightness, aching ankles or uncomfortable feet can make settling into bed difficult.
Ribs and upper back- As your baby grows, your ribcage and upper body can feel increasingly restricted. Rib pain in pregnancy may make lying on one side uncomfortable, while upper-back tension can build from changes in posture.
Neck and shoulders - If you are using extra pillows, feeding pillows, or simply sleeping in a different position from usual, your neck and shoulders can become tight and sore.
And sometimes the problem isn't one particular painful area at all.
It can simply feel as though your whole body cannot find a comfortable position.
“Why does turning over hurt so much?”
This is one of the most frustrating parts of pregnancy sleep.During the day, you are constantly making small movements without thinking about them. At night, turning over requires your pelvis, hips, spine and abdominal muscles to coordinate while your body is already under load.If you have pelvic girdle pain (PGP), SPD, SIJ pain, hip pain or lower back pain, that movement can become particularly uncomfortable. You may find yourself waking up before you even turn because you're anticipating the pain.
That can create a cycle:
pain → disrupted sleep → fatigue → less comfortable movement → more tension → more pain.
And when you're already exhausted from pregnancy, broken sleep can feel especially hard.
Is pregnancy pain while sleeping normal?
Some aches, stiffness and discomfort are very common during pregnancy. Your body is adapting to enormous physical changes, and sleeping positions become more restricted as pregnancy progresses. But “common” doesn't mean you should automatically ignore it. If pain is regularly waking you, stopping you from changing position, making it difficult to walk the next morning, limiting your daily activities, or leaving you exhausted because you simply cannot get comfortable, it's worth having it assessed. You don't need to wait until the pain becomes unbearable.
What can I do to make sleeping more comfortable?
There is no single “perfect” pregnancy sleeping position. The most comfortable position is the one that allows you to rest without aggravating your symptoms. A few things can help.
Support your body rather than forcing it into position
Pregnancy pillows can be useful, but you don't necessarily need an enormous collection of pillows. Try supporting areas that feel like they are being pulled or compressed.
For example:
a pillow between your knees can reduce strain through the pelvis and hips
supporting your top leg can stop it dropping forward and twisting your pelvis
a pillow under your bump may provide additional support
if your lower back feels uncomfortable, experiment with the position of the pillow between your legs
if your hip is sore from lying on one side, change position rather than forcing yourself to stay there
Move before you become really uncomfortable
If you wake up with an aching hip or pelvis, don't wait until you're very sore before changing position. Small, comfortable movements can be easier than trying to make one large movement when everything feels stiff.
Be kind to yourself when turning
If rolling over is painful, try keeping your knees relatively together and moving your body as a unit rather than allowing one leg to drop dramatically ahead of the other. If you have significant pelvic pain or SPD/PGP, a pelvic health physiotherapist can also give you specific movement strategies.
Don't underestimate daytime movement
Sometimes better nights begin during the day. Regular gentle movement, appropriate pregnancy exercise and changing position frequently can help prevent your body becoming stiff from spending long periods in one position. And if a particular movement consistently causes pain, that is useful information rather than something you simply need to push through.
What can an osteopath do for pregnancy pain at night?
If you're struggling to sleep because your body hurts, an osteopathic assessment looks beyond the exact spot that hurts. For example, hip pain at night may involve the hip itself, but your pelvis, lower back, muscles and movement patterns may also be contributing. Likewise, pelvic pain when turning in bed may involve the pelvic joints, surrounding muscles and the way your hips and pelvis are moving together. Osteopathic treatment during pregnancy can be adapted to your stage of pregnancy, symptoms and comfort. Treatment may include techniques such as soft tissue work, gentle joint mobilisation or articulation, stretching and, where appropriate, manipulation. The aim isn't simply to “fix” one painful area. It is to understand why that particular movement or position is uncomfortable and what your body needs to move more comfortably. You may also be given practical advice around sleep positions, pillows, movement, exercise and the everyday activities that are aggravating your symptoms.
You deserve to sleep comfortably too
Pregnancy comes with plenty of things that can disturb sleep — needing to go to the toilet, a baby who seems particularly active at 2am, reflux, or simply not being able to find a comfortable position. Pain doesn't have to be added to the list without being addressed. If you are lying awake thinking, “Surely this is just what pregnancy feels like,” or “I suppose I just have to put up with it until the baby arrives,” it is worth getting some advice. Whether your discomfort is in your pelvis, pubic bone, hips, lower back, SIJ, groin, buttocks, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, feet, ribs, upper back, neck or shoulders, an individual assessment can help work out what may be contributing.
Pregnancy osteopathy in Milford, Auckland
I'm Sarah Boughtwood, a pregnancy and postpartum osteopath in Milford, Auckland. I work with pregnant women experiencing aches, pains and movement difficulties throughout pregnancy, including pain that is making sleeping, turning over or getting comfortable in bed difficult. You don't need to wait until your pain is severe before asking for help.
If pregnancy pain is affecting your sleep, book an appointment and let's work out what is going on and how we can make things more comfortable.