Snoring During Pregnancy: Why It Happens and What Helps

Many women who have never snored in their lives find themselves doing so from the second trimester onwards. It's common, it usually has a straightforward explanation, and there's a lot you can do to sleep more quietly and comfortably.

Why pregnancy causes snoring

Snoring happens when the tissues at the back of your throat or the passages in your nose narrow, causing the air you breathe to vibrate as it passes through. Pregnancy creates several conditions that make this narrowing more likely, often for the first time. If you'd like the fuller picture of how snoring works generally, our guide to why you snore, the causes and types is a good starting point.

Swollen nasal passages

Rising hormone levels, particularly oestrogen, increase blood flow to the mucous membranes lining your nose. This can make them swell and produce more mucus, a condition sometimes called pregnancy rhinitis. A stuffier nose means you're more likely to breathe through your mouth at night, which makes snoring far more likely.

Weight gain and fluid retention

The weight gained during pregnancy isn't only around your abdomen. Extra soft tissue can build up around the neck and throat too, narrowing the airway slightly. Fluid retention, which is common in later pregnancy, can add to this puffiness in the tissues around your airway.

Your growing bump and breathing

As your uterus grows, it pushes upward on your diaphragm, giving your lungs less room to expand fully. This can lead to shallower breathing, which in turn makes the airway more prone to vibration and collapse when you're lying down.

Sleeping position

Many people snore more when lying flat on their back, because gravity allows the tongue and soft palate to fall backwards into the throat. Pregnancy often makes back-sleeping tempting for comfort, especially before the bump makes it physically difficult, which can make snoring worse in the earlier months.

Is snoring in pregnancy anything to worry about?

For most women, snoring in pregnancy is simply an unwelcome side effect of the changes described above, and it tends to ease after birth once hormone levels and fluid balance return to normal. It's not usually a sign that anything is wrong.

That said, pregnancy can occasionally bring on or worsen a condition called obstructive sleep apnoea, where breathing is briefly interrupted during sleep. This is worth taking seriously, partly because untreated sleep apnoea has been linked to higher blood pressure, and blood pressure is something your midwife will already be monitoring closely throughout your pregnancy.

Red-flag symptoms: when to see a GP

Most pregnancy snoring doesn't need medical attention, but you should contact your GP or midwife if you notice:

• Loud snoring accompanied by gasping or choking sounds
• Pauses in breathing during sleep that your partner has noticed
• Extreme daytime exhaustion that feels beyond normal pregnancy tiredness
• Snoring that develops alongside high blood pressure or swelling in your hands and face

These can be signs of sleep apnoea or, combined with other symptoms, may relate to conditions your midwifery team will want to check. Our page on when to see a GP about snoring explains these red flags in more detail and is worth reading if any of this sounds familiar. Please don't feel you're wasting anyone's time by mentioning it at your next appointment; midwives are used to these questions and would rather know.

Practical ways to snore less during pregnancy

Adjust your sleeping position

Sleeping on your side, particularly your left side, is already recommended during pregnancy for circulation reasons, and it happens to help with snoring too. Keeping off your back stops the tongue and soft tissues falling backward into your throat. A pregnancy pillow or a firm cushion behind your back can help you stay there through the night.

Ease nasal congestion

Since a stuffy nose is one of the main culprits, tackling it directly can make a real difference. Consider:

• Saline nasal sprays or rinses, which are safe to use throughout pregnancy and help clear mucus without medication
• A humidifier in the bedroom if the air feels dry, particularly in winter
• Nasal strips, which sit on the outside of the nose and gently open the nostrils to ease airflow; our review of the best nasal strips for snoring compares the options if you'd like to try one

Always check with your midwife or pharmacist before using any decongestant medication or nasal spray beyond plain saline, as not all are considered suitable during pregnancy.

Elevate your head slightly

Propping yourself up a little with an extra pillow or a wedge pillow can help keep your airway more open and ease the pressure your bump places on your diaphragm, particularly in the third trimester.

Stay comfortably hydrated and avoid heavy late meals

Good hydration helps keep the lining of your nose and throat from becoming too dry and irritated, which can otherwise worsen congestion. Try to avoid large meals close to bedtime, as a very full stomach can push further on your diaphragm when you lie down.

Keep an eye on weight gain guidance

Following the healthy weight gain guidance your midwife gives you, rather than gaining more rapidly than recommended, can help limit the extra soft tissue around your neck and throat that contributes to snoring.

A note on partners and sleep

Pregnancy snoring can disrupt your partner's sleep as well as your own, at a time when everyone in the household could do with more rest, not less. Earplugs, a slightly earlier bedtime for the non-snoring partner, or simply trying the position changes above together can take the edge off without anyone needing to sleep separately. If you'd like a broader understanding of snoring beyond pregnancy, our main snoring hub covers causes and solutions that apply more generally.

The bottom line

New snoring during pregnancy is common, usually explained by hormonal changes, nasal swelling, and the physical effects of your growing bump, and it typically settles down after your baby arrives. Simple changes to your sleeping position, tackling nasal congestion, and staying mindful of healthy weight gain can all help in the meantime. If you notice gasping, choking, breathing pauses, or exhaustion that feels out of the ordinary, do mention it to your GP or midwife promptly, just to be safe.