Reduced sleep duration and daytime naps in pregnant women in Taiwan

Napping is highly prevalent in pregnant women, but the relation between nighttime sleep and daytime naps in pregnant women is poorly understood.

The aim of this study was to examine the temporal association of nighttime sleep quality and quantity with subsequent daytime naps and the temporal association of daytime naps with sleep quality and quantity the following night in women during the third trimester of pregnancy in Taiwan.

Sleep was assessed in 80 Taiwanese nulliparous women aged 31.70 years (SD = 4.58 years) using actigraphy and diaries for 7 consecutive days. Subjective sleep quality was examined using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Multiple linear regressions with generalized estimating equations were used to examine the temporal associations of nighttime sleep and daytime naps.

All women napped sometime during the study week, and mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global score was 6.6, indicating poor sleep quality. Fewer weekly work hours and shorter sleep duration the preceding night were associated with longer nap duration the next day. More work hours, longer nap duration, and more intense fatigue were associated with shorter sleep duration the following night.

Naps during pregnancy might indicate insufficient nighttime sleep, and longer daytime naps could compromise subsequent nighttime sleep. Further research is needed to determine if short sleep duration and longer daytime naps are associated with negative pregnancy outcomes.