In this week’s Sleep Diaries, a 32-year-old copywriting executive wants to know if her pregnancy is causing the aches and pains that are interrupting her sleep patterns and causing fatigue.

A little about me:

Age: 32

Occupation: Copywriting executive

Number of hours sleep you get each night: Eight

Number of hours sleep you wish you got each night: Eight, but more restless ones!

Any officially diagnosed sleep-related problems: No

Do you measure your sleep in some way (e.g. using your phone or wearable): Not intentionally, but setting my alarm triggers ‘sleep mode’ on my phone, and that tends to tell me what’s what

How much water you drink on average per day: 8+ glasses

How much exercise I do on average per week: Daily walks, with a 1.5 hour fitness class on Mondays

Day 1

My alarm goes off at 6.50am and I feel exhausted, so I hit snooze until 7.20am. Then, I head downstairs, make myself a bowl of bran flakes and sliced banana (as well as a cup of rooibos tea and lemon), and throw the ball for the dog in the garden until it’s time to log on for work at 8.30am.

It’s a busy day, but I make time for a sandwich (nothing fancy – wholemeal bread, cheese, marmite) at lunch, and try to keep my water intake up. When work finishes, I take the dog for a walk, then head home to get ready for my fitness class. I dress so inappropriately for it (big sweater and leggings), and forget to take a water bottle, so wind up feeling too hot and faint in no time. It doesn’t help that I’m 17 weeks pregnant; I need to get better at this!

“I'm pregnant, how can I stop my aches and pains from interrupting my sleep?” A sleep expert answers your questions