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Acid Reflux
7 Tips for Easing
Nighttime Acid Reflux
Nearly eight in ten heartburn sufferers
experience symptoms at night. But staying up
all night to fend off heartburn isn't very
practical. Here's what you can do before you
go to bed to help you feel better and get a
good night's rest -- free of heartburn.
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Eat at
least two to three hours before lying
This way your stomach won't still be working on that big meal
when you go to bed. Lying down with a full stomach can cause
stomach contents to press harder against the lower esophageal
sphincter (LES), the valve that keeps food in the stomach. If
foods reflux up through the LES, heartburn is the result.
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Avoid foods that known to lead to heartburn
These include foods that can trigger your heartburn, such as
spicy foods, coffee, citrus fruit and juices. If you eat any of
these foods at dinnertime, it will increase your chances of
having nighttime heartburn. If you aren't sure what foods
trigger your heartburn symptoms, try keeping a heartburn record
for a week.
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Sleep with your
head and shoulder on an inclin
Lying flat presses the stomach's contents against the
LES. But if the head is higher than the stomach, gravity helps
reduce this pressure, and keeps stomach contents where they
belong--in the stomach. You can elevate your head in a couple of ways. You
can place bricks, blocks or anything that's sturdy securely
under the legs at the head of your bed. You can also use a
wedge-shaped pillow to elevate your head and shoulders.
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Stop smoking
Nicotine can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, which can
lead to stomach contents entering the esophagus, with heartburn
as a result. Smoking also stimulates the production of stomach
acid.
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Avoid alcohol
Alcohol increases the production of stomach acid. Alcohol also
relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), allowing stomach
contents to reflux back up into the esophagus.
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Take an antacid when heartburn hits
Antacids will work very quickly on heartburn you may be
experiencing before you go to bed. It also can be used for those
heartburn episodes that wake you up during the night if the
heartburn comes back. An H2 blocker will work for a longer
period of time, usually up to 12 hours. Another option is to
combine the two. You should discuss this with your physician to
determine what is the best treatment for you.
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What to do if the nighttime heartburn continues
If you continue to experience frequent heartburn symptoms at
night, see your health care provider. You will be able to
discuss with your physician the different treatment options.
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