May 26, 2020

Nighttime Heartburn Help


Suffering from painful heartburn when you’re trying to sleep is maddening.

Nighttime heartburn often keeps people from falling asleep and also results in fragmented sleep. The science could not be more clear that sleep deprivation leads to an increased risk of problems ranging from heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes to depression and anxiety.

Photo of a sleepless person in bed

Heartburn, a burning feeling in the throat or chest, is the most frequently reported symptom of acid reflux, which occurs when stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus. Patients with chronic, severe acid reflux may receive a GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) diagnosis. Managing heartburn that crops up at night can go a long way toward improving your overall health and may also help keep heartburn under control during waking hours.

Tips to decrease nighttime heartburn:

  • Plan your day so that your biggest meal is at lunch, which will give your body ample time to digest it. Another option is to skip the giant meal altogether and eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day.
  • Eat a light, ideally low-fat dinner two to three hours before heading to bed (plus no late-night snacking!). You shouldn’t lie down on the couch during those key digestive hours either. Gravity needs to do its work first.
  • Determine what triggers your heartburn. Avoid those foods and drinks as much as possible, but especially late in the day. Some common heartburn culprits include spicy food, citrus, chocolate, onion, tomato, garlic, juice, alcohol, and coffee. If you can’t figure out what’s causing your heartburn, keep a journal of what you consume and when you experienced the heartburn. This will help you pinpoint your personal triggers.
  • Elevate the head of your bed to ensure that stomach acid does not creep into the esophagus overnight. You can place the bed legs on something sturdy like cinder blocks or bed risers. An alternative is using a wedge pillow to keep your head on an incline.
  • Scientists aren’t sure precisely why sleeping on your left side decreases nighttime heartburn incidents (and sleeping on the right side makes them more frequent), but it has been proven. If you’re not used to sleeping on your left side all night long, you may want to put some pillows behind your back to keep you in place.
  • It’s wise to avoid clothing that restricts and squeezes your stomach any time of day, so be sure to stick with comfortable, loose-fitting pajamas.
    Work with your doctor to find over-the-counter and/or prescription medications that may help manage your heartburn. Be sure you take them exactly as directed in order to achieve the most effectiveness.

Don’t let nighttime heartburn get you down! Hopefully, implementing these tips will help you turn the corner and get the sleep you deserve. But if you just cannot get a handle on your heartburn/acid reflux, you are not doomed to suffer forever. Request an appointment today with Dr. John Uecker to discuss surgical options that can provide much-needed relief.

Source: https://www.aboutgerd.org/sleep-gerd.html

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John M Uecker, M.D. has been in practice in Austin since 2003. His practice focuses on the surgical treatment of hernias, gallstones, GERD, hiatal hernias and thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal tumors. He started and leads the robotic surgery program at Dell Seton Medical Center. Dr. Uecker is the Division Chief of minimally invasive surgery and an Associate Professor at the University of Texas Dell Medical School where he enjoys teaching medical students and residents.