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Imagine you’re all settled into bed for the night, snug as a bug in a rug, about to drift off to sleep, when all of a sudden you feel it: that burning sensation in your chest you’ve come to dread.
If you experience heartburn frequently, you might suffer from chronic acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is a digestive disorder that affects the muscle between the esophagus and your stomach, otherwise known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). GERD can affect the quality of your sleep, but with a few tips, you may be able to alleviate the worst of the symptoms. First, let’s talk about what exactly those symptoms are so you can figure out how to treat them.
Acid reflux occurs when acid travels from the stomach to the esophagus, inflaming it. While common, acid reflux is often misunderstood. Many cases even go undiagnosed, or are misdiagnosed as heartburn, which is in fact the main symptom of acid reflux and not the condition itself.
Heartburn is a burning sensation in your chest or throat that, in some cases, can even extend to the back.
Here are some other symptoms to look out for:
You can read more about the symptoms of acid reflux here to better understand them if you’re recognizing yourself in a lot of them.
Don’t be surprised if you experience more noticeable symptoms at night. It’s common to have symptoms of acid reflux, such as heartburn, at night because the amount of acid in your stomach is highest during this time. The culprit? Gravity—which is why the position you sleep in can have a major effect on whether you spend the night contending with acid reflux.
If you usually experience acid reflux when you’re trying to sleep, you might wonder: Does lying down make my heartburn worse? The short answer is: Yes. Reclining can often worsen your symptoms because gravity is working against you by allowing stomach acid to travel to the esophagus.
That’s why certain sleep positions are better than others. If you’re sleeping on your back and acid is released from your stomach, it can more easily flow into and harm your esophagus.
You should also avoid right-side sleeping, because in this position, your esophagus is below your stomach and more susceptible to catching loose acid that’s dripping downward.
With that in mind, left-side sleeping is the best option to fall asleep and stay asleep. And that’s because your esophagus is above your stomach so gravity can help keep acid from spilling upwards into the esophagus.
If left-side sleeping does not bring relief from heartburn symptoms then you should try elevating the head of your bed by six to eight inches (about 30 degrees) with either a foam wedge pillow or some wood blocks. This angle of elevation will support natural gravity and hinder the stomach contents from refluxing up into the esophagus.
As anyone who’s spent years sleeping in the same position can attest, it can be tricky to train your body to fall asleep in a new one. Fortunately, there are many other lifestyle choices, both big and small, you can make if left-side sleeping doesn’t come easily to you
If these tips don’t help, it might be worth talking to a doctor to see whether you should try one or more of the following medical treatments:
For people who suffer from acid reflux, a good night’s sleep might not come easy, but relief is possible with the right strategies (and knowledge). The more informed you are, the more easily you can effectively prevent and treat GERD.
The information provided in this article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely upon the content provided in this article for specific medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your doctor.
Esomeprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, and rabeprazole are oral medications used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD; acid reflux). Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs like this one, any other drugs, foods, or other substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had, like rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other signs. Tell your doctor if you are taking any of these drugs: atazanavir, clopidogrel, nelfinavir, rifampin, rilpivirine, or St. John's wort. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away: headache, falling asleep, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, gas, dry mouth, upset stomach. Full prescribing information for esomeprazole is available here. Full prescribing information for omeprazole is available here. Full prescribing information for pantoprazole is available here. Full prescribing information for rabeprazole is available here. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit MedWatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Photo by Ray Kang via Death to Stock
This has been reviewed by Dr. Heather Gerst, Evens Medical Director.