Heartburn during the night is stressful and painful. It occurs as a result of food and acid leaking from the stomach into the esophagus, which causes a bitter taste in the mouth and sleep disturbances. It may also indicate gastroesophageal reflux disease.
And in our article, we will learn why acidity gets worse at night and how to get rid of heartburn at night.
nighttime acidity
Heartburn is caused by food and acid leaking from the stomach into the food pipe or esophagus.
During swallowing, food passes through the esophagus to the stomach through a band of muscle called the esophageal sphincter, which acts as a valve that passes food from the esophagus to the stomach and prevents its return from the stomach to the esophagus.
The force of gravity also helps keep acid and food in the stomach during digestion, making symptoms less likely.
The esophageal sphincter may fail to close completely, allowing acid and food to leak from the stomach into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation or heartburn.
Heartburn occurs at night when a person is lying down to sleep.
Causes of acidity during the night
Heartburn is caused by food and acid leaking from the stomach into the food pipe or esophagus or because a person eats too early before bed.
Many other risk factors contribute to nocturnal acidity, including:
- Diet triggers, such as spicy foods
- Being overweight or obese
- increased tension
- Smoking or drinking alcohol
- wear tight clothes
- Eat very large meals
- Eating too close to bedtime
- pregnancy.
Acidity and heartburn during pregnancy
It's common for women to experience heartburn during pregnancy, even if they didn't experience it much before pregnancy for many reasons, including extra stress within the body, weight gain, changes in hormones, and stress levels.
Diet and lifestyle changes may help control heartburn symptoms.
How to get rid of acid at night
Several home remedies and over-the-counter medications may help reduce acidity during the night.
pharmaceutical
Over-the-counter medications may help relieve heartburn, but they are not long-term solutions. Therefore, a doctor should be consulted if symptoms persist for more than two weeks. This includes,
antacids
They work by neutralizing the acids in the stomach, providing relief from symptoms, including:
- Calcium carbonate
- magnesium hydroxide
- Sodium bicarbonate
- Bismuth subsalicylate
Acidity reducers
They work by decreasing acid production in the stomach which reduces acidity during the night. These include proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine antagonists (H2 antagonists).
- famotidine
- omeprazole
- esomeprazole
home remedies
In cases of persistent acidity at night, it is best to see a doctor for diagnosis and to discuss long-term treatment options.
Here are the most important tips to relieve acidosis at night:
Sleeping on the left side of the body
People may notice that their symptoms improve if they sleep on their left side, which relieves pressure on the stomach and reduces the possibility of stomach acid leaking into the esophagus.
Head and chest lift
A person can try to reduce their symptoms by using gravity and raising the head and chest higher than the lower abdomen using specially designed wedge pillows. The upper half of the bed can also be slightly raised.
Lose weight
Losing weight may help relieve pressure on the abdomen, reducing the risk of heartburn at night.
Avoid tight clothes
Wearing tight, restrictive clothing puts pressure on the abdomen, increasing the risk of heartburn.
Avoid snacking late at night
- Eating late at night also triggers symptoms as it takes time for foods to pass through the stomach and then into the digestive system after eating.
- Therefore, avoid eating large meals at least two to three hours before they go to bed.
Eat smaller meals
Switching to smaller or lighter meals later in the day helps reduce the risk of heartburn in some people.
Avoid allergenic foods
Foods that cause acidity during the night include:
- Tomatoes and their products such as pasta sauce and ketchup.
- Citrus fruits, including oranges and lemons.
- Hot and spicy food.
- fatty foods.
- mint.
- Chocolate.
- Alcohol.
- Soft drinks such as soda or carbonated water.
- Coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverages.
Quit Smoking
Smoking irritates the esophagus, relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, increases stomach acid, and causes a strong cough, which in some cases can worsen heartburn.
Avoid taking heart-causing medications
Check the side effects of the medicine before taking it to prevent its side effects on the stomach.
And at the end of our article, we hope that we have succeeded in useful tips to get rid of acidity during the night. Please share with us your experiences with nighttime heartburn through the comments.