How to Avoid Nighttime Heartburn

by Christine Aberworthy

While heartburn can attack at any time of the day, if it happens during the night, it's particularly painful and bothersome. Many individuals who are diagnosed with heartburn or an acid reflux condition are afflicted with nighttime heartburn. This only makes sense as remaining prone could make it easy for undigested food to come back up. For many, the inability to sleep is more dangerous to their well being and mental health in the long run than the actual heartburn.

One approach to help avoid nighttime heartburn is knowing at what time it's okay to get into bed. You need your tummy to be as empty as possible before going to bed. The latest you should have a meal is a few hours before the time when you go to bed. This means you will not have too much digestive acid inside of your stomach. As well, you need to avoid alcoholic drinks at this time of evening, or possibly give it up entirely. Many individuals enjoy having a drink before bed to make them drowsy, however you won't be doing a lot of sleeping once nighttime heartburn strikes.

A further thing to stay away from is wearing tight clothes to bed. It can put pressure on your body and intensify your situation. You might also want to keep your bedding loose if they are inclined to press on you. And, never sleep on your front if you can possibly avoid it. If you tend to roll over while sleeping, you might have to fasten a pebble on the front of your pajamas to wake you up so you can get back into the appropriate position.

A lot of persons get some relief from heartburn during the night by piling up their pillows. This will help to ensure that their neck, shoulders and head are higher, and it keeps the stomach acids from going toward your esophagus. On the other hand, if you shift around considerably in your sleep, then you'll slide off of this incline. To solve this, acquire a special acid reflux pillow or wedge-shaped foam pillow to help you remain in position.

There are many antacids that you can take if heartburn wakes you up in the middle of the night. In addition to non-prescription remedies in tablet, liquid and pill form, there are also medications prescribed by a physician. It's ordinarily alright to try a non-prescription antacid for a week. But if you're continuing to suffer from nighttime heartburn no less than twice a week, you really must pay a visit to your physician. Acid reflux and heartburn aren't problems that go away by themselves.

If you're pregnant, on the other hand, you don't want to use heartburn medicine unnecessarily. A lot of medicines, even non-prescription products, could cause harm to your unborn child. You should consult your doctor regarding the most appropriate method to safely manage your situation.

Source: Go Articles