How to Deal with Nighttime Acid Reflux and GERD at Night

When you feel the burn of acid reflux in the day, you can fight back. Sitting up or just swallowing helps because gravity and saliva move acid back down where it belongs. At night, though, the body slows down. You lie flat, you swallow less, and saliva flow drops. That is why acid reflux at night often feels harsher and leads to broken sleep.

Up to 20% of the US population suffers from GERD. This is not just about food discomfort. Ongoing heartburn at night and repeated acid exposure can hurt sleep in the short term and damage the esophagus over time. That makes it more than an annoyance. It is a health issue you should not ignore.

In this article, we will look at why GERD symptoms at night often feel worse than in the day and what you can do to find relief. You will learn steps to prevent acid reflux at night and discover ways to avoid it with small adjustments to your food, sleep, and habits. If you want the full picture, read it all. If you need just one part, use the links below to jump ahead.

• What Are the Symptoms of Acid Reflux and GERD? 

• Why Is Acid Reflux Worse at Night? 

• How to Treat Nighttime Acid Reflux

• Summary

What Are the Symptoms of Acid Reflux and GERD?

Common symptoms of Acid Reflux and GERD include:

• Burning feeling in the chest or heartburn at night

• Acid or food coming back up

• Sour or bitter taste in your mouth

• Feeling like food is stuck in your throat

• Frequent burping

• Nausea

If you’ve been experiencing acid reflux regularly, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is a digestive disorder characterized by frequent, recurring bouts of acid reflux and heartburn. 

• It interferes with the proper functioning of your lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the clump of muscles that prevents your stomach contents from surging back up into your esophagus. 

If GERD symptoms at night or in the day are left untreated, chronic reflux can damage your esophageal lining and lead to more serious health problems. 

Why Does Acid Reflux Get Worse at Night?

Acid reflux gets worse at night because when you lie down, gravity no longer keeps stomach acid in place, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxes, saliva production drops, and a full stomach from late meals pushes acid back up into the esophagus.

Gastroenterologists say acid reflux at night can harm your health more than reflux during the day. According to Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, co-author of “Healing Heartburn” and associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine:

“When you lie down, gravity can’t help keep stomach acid in place. Instead, acid pushes against the muscle that separates your stomach and esophagus. Once it slips up, it stays there longer than it would during the day, which can cause more damage.”

• With an irritated esophagus from prolonged exposure to stomach acid, you’re vulnerable to painful acid reflux in the morning and during the day. 

• When acid lingers in your esophagus at night, the lining gets irritated. Unlike the stomach, your esophagus cannot handle long contact with acid. That is why GERD symptoms at night often leave you sore in the morning and can even cause lasting harm if it happens often.

How to Prevent Acid Reflux at Night?

If you are losing sleep because of acid reflux at night, you are far from alone. 50-70 million Americans reportedly suffer from more than 80 different sleep disorders.

The good news is that relief at night can ease your symptoms during the day and give your esophagus time to heal. Better sleep also means more energy and less stress. Let’s look at proven ways to prevent acid reflux at night and improve rest.

Medications

Medicine is one way to manage reflux. For mild cases, over-the-counter antacids or acid blockers may help calm heartburn at night. If symptoms are more frequent, doctors may suggest stronger options such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or H2 blockers. These do not cure GERD but can reduce acid enough to give your esophagus a break and help you sleep.

Lifestyle Adjustments

If medication is ineffective, those suffering from nighttime acid reflux and heartburn may need to seek out alternative treatment options. Here are some steps worth trying:

#1: Stop eating at least 2 to 3 hours before bed: Going to bed on a full stomach is a recipe for acid reflux at night. “If you give your body more time between your last meal and bedtime, your stomach can empty out. An empty stomach means less chance of reflux. 

The exact timing can vary depending on what you ate or if you’re not feeling well, but as a rule of thumb, try to wait at least three hours after eating before you lie down.”

#2: Avoid trigger foods: What you eat can set off reflux, especially close to bedtime. Consuming certain foods can agitate their condition and intensify symptoms. Foods that are particularly acidic or spicy tend to worsen acid reflux symptoms. Common culprits include

• Citrus fruits

• Spicy foods

• High-fat foods

• Tomato

• Onion

• Chocolate 

• Garlic

• Coffee

• Alcohol

#3: Change your sleeping position: When you sleep flat on your back, gravity is unable to push acidic contents back into your stomach in the case of nighttime acid reflux. So, instead of sleeping on your back, try sleeping on your side with your torso elevated. Better yet, sleep on an incline system designed to keep you in the best sleep position for acid reflux all night long.

When you sleep on an incline, there’s a drastic reduction in acid exposure and acid clearance time (the time that it takes your body to naturally clear acid from the esophagus). 

Some studies show a reduction in the total number of reflux episodes in this position. Then, if you also sleep on your side, any contents that may be in your stomach, will empty more quickly.

Currently, the sleep system that keeps you comfortably on an incline and on your side is MedCline’s Reflux Relief System. 

• This patented acid reflux pillow can help you sleep comfortably in a position that alleviates acid reflux and minimizes symptoms of GERD. 

• Your esophagus will have some time to heal and you’ll have better rest without reflux disturbances.

Note that some incline products like wedge pillows and bed risers only prop you up at an angle without securing you on your side. If you roll onto your back, you’re not optimally positioned for reflux relief. Or, if you slide down the bed or off the pillow, you won’t have the benefit of gravity to help reduce acid exposure.

Summary

Nighttime reflux is not just an annoyance. It can chip away at sleep and harm your esophagus over time. The good news is that there are simple steps you can take to fight back. Give yourself two to three hours between your last meal and bedtime. 

• Avoid trigger foods that spark symptoms. 

• Raise the head of your bed or use a wedge to stay on a slight incline. 

• Sleep on your left side when you can.

These moves may sound small, but they are proven ways to prevent acid reflux at night and reduce heartburn at night. Your body and your sleep will both benefit.