According to the National Sleep Foundation, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), also known as acid reflux or heartburn is one of the primary causes of disturbed sleep in the US. This delicate medical condition is characterized by a burning sensation and irritation in your chest and throat, which occurs when stomach acid increases very quickly and suddenly up to your esophagus.
This unpleasantness typically happens at night and interferes with restful and undisturbed sleep. People who suffer from acid reflux, among other, commonly experience sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, and daytime sleepiness. Dealing with GERD is not easy, but is it’s also not impossible. Learn some easy ways to alleviate heartburn.
How Does Acid Reflux Affect Your Body and Sleep?
The sudden backflow of acid can reach your larynx and throat, irritate is and trigger and coughing and choking sensation. Typically, this unpleasant sensation can wake you up from deep sleep and make it difficult to fall asleep again.
It is estimated that around 60 million people in the United States suffer from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. It is also important to mention that more than 25 million Americans deal with heartburn on a daily basis. This complex medical condition can cause of a lot of complications to your health, sleeping habits, and overall wellbeing. It can even affect your career and social life.
What Causes Acid Reflux?
The disease is often caused by a hiatal hernia. When one has a hiatal hernia, his upper part of the stomach and LES move above the diaphragm. Due to this acid moves up into the esophagus and causes a burning sensation and irritation in your chest and throat. Apart from a hiatal hernia, certain lifestyle habits may also cause acid reflux.
The following lifestyle habits may lead to the development of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease:
- Eating large and heavy meals frequently
- Lying down right after eating
- Eating or snacking before going to bed
- Eating a lot of acidic fruits, spicy foods, fatty foods, chocolate, mint and similar
- Drinking a lot of coffee, tea, carbonated beverages, or alcohol
- Smoking
Smoking, aside from severely increasing your risk for esophageal cancer, it may also cause acid reflux. Smoking tobacco lowers the production of salivation and reduces lower esophageal sphincter muscle functions. Over time, acid secretion increases and throat muscle reflexes become impaired which leads to damage of the mucous membranes.
Being overweight or obese also increases your risk of heartburn. During pregnancy, especially the third trimester, the increase in hormone levels and pressure of the growing fetus to the stomach may cause acid reflux. Lastly, taking medications that relax specific muscles, such as hypertension medications, and aspirin, can trigger GERD.
Tips to Deal with Acid Reflux
Changing your lifestyle is one of the most important things you can do to alleviate the symptoms of this complex medical condition. A healthy diet and regular exercising can significantly help you lower your chances of experiencing acid reflux at night and improve the quality of your sleep.
Sleep experts recommend patients to eat more often but in smaller portions. You should never go to sleep right after dinner. Your last meal should be at least 3 hours before going to bed.
If you are at high risk for GERD or want to alleviate its symptoms, make the following lifestyle changes:
- Lose weight – obesity is the number one cause of acid reflux. As stomach fat pressures your abdomen, it pushes the gastric juices up into your esophagus and triggers GERD.
- Avoid foods that cause heartburn – acidic foods, fatty foods, spicy foods, mint, coffee and other caffeinated beverages, carbonated beverages, onions, and chocolates.
- Review your medications – some medicines can increase your risk of GERD, either by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter, interfering with digestion, or irritating an already inflamed esophagus.
- Quit smoking.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Wear comfortable clothes that don’t constrict your stomach.
- Try a gluten-free diet – Gluten may exacerbate GERD symptoms.
Medications that can trigger acid reflux are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, calcium channel blockers that are typically used to treat high blood pressure, asthma medications such as albuterol, anticholinergics, used to treat seasonal allergies or glaucoma, sedatives, painkillers, some antibiotics, potassium and iron tablets.
If you suffer from acid reflux, talk to your doctor about switching to another drug that doesn’t interfere with your digestion or irritates the esophagus.
A Good Mattress Can Help Acid Reflux Sufferers to Sleep Better
Getting a new mattress that provides comfort and addresses the problems with poor posture during sleep can also help alleviate the symptoms and unpleasantness that come with your condition. Keep in mind that sleeping on an old mattress and in a wrong sleeping position will ruin quality sleep. In order to avoid reflux when asleep, you need a model that will enhance your body alignment and posture.
In order to relieve or prevent heartburn, experts recommend rising your head of the bed by 6 to 8 inches. Many people think that adding several pillows to elevate your head will do the trick, but it can actually make thing worse and aggravate acid reflux symptoms. Adjustable mattresses are a better option because they allow gravity to do its job and keep the stomach juices down.
These beds can also be customized to your needs. Sleep specialists and therapists also recommended having slanted beds to avoid coughing and choking that is triggered by nighttime heartburn. Ross & Kayla’s Unbiased Review site can help acid reflux sufferers find an ideal model that will ensure they sleep peacefully and without unpleasant disruption all night.
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