Nighttime heartburn can be extremely uncomfortable and may even disrupt your sleep. Its common causing including eating before bed, consuming certain foods and taking particular prescriptions. But there are things you can do at home to prevent or address nighttime heartburn.
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Take over-the-counter medicines
Antacids and acid reducers can be helpful to treat occasional problems. If your symptoms last more than 2 weeks, contact your doctor.
For antacids, try Tums (calcium carbonate), Alka-Seltzer (sodium bicarbonate), Milk of Magnesia (magnesium hydroxide) or Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate).
For acid reducers, there are histamine antagonists (H2 antagonists) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Some common over-the-counter acid reducers include Pepcid AC, Nexium 24HR and Prilosec OTC.
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Try changing your sleep position
Some experts believe that sleeping on your left side helps alleviate pressure on your stomach, preventing stomach acid from leaking into the esophagus.
Because sleeping on your back may cause stomach acid to leak up into the esophagus, it may be helpful to elevate your head and chest by placing a wedge pillow under your head. You can also try lifting the head of your bed with bricks, cinder blocks or wood beams. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, lifting just your head probably isn’t enough. You need to live your chest/upper abdomen to keep the stomach acid down.
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Change your bad habits
- Quit smoking. Research has shown that smoking can irritate the esophagus, increase stomach acid, cause forceful coughing and relax the esophageal sphincter enough to allow stomach acid back up.
- Eat smaller meals. Aim for four to five smaller, more frequent meals instead of three large meals.
- Avoid eating late at night. Allow at least two to three hours between your last meal or snack and bedtime.
- Skip trigger foods. Tomato-based products, alcohol, carbonated beverages, spicy foods, greasy foods, citrus fruits, peppermint, chocolate and coffee, tea and other drinks with caffeine.
