Gastroesophageal reflux, peptic ulcer disease, or irritable bowel syndrome can keep you from getting a good night’s rest. If you are not getting eight hours of sleep regularly because of a digestive condition, it is time to focus on treating their symptoms so you can get some much-needed sleep. Take a look at some of the symptoms to see if they are stealing part of your eight hours of sleep.
1. GERD
GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease causes heartburn, pain, and regurgitation. The symptoms can keep someone like you awake at night due to the feeling of pain or burning in your esophageal area. A World of Gastroenterology review showed: “Many patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have frequent nighttime heartburn as well as sleep-related Gastroesophageal Reflux (GOR). A Gallup survey showed that: “a higher frequency of reflux was associated with a higher frequency of sleep difficulties.”
2. IBS
Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome or IBS causes you to have excessive gas, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, or nausea. If you have these symptoms at night and end up in the bathroom, your hours of sleep will be cut short. The same World of Gastroenterology study reported: “We discovered that 100% of patients with active disease had poor sleep while only 72% of patients with clinically inactive disease had poor sleep.”
3. Peptic Ulcers
If the pain jolting you awake at night is combined with nausea and heartburn, a peptic ulcer may be keeping you awake. A peptic ulcer is caused by a bacteria called Heliocobacter pylori in your digestive system.
Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep
When these symptoms keep you awake, schedule, and see your medical provider. Your provider will know if you need medication or treatment to alleviate the problems. Other tips include:
- Eat earlier at night
- Sleep on your side or back, not on your chest
- Reduce alcoholic drinks
- Cut down on caffeine
- Stop smoking
