5. Don’t eat within three hours before sleep
Are you more likely to get an episode of acid reflux at night? If so, it might be because you’re having a big meal in the evening just a few hours before bed. Studies have shown that eating before bedtime makes you more likely to experience acid reflux symptoms when you’re trying to go to sleep. This is because we sleep in a horizontal position, which makes the stomach acids more likely to spill out, especially on a full stomach.
For the same reason, experts recommend not lying down for the first 20-30 minutes after a meal. The solution is obvious – move the biggest meal of the day to earlier in the afternoon and avoid eating food 3 hours before bed.
6. Stack up those sleeping pillows
If you’re having persistent acid reflux at night, elevating your sleeping position can really help curb those symptoms. Stack those pillows higher than usual, preferably so that your shoulders are higher than your stomach when you lay on your back.
This kind of body elevation has been found beneficial for acid reflux sufferers in a small 2011 study. Participants were asked to place an 8-inch block to elevate the head of their beds. In just one week, they observed significant improvements in their symptoms.
7. Avoid trigger foods and drinks
Certain foods and drinks can temporarily weaken the esophageal sphincter, whereas others simply take too long to digest. Both of these increase one’s risk of developing acid reflux, which is why they are known as “trigger” foods and drinks for acid reflux and should be avoided. Here’s a list of some of the most common acid reflux triggers:
- Raw onions irritate the lining of the esophagus and create a lot of gas when digested, which in turn, builds pressure in the stomach.
- Alcohol increases stomach acid and relaxes the esophageal sphincter.
- Fatty and fried foods like pizza, potato chips, bacon, and fries, are difficult to digest and may stay in your stomach for too long, making you more likely to have acid reflux.
- Chocolate increases the acidity of the stomach, which may worsen the symptoms of acid reflux.
- Chili powder and spicy foods may not cause acid reflux and heartburn, but they can further aggravate the esophagus and make symptoms worse.
- Mint and anything mint-flavored is capable of irritating the esophagus in some people.
- Carbonated drinks loosen the esophageal sphincter and cause belching, which makes acid more likely to escape to the esophagus.
In most cases, trigger foods are individual, so try eliminating one food category at a time, like onions or mint, and see how this influences your symptoms. Over time, you’ll learn which foods make your symptoms worse and will be able to manage them more easily.
