Acid Dog In Reflux Article

Sleep and Acid Reflux.

GERD sufferers frequently have sleep problems because of nucturnal reflux and due mainly because they are lying flat. The refluxed gastric contents rush up the esophagus and wakes the sufferer.

Elevating the bed has been proven to be a very good idea. It means the esophagus sits higher than the stomach while asleep. Similarly by sleeping on your left side you can reduce reflux. During foetal development, the stomach rotates and the left side becomes the top (anterior) and the right becomes the bottom. So if you lie on your right side, the stomach is high. By lying on your left side the bulk of the stomach is below the esophagus.

If you have acid reflux and you go to bed with a full stomach, you are likely to have problems. You are not likely to get a good night sleep. It takes approximately three hours for the stomach to empty it’s contents into the small bowel. If your stomach is empty before you go to sleep, reflux is less likely. So make sure you have nothing to eat or drinik for 3 hours before going to bed. Alcohol increases acid production in the stomach and relax LES. If you have acid reflux and you want a better nights sleep, consider your relationship with alcohol. If alcohol is a culprit, consider reducing or stopping.

If you need a good night’s sleep, avoid too much sleep during the day and make sure the environment is right for a good night’s sleep. This means looking at the room temperature, aroma and using fresh linen. How about a nice relaxing bath before retiring. Use your bed only to sleep, apart from sexual reasons. Do not lie in bed watching TV or reading a book.

Elevate the Head of the Bed.

Acid reflux is often worse at night because we sleep lying down and by doing so we lose the benefit of gravity. Most of us have our biggest meal in the evening. This is not a good idea if you have acid reflux. Most of us drink alcohol more often in the evening. If you have GERD, do not eat at least three hours before going to bed. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.

The simplest way to counteract the loss of gravity as an aid for acid reflux, is to elevate the head of the bed. You can do this by buying an expensive bed that raises the head of the bed at the touch of a button. If the bed bends in the middle, then you can potentially squeeze the abdomen and increase intra-abdominal pressure and make matters worse.

There is no doubt that elevating the head of the bed reduces the back flow of gastric contents into the esophagus while you are lying in bed. The simple way to elevate the head of the bed is by using two 4? by 4? blocks and nail or attach a fitting to it so that the casters or legs of the bed fit firmly and are not likely to slip off.

Also available and becoming popular are triangular foam wedges that can fit under the mattress. This can raise the head of the bed 6 to 10 inches. Ordinary pillows to help prop you up higher is ineffective. The pillows rarely stay in position and often when the pillows are in place only the head is raised when you really need elevation of the upper body.

A survey in 1998 showed that in GERD sufferers, 65% admitted that acid reflux affected their sleep.

Experts have also suggested a link between GERD and sleep apnoea. Sleep apnoea is a disorder where during sleep a sufferer will stop breathing for short periods of time. They often wake up gasping for breath or choking. Sleep apnoea causes extreme tiredness. It is linked to stroke and heart attacks. Long distance lorry drivers are now being screened for sleep apnoea because of the risk of falling asleep at the wheel of an awesome automobile.

The link between sleep apnoea and GERD is in sufferers that are obese and consume alcohol. Obesity and alcohol consumption on their own are linked to sleep apnoea. Experts suggest that in GERD sufferers with sleep apnoea, acid refluxing during sleep can reach the larynx and cause it to swell (develop oedema). This swelling can cause obstruction of the larynx and sleep apnoea.

During sleep you naturally lie flat in bed. It is no surprise that acid reflux can be worse at night. The problem escalates if a heavy meal is consumed soon before going to bed. Statistics show that midnight is the popular time for the first attack of the night of acid reflux. At midnight most people are in bed and lying down.

Some drugs can affect the efficiency of the lower esophageal sphincter. A person with sleep problems may be prescribed a hypnotic or tranquilliser. These drugs relax muscles and can relax the LES causing nocturnal acid reflux disturbing sleep it is meant to improve.

Alcohol and caffeine affect the lower esophageal sphincter and can encourage acid reflux.