GenInv – Health and Wellness

Heartburn is a common complaint suffered by an estimated 60 million Americans. While it can occur at anytime, nighttime heartburn is particularly problematic and potentially more harmful. So, why is this and what can be done to prevent it?

Firstly, lets briefly consider what causes heartburn. When the acidic stomach contents flow back into the esophagus (gullet), they irritate the sensitive lining causing the characteristic burning sensation which we term heartburn. Regular or prolong

ed attack of the esophagus lining, which is known as chronic acid reflux, can be harmful, potentially dangerous and even life threatening in extreme cases.

The condition causes distress at any time but why should it be more of a problem at night?

The most obvious reason why this so is because, at night you are lying down and consequently gravity is working against you. During the day, when acid reflux occurs, gravity can act quickly to pull the stomach contents back into the stomach. When as

leep however, it is much easier for the stomach acids to flow back into the esophagus, particularly if the muscular valve that is meant to prevent this backflow has become weakened.

Secondly, because you are lying horizontally, the stomach acid can remain in the esophagus much longer, increasing the contact with the esophagus lining, causing greater aggravation and damage.

A third reason is, that when you are awake and acid reflux occurs, you automatically swallow so the acid is pushed back

down into the stomach. When you are asleep the impulse to swallow is suppressed. Furthermore, the saliva which is carried downwards when you swallow has a neutralising effect on the acid, helping to counteract its effect. This does not occur at night.

You also need to consider that nighttime heartburn can seriously disrupt your sleep and this can have important implications for your overall health.

So, having established why nighttime heartburn can be such a problem what can you do to reduce the problem?

Fortunately there are a number of effective measures you can take to combat the problem and as they are related to diet and lifestyle, they do not require taking any drug based medication.

›› Avoid those foods and drinks that are well known to trigger acid reflux

›› Change you eating habits so you do not make your last meal of the day a particularly large one

›› Do not eat within three hours of going to bed

›› Do not relax by lying down after eating your meal.

›› Raise the head of your bed 4 – 6 inches (using blocks under the bed head) to help gravity do its work

While these measure are certainly effective, if you do suffer an attack, have a supply of antacids available which will give you quick relief so that your sleep is not overly disturbed.

These are some examples of ways that you can control your problem without having to resort to drug based medication. If you have found these to be of interest, then there is the whole field of alternative remedies and treatments for heartburn that you should investigate further.