6 Ways to Prevent and Relieve Nighttime Heartburn

A good percentage of people do not suffer from heartburn or acid reflux throughout the day, rather it hits them at night when lying down to go to sleep.  This can be quite aggravating, especially after a long stressful day and looking forward to bedtime.  Fortunately there are things you can do to prevent and relieve this common ailment so your slumber can be sweet instead of sour.

Acid reflux is what happens when partially digested food and stomach acids escape back up into your esophagus.  This can provide a sour taste in your throat and mouth, aches and burning in your chest, and can be responsible for interrupting much needed sleep.
To avoid this nighttime nuisance, try out one or more of these tips:

Eat your last meal of the day at least two hours before bedtime.  If you must have a snack before bed, choose something light like a piece of toast and a cup of milk.

Avoid spicy, acidic, and fatty foods especially at dinnertime.  If these foods are what you crave, try eating them for lunch instead.  Also, try eating a bigger lunch and reduce your portion sizes for dinner.  This allows more time for foods to be properly digested before lights out.

Skip the alcoholic, caffeinated, and carbonated beverages with dinner.  These types of drinks relax your lower esophageal sphincter and let acids come traveling back up, causing heartburn.  Swap them out for another option like milk, apple juice or caffeine free tea.

Take a hot bath.  The warmth of the water will help relax internal organs like your liver, helping to speed up the digestion process.

Sip on a cup of herbal tea before bedtime.  Teas that contain slippery elm, ginger, marshmallow root, rooibos or red tea, and chamomile actually help to relieve the symptoms of heartburn.  Look for these types of herbal teas at your local health food store or whole food market.

Wear loose fitting pajamas and adjust your sleeping position.  You can try sleeping on your left side, or add a couple extra pillows under your head if you like to sleep on your back.  Both positions make it harder for the acids to rise up.