Other researchers believe that sleeping on the right side causes the LES to relax, which would allow more of the contents of your stomach to flow through the LES and to the esophagus. Some researchers believe sleeping on your left side helps because the location where the stomach and the esophagus meet is higher than the contents of the stomach when laying in this position. Lying on your left side will help with acid reflux at night. Researches do not agree on why this is the case, but the studies that have been done all say the same thing. It doesn’t make it easier for gravity to pull the contents of the stomach away from the esophagus, after all, but it makes a significant difference. Sleep on Your Left SideĪt first thought, you would not think that sleeping on your side would influence acid reflux at all. It takes time and patience to alter your sleep position, but it can be done. The best positions will allow gravity to help with the flow of stomach acid and will not put unnecessary pressure on the stomach.Ĭhanging your sleep position is easier said than done if you already have a long-standing favorite position. The position that you sleep in can have a huge impact on how often you experience acid reflux while you are sleeping. When we sleep, the acid reflux enters the esophagus and lingers there causing more damage and putting you at greater risk of more health issues. When we sleep, saliva production slows down, and we swallow less frequently.Įssentially, when we are awake, acid reflux generally enters the esophagus and goes back into the stomach quickly. This is because the stomach acid will sit in the esophagus longer without the assistance of gravity to pull the stomach acid back into the stomach.Īdditionally, when we are awake, swallowing saliva, something we do without even thinking about it, will also help send the stomach acid back where it belongs. In addition, nighttime acid reflux often causes more damage to the esophagus than daytime acid reflux. It is believed this occurs when acid reflux causes the voice box to spasm and block the person’s airway ( source). People with GERD, a serious form of acid reflux, often also have trouble with sleep apnea. The pain and discomfort associated with acid reflux may also prevent you from falling back asleep once it has woken you up. You may wake up coughing if the contents of your stomach reach the back of the throat, and there is risk of aspirating the acid and stomach contents if they flow that far up your esophagus. When you are asleep, acid reflux will cause you to wake up frequently and prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.
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