Why is my acid reflux worse at night?
Lying flat removes gravity, so acid that stays down by day drifts up by night. Late meals, alcohol, and large dinners load the stomach exactly when defenses are weakest.
The fixes that work: finish eating three hours before bed, raise the head of the bed or use a wedge pillow, ease off evening alcohol and mint, and lose weight if weight has crept up. Left-side sleeping helps some people measurably.
Reflux most nights of the week, trouble swallowing, or heartburn with weight loss deserves a doctor rather than years of antacids.
Source: NHS, heartburn and acid reflux
See a doctor promptly if
- Food sticking or difficulty swallowing, or pain on swallowing
- Unintentional weight loss with indigestion or bloating
- Vomiting blood, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- Black tarry stools, or a new diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia
- Persistent vomiting, or a mass felt in the upper abdomen
- New persistent bloating on most days for three weeks or more, especially in women over 50
Try the symptom diary10 seconds a day, free, nothing to installGut symptoms travel with food, stress and timing, and nobody reconstructs that from memory.
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS · How we review
For reflux at night
Raising the chest on a wedge works with gravity where stacked pillows fail. Doctors suggest it before adding more medicine.
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