Most of us have suffered occasional heartburn at night. However if you experience this on a regular basis then you should know that this can develop into something extremely serious. What you need to do is to seek acid reflux and heartburn remedies immediately to deal with the heartburn.
Now why should we be more concerned about nighttime heartburn? Why would this kind of heartburn be much mire dangerous than what somebody experiences during the day?
The danger with heartburn is the acid coming into contact esophagus lining which is what causes you to have that very uncomfortable feeling that is heartburn. Under normal circumstances when this is occasional and happens during the day, the esophagus lining is able to easily recover. What should be avoided at all costs is prolonged contact between the acid and the esophagus lining which usually leads to its’ corrosion and deterioration which can lead to very serious life-threatening conditions. For instance in some extreme cases it could mean you ending up with esophageal cancer. At night, because you are lying on your back, prolonged contact between the acid and the esophagus lining are much more likely. To start with gravity is no longer helping to prevent the acid or anything else from flowing upwards from the stomach. And there is also the real danger that you could sleep right through it or most of it.
This is the reason why heartburn at night can be much more serious than getting attacks during the day and it is the reason why it is absolutely important to pay attention to remedial steps to prevent acid reflux at night.
Things You Can Do To Prevent Heartburn At Night
There are a number of steps you can take to reduce or even eliminate this problem from occurring at night. For instance it is crucial that you make every effort to avoid a large meal as your final one of the day. Also avoid foods that tend to trigger heartburn. Coupled with this, do not go to bed shortly after eating. Wait for at least three hours before going to bed.
Some folks cannot do without an alcoholic drink or coffee before they go to bed. These should be avoided at all costs because they will almost certainly trigger a heartburn attack.
If you are able to raise the head of the bed by at least six inches and still be comfortable while sleeping, then this can also be of great help because gravity can kick in to help prevent the acid flowing from the stomach.
Smoking is a deadly habit that people should seek to stop at all costs. One more reason to do so is that smoking before going to bed will almost certainly result in a heartburn attack and so even if you are still fighting the habit, just before you go to bed should never be the time to succumb to a cigarette.
Research has also shown that carbonated soft drinks and sleeping pills (which some people take to sleep quickly and thus avoid the urge to smoke) can also lead to nighttime heartburn.
By taking these simple precautions, many people have been able to avoid heartburn at night without having to turn to medication.
