Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesPreventionManaging SymptomsFAQ
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Prevention
Managing Symptoms
FAQ
Acid refluxwhile sleeping is a common experience for people living withgastroesophagealreflux disease (GERD), a chronic condition in which stomach acid flows back up into theesophagus(the tube that connects your throat to your stomach). It’s estimated that up to 20% of the U.S. population has GERD.
Acid reflux and GERDcan interfere with everyday life and may also interrupt sleep. Some people feel like they’re choking on stomach acid when they suddenly awaken in the night.
This article will help you to understand why GERD symptoms occur. It offers tips on lifestyle changes you can make to help you manage acid reflux while sleeping.
yanyong / Getty Images
What Causes Acid Reflex While Sleeping?
There are several theories as to why acid reflux occurs at night.
During the day, gravity helps send rising digestive acid in your esophagus back down into your stomach. When you’re horizontal while lying in bed, you don’t have the assistance of gravity to help send refluxed stomach acid back into the stomach, so it stays longer in the esophagus.
Another reason for nighttime acid reflux is decreased swallowing at night. This can make it more difficult for your body to push acid reflux back into your stomach. You also produce less saliva during deep sleep, and saliva usually helps neutralize stomach acid.Saliva contains bicarbonate, which is a buffer that can neutralize stomach acid.
The longer acid reflux stays in the esophagus, the more heartburn and other symptoms occur. This can lead to aspiration (the accidental breathing in of food or fluid into the lungs) of the acid reflux, or choking (getting food or other objects stuck in the throat).
Throwing Up Mucus: Why It Happens and What to Do
How to Prevent Acid Reflux While Sleeping
Waking up to the sensation of choking on acid reflux can be scary. However, there are several things you can do tohelp prevent or decrease acid refluxat night and, in turn, reduce the chances of choking on acid reflux while sleeping.
Avoid Foods that Trigger GERD
Oftentimes people with GERD find that their symptoms occur or get worse after eatingcertain foodsor having certain drinks. Your healthcare provider or dietitian might recommend reducing or avoiding certain foods or beverages to see if this helps decrease your GERD symptoms.
Some common dietary triggers for GERD include:
You may find that there are other foods not on this list that trigger your GERD symptoms. Discuss them with your healthcare provider or dietitian.
Don’t Eat Right Before Bed
Allowing more time for your food to digest and empty from your stomach can help decrease the likelihood of acid backing up into your esophagus at night.
If you experience GERD symptoms at night or when lying down, tryeating mealsat least three hours before you lie down or go to bed to help improve symptoms of GERD and the risk of choking on reflux at night.
Wear Loose-Fitting Clothing
Clothes that are tight-fitting, especially around your waist and abdominal area, put increased pressure on your stomach. This can push the contents of your stomach back up into the esophagus, causing heartburn or other symptoms of GERD.
To help reduce symptoms of GERD, wear clothing that is loose-fitting and comfortable around your waist.
Change Your Sleeping Position
Instead of lying flat, try using gravity to your advantage at night to help improve your GERD symptoms. Elevating your head with awedge pillowor keeping the head of your bed elevated at an angle can be helpful for reducing nighttime GERD symptoms, including choking on reflux while sleeping.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is considered to be a risk factor for the development of GERD.Additionally, smoking causes more severe symptoms in patients with GERD. If you smoke, quitting may help alleviate your GERD symptoms.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Excess weight, especially in theabdomen, and increased adipose (fat) tissue are both considered risk factors for the development of GERD.
Some researchers have noted that excess weight, especially in the abdominal area, might trigger GERD symptoms due to:
Maintaining a healthy weight may help decrease these effects and, in turn, improve GERD symptoms.
Managing Acid Reflux Symptoms While Sleeping
In addition to the above, some of these tips may help you to manage youracid reflux symptoms.
Medication
Exercise
Regular mild to moderate exercise has been shown to reduce the symptoms of reflux. Regular physical activity can also help you to maintain a healthy weight. However, excessive physical activity may be a risk factor for the development of GERD.
Smaller Meals
Eating large volumes of food at a time may increase your chances of reflux and GERD symptoms due to increased stomach pressure. Eating smaller amounts of food at a time may help decrease the likelihood of food backing up into the esophagus, and thus improving symptoms of GERD.
Stress Management
Highstresslevels can make symptoms of GERD worse, and it’s common for people diagnosed with GERD to also live withanxiety. Studies find that people report their symptoms worsen when they’re stressed, with some evidence that stress alters how these symptoms are perceived.
Finding a way that helps you relax and destress can go a long way in helping improve your GERD symptoms. This might be through meditation, breathing exercises, talking with a friend or therapist, reading a good book, or getting seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night.
Summary
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic medical condition with frequent acid reflux. Sometimes if GERD occurs at night it can cause choking while sleeping.
Steps you can take to help reduce the risk of choking on acid reflux while sleeping include avoiding trigger foods, not eating right before bedtime, changing your sleep position, wearing loose-fitting clothing, quitting smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns and symptoms, and discuss some of these home remedies and lifestyle changes. Together, you can develop a treatment plan to ease your GERD symptoms and allow you to sleep peacefully without interruption from acid reflux.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWater helps with hydration and typically has a neutral pH, which can raise the pH of an acidic meal. Too much water fills the stomach, though, and puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, which can cause reflux.Learn MoreWhat to Eat When You Have GERDThe term “sleep hygiene” refers to habits and practices that may help you to sleep well on a regular basis. It includes your sleep environment, the times at which you go to bed and wake up, your bedtime routine, and other habits you do leading up to going to sleep.Learn MoreHow to Improve Your Sleep Habits
Frequently Asked Questions
Water helps with hydration and typically has a neutral pH, which can raise the pH of an acidic meal. Too much water fills the stomach, though, and puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, which can cause reflux.Learn MoreWhat to Eat When You Have GERD
Water helps with hydration and typically has a neutral pH, which can raise the pH of an acidic meal. Too much water fills the stomach, though, and puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, which can cause reflux.
Learn MoreWhat to Eat When You Have GERD
The term “sleep hygiene” refers to habits and practices that may help you to sleep well on a regular basis. It includes your sleep environment, the times at which you go to bed and wake up, your bedtime routine, and other habits you do leading up to going to sleep.Learn MoreHow to Improve Your Sleep Habits
The term “sleep hygiene” refers to habits and practices that may help you to sleep well on a regular basis. It includes your sleep environment, the times at which you go to bed and wake up, your bedtime routine, and other habits you do leading up to going to sleep.
Learn MoreHow to Improve Your Sleep Habits
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Gastroenterology.Acid reflux.Burke PGR, Carter SG, Knapman F, et al.Nocturnal swallowing augments arousal intensity and arousal tachycardia.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020;117(15):8624-8632. doi:10.1073/pnas.1907393117National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for GER & GERD.Dağlı Ü, Kalkan İH.The role of lifestyle changes in gastroesophageal reflux diseases treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2017;28(Suppl 1):S33-S37. doi:10.5152/tjg.2017.10Badillo R, Francis D.Diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics.2014;5(3):105–112. doi:10.4292/wjgpt.v5.i3.105Tack J, Pandolfino JE.Pathophysiology of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.Gastroenterology.2018 Jan;154(2):277-288. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2017.09.047.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Gastroenterology.Acid reflux.Burke PGR, Carter SG, Knapman F, et al.Nocturnal swallowing augments arousal intensity and arousal tachycardia.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020;117(15):8624-8632. doi:10.1073/pnas.1907393117National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for GER & GERD.Dağlı Ü, Kalkan İH.The role of lifestyle changes in gastroesophageal reflux diseases treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2017;28(Suppl 1):S33-S37. doi:10.5152/tjg.2017.10Badillo R, Francis D.Diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics.2014;5(3):105–112. doi:10.4292/wjgpt.v5.i3.105Tack J, Pandolfino JE.Pathophysiology of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.Gastroenterology.2018 Jan;154(2):277-288. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2017.09.047.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American College of Gastroenterology.Acid reflux.Burke PGR, Carter SG, Knapman F, et al.Nocturnal swallowing augments arousal intensity and arousal tachycardia.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020;117(15):8624-8632. doi:10.1073/pnas.1907393117National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for GER & GERD.Dağlı Ü, Kalkan İH.The role of lifestyle changes in gastroesophageal reflux diseases treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2017;28(Suppl 1):S33-S37. doi:10.5152/tjg.2017.10Badillo R, Francis D.Diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics.2014;5(3):105–112. doi:10.4292/wjgpt.v5.i3.105Tack J, Pandolfino JE.Pathophysiology of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.Gastroenterology.2018 Jan;154(2):277-288. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2017.09.047.
American College of Gastroenterology.Acid reflux.
Burke PGR, Carter SG, Knapman F, et al.Nocturnal swallowing augments arousal intensity and arousal tachycardia.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020;117(15):8624-8632. doi:10.1073/pnas.1907393117
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for GER & GERD.
Dağlı Ü, Kalkan İH.The role of lifestyle changes in gastroesophageal reflux diseases treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2017;28(Suppl 1):S33-S37. doi:10.5152/tjg.2017.10
Badillo R, Francis D.Diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics.2014;5(3):105–112. doi:10.4292/wjgpt.v5.i3.105
Tack J, Pandolfino JE.Pathophysiology of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.Gastroenterology.2018 Jan;154(2):277-288. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2017.09.047.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
