We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how eating too close to bedtime can increase your risk of developing heartburn at night, as well as when to worry about the symptom to begin with.
The NHS has even revealed that propping your head up with a pillow might make the condition worse, though a more gradual elevation of your head (achieved by, for instance, raising the head of your bed) can be helpful.
According to The Sleep Foundation, there’s another factor to consider when settling down to kip too; which side you sleep on can affect how much acid can escape the bounds of your stomach.
What’s the best side to sleep on to avoid stomach pain?
Per the publication, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD), whose symptoms include heartburn and sometimes a resulting sore throat, is more likely to happen when we lie down to sleep.
That’s partly because gravity can’t keep our stomach acid down in that position, and partly because we salivate and swallow less at night. Both of those help to keep the acid, which is responsible for heartburn, down in the daytime.
But Dr. Abhinav Singh, a sleep medicine physician, told The Sleep Foundation that sleeping on your left side can help to reduce the symptoms.
That’s because your stomach is curved, with much of its bulk (which contains the acid) lying on the left-hand side.
That curve means that it’s harder for stomach acid (which is the cause of indigestion and heartburn) to make its way into your oesophagus, because it’s got a steeper curve to climb than your sloped right-hand side.
So, as the Gastrointestinal Society (from the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research) says: “Due to gravity, the shape of the stomach, and the angle of the connection between it and the oesophagus, sleeping on your left side can greatly reduce reflux”.
When should I worry about acid reflux?
The NHS says that heartburn is common and not usually something to worry about.
It can be caused by things like stress, hormonal changes, spicy food, coffee, and acidic foods.
But sometimes, it’s worth a doctor’s visit. You should see your GP if:
- lifestyle changes and pharmacy medicines are not helping your heartburn
- you have heartburn most days
- you also have other symptoms, like food getting stuck in your throat, frequently being sick, or losing weight for no reason.