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All about heartburn

Heartburn is the burning feeling you get when stomach acid comes in contact with the lining of your esophagus (the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach). Heartburn is also the most common symptom of acid reflux disease.

When stomach acid repeatedly escapes into the esophagus, this creates a painful sensation—often like an intense burning in the chest and throat. Heartburn tends to get worse after eating, while lying down at night, or when bending over.

Understanding nighttime heartburn

A study has revealed that nighttime heartburn is more common than previously thought. Nearly 8 out of 10 people with acid reflux disease suffer from heartburn at night.

Factors that can contribute to nighttime heartburn:

 Gravity—when you lie down, gravity isn’t able to keep stomach acid where it belongs, so it can easily back up into the esophagus

Swallowing—saliva helps neutralize stomach acid, but since you swallow less while sleeping, you have less saliva to help keep the burn out of your esophagus

Try these nighttime tips:

 Give yourself a lift—try lifting the head of your bed 4-6 inches by putting a 4" x 4" piece of wood under the legs. Or you can get a special foam wedge specifically designed to raise your body from the waist up

Sleep on your left side—your esophagus enters your stomach at a slight angle on the right side of your body, so sleeping on your left side allows stomach contents to pool away from your esophagus

Next: Other symptoms