Three ways to reclaim your sleep

As if you didn’t already have enough to content with throughout the day – the stinging heartburn, the painful reflux, the constant coughing – even bedtime doesn’t offer a respite from your GERD symptoms. Worse yet, nighttime symptoms often present pain more severe than daytime symptoms. For many GERD sufferers, the place most often sought for peace and comfort at the end of a difficult day has become enemy territory. Seventy-nine percent of American adults who report experiencing heartburn at least once a week experience symptoms at night, according to a 2000 study conducted by The Gallup Organization. Such recurring sleep disturbances can carry over to the next day, decreasing productivity and affecting function. If you’re exhausted by your nighttime symptoms, a few bedtime modifications may do the trick.

Elevate your torso. "Using a few extra pillows won’t help," says an AGA member, professor and chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. "The physical principle is very simple; you want to keep the stomach under the esophageal structures. In a supine position, the stomach is level with these structures." Elevating the torso forces the stomach’s content to fight gravity to reach the esophagus. The best way to accomplish this is by elevating the head of your body by approximately four to six inches.

To elevate the bed, try placing a wedge or block under the mattress – is a recommendation in the book, Healing Heartburn, Cheaper still, put those excess telephone books to good use. Suggest placing one telephone book under the mattress at mid-back, two under the upper back, and three under the head and neck to create an escalation.

Time your medication. For those who suffer mainly with heartburn, medication may be more effective than elevating the bed, but to get the most out of your dose, heed your doctor’s advice and take your medication at the right time. It is not uncommon for us to see patients taking their medications, especially proton pump inhibitors, right before going to bed – this is not the time to take them. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) inhibit stomach acid production and leave just enough acid for normal digestion. If you don’t give your body enough time to respond to the medication before eating, the benefit will be lost. Doctor advises that patients take their morning dose a half hour before settling in for a good breakfast, and if taking an evening dose, do so well before dinner.

Avoid pre-sleep snacks. Ideally, you should also time your last meal or snack three to four hours before bedtime to leave plenty of time for digestion before living down. "The old practice of a glass of milk and a couple of cookies before bedtime is not a good idea for GERD sufferers," If you must indulge in a late-night snack, he suggests taking a couple of antacid pills or a spoonful of antacid to decrease nighttime symptoms. Still, the more time you give your body to digest before lying down, the more sleep you’re likely to catch.

Simple steps to slumber. Do these steps seem too simple to be effective? All the more reason to put them to the test. Implementing a few simple modifications may help you reclaim your sleep. Perhaps for the first time in years, you’ll experience a good night’s rest and awake feeling rejuvenated and refreshed.