Nighttime Heartburn: Why You Have It and 5 Natural Remedies to Try

If you've ever been lying in bed and felt a burning sensation in your chest, you know precisely how difficult it can be to sleep when you have heartburn. Caused by acid reflux, heartburn can be triggered by certain foods or medications. 

Occasional heartburn doesn't have to wreck your sleep. You can try natural remedies to ease symptoms and get some sleep. 

For other natural alternatives, find out our picks for natural sleep aids and which ones can replace melatonin in your cabinet. 

What is heartburn? 

Despite the name, heartburn actually has nothing to do with your heart. It's all about the esophagus. 

Think of the esophagus as the food pipe in your throat that goes to your stomach. On the food's descent to the stomach, it goes through bands of muscles called the esophageal sphincters, which function as gatekeepers to your stomach. When food or liquid comes down, they open to let it pass; otherwise, they stay closed. 

When the lower esophageal sphincter malfunctions and fails to close all the way, stomach acid or food can creep back up the esophagus, which lacks the stomach's mucous lining to protect it. That's called acid reflux and causes chest discomfort, known as heartburn. 

When standing or sitting up, gravity helps keep everything inside the stomach, but when we bend over or lie down to sleep, it's easier for heartburn to occur. 

Typical symptoms of heartburn include:

• Burning sensation in your chest
• An acidic taste taste in your mouth 
• Burping 

There can be several reasons the lower esophageal sphincter can weaken enough to allow for heartburn. Including eating foods like tomato sauce, coffee or citrus fruits or lying down soon after eating. Certain medications like antibiotics, pain relievers or opioids may trigger heartburn. 

5 natural remedies to help ease heartburn symptoms 

There are several over-the-counter medications available that can alleviate heartburn symptoms, like antacids and acid reducers. However, these medications are not long-term solutions. 

If you have chronic heartburn, you should speak with your doctor to find the reason and make a treatment plan. Your heartburn may indicate you have chronic acid reflux and potentially lead to long-term conditions like esophageal strictures or cancer. 

In the meantime, you can try these natural remedies to make sleeping with heartburn easier. 

1. Sleep on your left side

Heartburn gets worse when you lie down. One simple remedy to reduce heartburn is to be selective about how you sleep. 

The stomach is shaped like a kidney bean and is the upper left of the abdomen. Sleeping on your left side can ease symptoms because of the shape and angle of the stomach and where it connects to the esophagus. It creates an air pocket that keeps the acid from reaching up. Lying on your back, stomach and right side, submerge the lower esophageal sphincter in the contents of your stomach.

2. Elevate your upper body while sleeping

If you're a back sleeper or can't sleep to stay on your left side at night, you can also prop yourself up to ease heartburn symptoms. You can use wedge-shaped pillows or simply stack a few regular pillows. The more elevated your upper body is, the harder it will be for the stomach acid to travel up the esophagus. 

Read more: The best pillows for quality sleep

3. Use mastic gum

The next tip comes straight from CNET writer Aly Lopez's personal experience with heartburn. Lopez recommends using mastic supplements to cut the symptoms of heartburn. 

"For years, I suffered from indigestion that resulted in debilitating acid reflux. It got to the point that I had to sleep sitting up, and if I closed my mouth for too long, the stomach acid would rise into my mouth and make my eyes water," Lopez said. "I tried nearly every supplement and remedy imaginable. I completely changed my diet and lifestyle. Nothing seemed to help -- until I discovered mastic gum."

Lopez adds, "After taking it in capsule form for about a week, my acid reflux disappeared. Now and then, when my heartburn flares up, I take the capsules for a few days, and it has helped without fail."

Mastic gum has been used for thousands of years, dating back to the fifth century BC. While the research on the effectiveness of mastic gum is limited, one study found that it helped with indigestion. Mastic gum is also available in capsule and powder form. 

4. Chew regular gum

You can also chew regular gum to help combat heartburn symptoms. When you chew gum, your salivary glands are stimulated, and saliva production ramps up. Saliva can help neutralize stomach acid and help push it back down the esophagus. 

You'll want to avoid peppermint flavor. While peppermint is helpful in relaxing the gastrointestinal tract, it can also do the same to the esophageal sphincters. Sugar-free gum is your best option. 

5. Eat the right things at night

Certain foods can increase the likelihood of experiencing heartburn, including spicy foods, fatty foods, garlic, tomatoes, peppermint and chocolate. The foods that trigger heartburn symptoms will vary by person. If you're experiencing heartburn on a regular basis, it's best to keep a journal or log of which foods trigger heartburn for you. 

Read more: The Link Between Your Diet and Sleep Habits: How to Eat for the Best Sleep Ever

Identifying which foods promote a heartburn flare-up is essential to managing it. However, there are additional diet tips to reduce heartburn:

• Eat slower
• Stay away from big, late-night meals
• Don't lie down shortly after eating
• Avoid carbonated drinks 
• Avoid trigger foods

Too long; didn't read?

Heartburn is relatively common and often an infrequent inconvenience for many of us. However, it's important to be mindful of how frequently it's occurring as it can lead to severe conditions like scarring, narrowing of the esophagus or esophageal cancer.

If your heartburn won't go away, it causes vomiting or remedies aren't working, see your doctor to find a treatment plan.