How to Sleep With Acid Reflux: 8 Expert-Backed Tips

Written by Cheyenne Buckingham, BS | Reviewed by Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH Published on June 12, 2023

Key takeaways:

• The burning sensation of acid reflux can be particularly painful when you’re lying down — so much so that it can wake you up.   
• Apart from medication, you can make your sleeping situation a bit more comfortable by sleeping on your left side and wearing loose clothes to bed. 
• At the end of the day, pinpointing the root cause of your acid reflux — whether it be food or stress — with a healthcare professional may be the most effective way to manage symptoms. 

Not only is the burning sensation of acid reflux, or heartburn, distracting during the workday, but it can also make it challenging to fall asleep. After all, how are you supposed to relax when you can feel stomach acid creeping up your throat?    

According to the National Institutes of Health, having occasional bouts of heartburn is common. But if you experience chronic acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you may feel uncomfortable on a daily (or nightly) basis. 

The good news is there are several ways you can manage symptoms at home so that you can sleep peacefully. 

How acid reflux can interfere with sleep

Before diving into tips on how to manage acid reflux at night (or whenever you go to sleep), it’s important to understand how acid reflux can potentially disrupt your sleep cycle. 

“When a person is lying down, reflux can occur more easily without the pull of gravity to keep stomach acid down,” said Mojdeh Momeni, MD, a gastroenterologist at White Plains Hospital Physician Associates. “In this case, acid can rise up to the throat and mouth, causing a cough, choking sensation, and heartburn, which can also cause chest pain.”  

8 ways to sleep better with acid reflux

There are multiple ways you can prevent acid reflux while you’re trying to get some rest, according to Momeni and other experts. 

1. Save the big meal for earlier in the day. This way, you have more time to walk, drink water, and do other activities to help promote digestion, Momeni explains.
2. In general, stop eating about 3 hours prior to bedtime. This will give the food adequate time to leave your stomach before you lie down.
3. Consider wearing loose pajamas to bed to promote digestion. If you’re wearing tight clothing around your gut, it could put pressure on your stomach and push acid back into your esophagus. 
4. Steer clear of alcohol before bedtime. “Alcohol is notorious for causing or contributing to acid reflux during sleep, even when consumption is low,” says Audrey Wells, MD, a sleep medicine physician at Super Sleep MD.
5. Sit upright after you eat. Momeni says you should try to avoid bending over or straining to lift heavy objects after a meal. That’s because both of these movements increase pressure in the abdomen, which then aggravates reflux symptoms. 
6. Keep stress levels as low as you can. Research has indicated that emotional stress can increase the production of stomach acid. In part, this can worsen acid reflux symptoms, says Kimberly Gomer, RD, LDN.  
7. Try to eat at home more. Gomer explains that ordering food from a restaurant could potentially expose you to ingredients such as oils and spices that could aggravate symptoms. By cooking at home, you can control what you put into your food.
8. Avoid foods that have been shown to trigger acid reflux. All of the experts said these types of foods may potentially include:

• Chocolate
• Tomatoes
• Pasta sauce
• Garlic
• Onions
• Spicy foods 
• Vinegar
• Citrus
• Fatty foods
• Carbonated beverages
• Coffee 
• Mint 

Identify which foods tend to cause your acid reflux. After eliminating them from your diet, you may find some relief. 

“Acid reflux is so individual,” says Gomer. “For example, one of my clients with GERD tolerates bananas great, while another finds that they make their symptoms worse. It [can] feel horrible, but it is worth taking the time and patience to find what works for you.” 

What is the best sleeping position for someone with acid reflux?

Wells suggests propping up the top of your bed by at least 6 inches. 

“This creates a bit of gravity for stomach acid and can cut down on reflux symptoms when sleeping,” she said, adding that an adjustable bed frame can help you make this change quickly. 

As far as sleeping position, when in doubt, turn to your left side. That’s because the stomach is located on the left side of your body, says Wells.

“Sleeping on the left side is the best sleeping position for those with acid reflux as it keeps the junction between the stomach and esophagus above the level of gastric acid,” says Momeni. 

In other words, this can help prevent the liquid contents in your stomach from seeping into the esophagus. 

Can you choke from having acid reflux while sleeping?

As Momeni mentioned above, you might feel like you’re choking when you experience symptoms of heartburn — especially while lying down.

The onset of this choking sensation is brought on by the backwash (regurgitation) of either food or sour liquids, says Gomer. The backwash can make you feel like you are going to choke, which often spurs a coughing fit. It can also cause a host of different, perhaps even less obvious sensations. 

“Some have upper abdominal or chest pain and others may have trouble swallowing,” said Gomer. She added that some folks report feeling like they have a lump stuck in their throat.

Kim Kulp, RDN, owner of Gut Health Connection, adds that the acid that flows up into the esophagus from the stomach can also cause a condition called laryngospasm, which is “a spasm of the vocal cord that can make it temporarily hard to breathe.”

When to talk to a doctor about acid reflux at night

It’s important to talk with a healthcare provider about acid reflux at night if your symptoms have been severe or have persisted for a while, says Momeni. Some of these more severe symptoms include:

• Issues swallowing
• Unexpected weight loss
• Chest or abdominal pain
• Choking while eating
• Vomiting blood
• Bowel movements that are black or red

The bottom line

Acid reflux is a common occurrence. But what’s not common is losing sleep due to symptoms — even if they’re mild. 

There are several ways you can prevent reflux from disrupting your sleep cycle, from your sleep position to avoiding certain foods before bed. When in doubt, it’s always a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider to see if medication or another treatment is an option for you.