Raising your head with additional pillows is not effective. Wedges are available at drugstores and medical supply stores. If it's not possible to elevate your bed, you can insert a wedge between your mattress and box spring to elevate your body from the waist up. Place wood or cement blocks under the feet of your bed so that the head end is raised by 6 to 9 inches. If you regularly experience heartburn at night or while trying to sleep, put gravity to work for you. Wait at least three hours after eating before lying down or going to bed. Avoid overeating by eating smaller meals. Avoid foods you know will trigger your heartburn. Common triggers, such as fatty or fried foods, tomato sauce, alcohol, chocolate, mint, garlic, onion and caffeine, can make heartburn worse. Avoid foods and drinks that trigger heartburn.Clothes that fit tightly around your waist put pressure on your abdomen and the lower esophageal sphincter. Ask your doctor for help in devising a weight-loss strategy that will work for you. If you are overweight or obese, work to lose weight slowly - no more than 1 or 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week. Excess pounds put pressure on your abdomen, pushing up your stomach and causing acid to back up into your esophagus. To avoid or minimize the effects of heartburn, you should: More frequent heartburn that interferes with your daily routine may be a symptom of something more serious that requires assistance from your doctor. Most people manage the discomfort on their own. Occasional heartburn is common and no cause for alarm. If the muscle relaxes abnormally or becomes weakened, stomach contents can wash back up (reflux), irritating the esophagus. Why does food back up into your esophagus? Normally, a strong band of muscle (lower esophageal sphincter) closes off the bottom of the esophagus and opens to allow food and liquid to flow down into your stomach. The pain usually worsens when you're lying down or bending over. Sour taste and the sensation of food coming back into your mouth may accompany the sensation. Heartburn usually happens after you've eaten a meal, and it may occur at night. Technically called gastroesophageal reflux disease ( GERD), heartburn occurs when stomach contents back up into your esophagus. Heartburn is a burning sensation in your chest, just behind your breastbone.
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