How To Sleep With Acid Reflux: 9 Tips To Get Relief

Key Takeaways

• The best sleeping position for acid reflux or GERD is on your left side.
• Lying on your back with your upper body raised by 6 to 8 inches can also help reduce symptoms.
• Eating smaller meals, avoiding trigger foods, and making other healthy lifestyle changes can also reduce the likelihood of acid reflux flare-ups.

Living with acid reflux can be uncomfortable, and recurring episodes may result in disrupted sleep and, if left untreated, complications such as irritation to your esophagus.¹ Since acid reflux symptoms often worsen at night, figuring out how to sleep with acid reflux can improve both your sleep quality and overall health.

A Purple study found that relaxation techniques like breathing exercises help 74% of people fall asleep when they can’t sleep at night. Still, for those often woken by symptoms of reflux such as heartburn, relieving and preventing acid reflux is important.

We asked physicians, nutritionists, and other medical professionals for their expert advice on how to prevent acid reflux at night. Keep reading to learn nine tips for how to sleep with acid reflux, including the best sleep positions to help alleviate symptoms and improve comfort.

Disclaimer: This is not a substitute for medical advice. Please discuss health concerns with a doctor before making any significant lifestyle changes.

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1. Change Your Sleep Position

Tip: Lie on your left side for the most relief.

Not sure how to sleep with heartburn and acid reflux? Side sleeping is often recommended to help relieve acid reflux, and most medical professionals recommend sleeping on your left side to reduce your symptoms.

The theory is that lying on your left side positions your esophagus higher than your stomach. This can make it less likely for stomach acid to flow upward into your esophagus.²

If you tend to sleep on your back, stomach, or right side, switching up your sleep position may help lessen nighttime symptoms.

2. Elevate Your Head

Tip: Elevate the head of your bed by 6 to 8 inches.

If you prefer to sleep on your back, you may get some relief from acid reflux by sleeping with your head and torso raised. Shawn George, an internal medicine physician at Yorktown Health Vernon Hills, says, “Many patients I've worked with have experienced immediate relief after elevating the head of their bed by about 6 to 8 inches.”³

Make sure you raise the head of your bed properly; stacking up pillows could result in neck or back pain or put more pressure on your stomach. Renato Fernandes, a clinical nutritionist at Saude Pulso, seconds this recommendation: “Gravity plays a big role — keeping your upper body elevated helps prevent stomach acid from flowing back into the esophagus while you sleep. A wedge pillow or adjustable bed can make this easier and more comfortable.”⁴

If you’re looking for an affordable adjustable base for your bed, Purple offers an affordable option with adjustable head elevation to help you relax for added comfort.

3. Be Mindful of Evening Meals

Tip: Avoid eating at least three hours before you go to bed.

To help prevent symptoms of heartburn or acid reflux at night, it’s best to stop eating several hours before you lie down. Opting for smaller meals can also reduce the risk of symptoms; as you wind down, since digestion tends to slow down, a small meal may be easier to digest without increasing the risk of acid reflux.

“I've had clients with nightly reflux who saw dramatic improvement just by shifting their last meal to earlier in the evening. Digestion slows at night, so lying down with a full stomach makes it more likely that acid will creep upward.” — Renato Fernandes, clinical nutritionist⁴

4. Avoid Trigger Foods

Tip: Be mindful of acidic, spicy, and high-fat foods, especially close to bedtime.

While some foods can help you sleep better, certain foods can worsen gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms at night, and everyone’s experience is a little different. Keeping a food journal to identify foods that make your symptoms flare up can help you learn to avoid the worst offenders to prevent acid reflux at night.

Some of the most common trigger foods include:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Chocolate
• Garlic
• Onions
• Peppermint
• Spicy and acidic foods
• Greasy and fatty foods

5. Wear Loose Pajamas

Tip: Opt for pajamas that aren’t snug around your waist for increased comfort.

Tight or restrictive clothing can put added pressure on your midsection, which can contribute to acid reflux and heartburn. Wearing loose clothing to bed can help you sleep more comfortably and may reduce the risk of a flare-up. 

6. Practice Relaxation Techniques

Tip: Try soothing nighttime anxiety and stress with meditation or breathing exercises.

Relaxing before bed likely won’t eliminate your acid reflux, but reducing your stress can have a positive effect on your digestive health. Dr. Mitch Stanlick, the owner of Stanlick Chiropractic, says, “Stress significantly impacts digestive function by increasing cortisol levels and inflammation. Regular meditation or journaling before sleep can help reduce these stress hormones.”⁵

7. Wait Before Exercising

Tip: Try to wait a few hours after eating before trying to get an evening workout in. 

Exercising with a full stomach can be uncomfortable, especially if you regularly experience acid reflux. Even bending down or trying to lift heavy objects can worsen symptoms. Be mindful of how you move after eating, and stay upright in a relaxed position after eating to help prevent discomfort.

8. Quit Smoking

Smoking can lead to several adverse health effects, including increased heartburn and acid reflux. Frequent smokers may experience gastrointestinal discomfort from cigarette smoke, and smoking can also relax your lower esophageal sphincter, allowing acid to more easily rise up from your stomach.

Making an effort to quit smoking can help improve acid reflux symptoms and improve your overall health.⁷

9. Talk to Your Doctor

If you have acid reflux while sleeping, your heartburn or other symptoms keep you up at night, and nothing you do improves your symptoms, it may be time to contact your doctor. In some cases, medications you’re currently taking can worsen acid reflux symptoms, and you should discuss your options with your doctor before making any changes.

While lifestyle changes can reduce heartburn and acid reflux, more persistent cases may require medical intervention. Left untreated, severe acid reflux or GERD can damage your esophagus, so it’s important to proactively consult a medical professional for guidance.²

Heartburn vs. Acid Reflux vs. GERD

You may hear these terms used interchangeably, but heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD refer to different things. If you want to know how to sleep with heartburn and acid reflux, it’s important to understand the differences between them.

• Heartburn: Heartburn is a burning sensation in the throat and chest, most commonly caused by acid reflux.
• Acid reflux: Acid reflux occurs when the contents of your stomach rise up into your esophagus, often due to a relaxed lower esophageal sphincter, resulting in discomfort.
• GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a chronic condition characterized by recurring acid reflux episodes, often once or more per week, that can sometimes lead to esophageal irritation or damage and impact daily life.

Best Sleeping Position for Acid Reflux

Sleeping with acid reflux can be incredibly uncomfortable, and you may find yourself waking up due to symptoms such as heartburn, chest pain, or a sore throat.

Finding a body position during sleep that relieves symptoms of GERD or acid reflux depends on how you already prefer to sleep and what feels comfortable to you, but some sleep positions are better for acid reflux than others.

On Your Left Side

Tip: Right is wrong; left is life.

Not sure what side to sleep on for acid reflux? Medical professionals often recommend sleeping on your left side to reduce heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD.

“Sleeping on your left side can significantly reduce the likelihood of acid reflux,” says Dr. Asim Cheema, senior interventional cardiologist. “This position is thought to keep the junction between the stomach and esophagus above the level of gastric acid, reducing the risk of acid regurgitation.”⁶

With Your Head Elevated

Tip: Raise your entire torso — not just your head and neck — to prevent discomfort.

For back sleepers, sleeping with your head elevated can help reduce the frequency and severity of your nighttime acid reflux. It’s important to raise your head correctly to avoid putting more pressure on your stomach or causing spinal misalignment.

“A wedge pillow or an adjustable bed can be a game-changer, as they offer a precise incline to keep the upper body elevated throughout the night,” says Dr. George. “I've seen patients, especially those with severe nighttime reflux, report significantly fewer flare-ups after making this change.”³

With an adjustable base like the Purple Premium Smart Base, head and foot elevation offers relief from acid reflux while reducing pressure on your hips, back, and shoulders for enhanced relaxation and comfort.

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Not on Your Stomach

Tip: Use pillows to cushion your hips and neck for better spinal alignment and comfort.

Sleeping on your stomach is generally considered the least favorable position for those with acid reflux. This position can put excess pressure on your stomach and allow more stomach acid to flow into your esophagus.

If you’re a stomach sleeper, try teaching yourself to sleep on your back or left side to improve your spinal alignment and help reduce acid reflux symptoms.

Maximize Your Nightly Comfort With Purple

Learning how to sleep with acid reflux can provide much-needed comfort and relief. By adjusting your sleep position, minding your diet, and elevating your head, you can sleep more comfortably and better manage heartburn and acid reflux.

If you’re still experiencing uncomfortable symptoms, you may want to consider buying a new mattress. Dr. Stanlick says, “Replace your mattress if it's over eight years old. A sagging mattress can create unnatural angles in your digestive tract that worsen reflux.”⁵

Make sure you choose a flexible, durable mattress that is compatible with an adjustable base for maximum comfort. The Essential Collection from Purple offers the perfect balance of adaptive pressure relief and flexibility, making it a great choice for an adjustable base.

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