Heartburn and Your Sleep: Why an Incline Can Help

Heartburn at night can turn a good night’s sleep into hours of discomfort. For many people, sleeping on an incline makes a real difference. Here’s why, and what your options are.

Why Heartburn Gets Worse at Night

Heartburn happens when stomach acid flows back up into the esophagus. This is called reflux, and when it happens often, doctors call it GERD. During the day, gravity helps keep acid where it belongs. But when you lie flat, that help disappears. As a result, many people notice their symptoms most at bedtime.

What the Experts Suggest

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) lists lifestyle changes that can help with reflux. One of them is to raise your head 6 to 8 inches while you sleep. Other tips include avoiding large meals before bed and not lying down right after eating.

Wedge Pillows vs. Sleeping on an Incline

Many people try stacking pillows or using a foam wedge. However, pillows tend to bend you at the neck or waist. That can put pressure on your stomach, which is the opposite of what you want.

A better approach is to tilt the whole bed. With a full-body incline, your mattress stays flat and straight, just gently raised at the head. So your body stays in line from head to toe.

Coming Soon: The Incline Sleep Base at FloBeds

We’ll soon carry the Incline Sleep 100, a base designed for sleeping on an incline. Unlike a typical adjustable base, it doesn’t fold at the middle. Instead, it tilts the entire mattress, raising the head up to 12 inches with a remote. It comes in Twin, Twin XL, Full and Queen.

Our natural latex mattresses pair well with it, too. Because a FloBed is built from separate layers, you can still fine-tune each side’s firmness. See the Incline Sleep 100 adjustable base on our site, learn more about the idea at InclineSleep.com, or contact us to try one in our Fort Bragg showroom.

This article is for general information, not medical advice. If you have frequent heartburn, talk with your doctor.