Acid Reflux in The Morning: How to Treat and Prevent It

Heartburn in the morning

A 2009 study coined the phrase “riser’s reflux” when results indicated that 48.7 percent of the participants (all with GERD), had an acid reflux event within the first 20 minutes after waking up in the morning.

The most common symptom of acid reflux is heartburn. Other symptoms include:

  • regurgitation of sour-tasting acid backing up into your mouth or throat
  • dysphagia when food takes longer to swallow, accompanied by the feeling that food is sticking in your esophagus
  • nausea
  • chest pain
  • hoarseness or chronic sore throat
  • dry cough

When to see a doctor

Consider making an appointment with a doctor or gastroenterologist if:

  • you take over-the-counter (OTC) heartburn medication more than two times a week
  • your GERD symptoms are frequent or severe

If you don’t already have a gastroenterologist, you can browse doctors in your area through the ishonest FindCare tool.

Get emergency medical care if your chest pain is accompanied by:

  • shortness of breath
  • arm pain
  • jaw pain

These may be indicators of a heart attack.

What to do about acid reflux

You can take certain steps to help avoid waking up with acid reflux, including:

  • Sleep with your body raised from the waist up by elevating the end of your bed 6 to 9 inches.
  • Stop eating 3 hours before you go to bed.
  • Stay away from foods that typically cause acid reflux, such as coffee, chocolate, garlic, onion, and mint.

Your doctor may suggest medications, such as:

  • proton pump inhibitors (medication to block acid production and heal your esophagus) first thing in the morning, about 30 minutes before breakfast
  • OTC antacids that may provide quick relief by neutralizing stomach acid
  • H2 receptor blockers (medication to reduce acid production)

Risk factors for GERD

You may have a higher risk of acid reflux if you:

  • have obesity
  • smoke
  • drink alcohol
  • have a hiatal hernia
  • take medications that weaken the lower esophageal sphincter

Nausea and indigestion in the morning

If you have nausea in the morning, it might not be acid reflux. Nausea could also be caused by:

  • anxiety
  • concussion or brain injury
  • constipation
  • food poisoning
  • gallstones
  • gastroenteritis
  • gastroparesis
  • hangover
  • low blood sugar
  • hunger
  • peptic ulcer
  • postnasal drip
  • pregnancy

Takeaway

Although most people with acid reflux experience the symptoms at night and often after a large meal, many people have acid reflux symptoms in the morning hours.

To treat your acid reflux, there are a number of self-directed actions you can take, such as elevating the end of your bed, and avoiding acid reflux trigger foods.

There are also many doctor-directed treatments, such as proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor blockers.

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