The Sleep Loss Nexus: Acid Reflux and Sleep Apnea

Do you suffer from acid reflux and sleep apnea? Consider the following situation: after settling into a nice warm bed after a long day, you find a sense of searing heat welling up inside of you. Trying first one side then the next, you find no relief. Finally, you get up and take something, and return to bed. Still, the only position you can get any relief is on your back, with your upper body and head propped up on pillows. Slowly, you drift off, only to wake up again and again during the night. Each time you wake up, your level of frustration increases. By the time the new day dawns, you are barely rested and in some ways worse off than you were when you went to bed. Welcome to the world of acid reflux and sleep apnea. While acid reflux and sleep apnea aren't always interrelated, acid reflux is common among those who have sleep apnea—resulting in a particularly nasty combination.

The combination of acid reflux and sleep apnea has a number of negative aspects. Some of them are very obvious. If you suffer from sleep apnea, you're less likely to feel completely rested after a night of “sleep.” And if you suffer from acid reflux, you will not only experience physical pain, but you will have a harder time sleeping. Along with both problems comes so much frustration that you'll wonder if you will ever get a good night's sleep again. You know you need that recuperative sleep in order to perform well during the day. Without it, both your physical and mental well being will be compromised. Acid reflux and sleep apnea combined have the power to take over and ruin your entire life.

If you currently experience nights where you develop acid reflux shortly after retiring and barely get any sleep even after the pain subsides, then you are likely to have acid reflux in addition to sleep apnea. Make an appointment to see your doctor today. Describe in detail exactly what you are experiencing at night and what you do in an attempt to get any sleep at all. Your doctor will be able to help you with not only medication, but also some suggestions for lifestyle changes that may also help to get the acid reflux and sleep apnea under control. You do not have to live with these conditions; they're treatable. Before you spend one more night tossing and turning, see your doctor, find out if you have acid reflux and sleep apnea—and, if so, how you can get on the road to recovery.