After a long and hard day, nothing compares to the simple pleasure of finally retreating in your quiet bedroom and enjoying the layers of fresh and clean sheets. While most people can easily drift off, some of us are faced with various issues that keep us wide awake. For people suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sleepless nights are an unfortunate result of their condition.
GERD is a digestive disorder that develops when the ring of muscles between the oesophagus and the stomach, called the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES), becomes weaker. Because the LES cannot close itself completely, stomach acid can easily come back into the throat causing an unpleasant burning sensation. The burning sensation becomes even more intense once your body assumes a horizontal position, like when you lay down to sleep.
Fortunately, modern medicine does offer some solutions for this problem such as antacids, H2 blockers, or surgery. However, sufferers can also benefit from making lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, avoiding spicy foods, losing weight, reducing alcohol consumption and avoiding other factors that trigger acid reflux attacks. People who suffer from acid reflux at night usually find that sleeping on a bed wedge pillow is the best way to relief acid reflux.
For a long time it has been known that sleeping with your upper body elevated can decrease the symptoms of GERD. However, sleeping upright can be uncomfortable on a regular pillow, not to mention how it can cause serious back pain. But the bed wedge pillow is ergonomically designed to help the body assume a healthy curvature and elevate it just at the right angle to prevent acid from creeping up the oesophagus. This type of pillow is usually made out of foam and can easily adjust to your body, making it comfortable to sleep on your back or on the side without feeling tension in the neck or head.
For people who have spent countless nights awake and in pain, this simple change to their sleeping position can make a huge difference. People using the bed wedge pillow report fewer acid attacks, better quality of sleep, and feeling more rested the next day. If the patient only experiences acid reflux during the night, this medically designed pillow can also help decrease the need to take acid-reducing medications called proton pump inhibitors.
Moreover, the bed wedge can also be helpful for dealing with other problems that inhibit your sleep, such as nasal congestion and snoring. By sleeping elevated on a bed wedge, you can allow for better air flow to your lungs and prevent your airways from becoming clogged. The bed wedge pillow can also increase your comfort while sitting up in bed, like when you’re reading or watching your favourite TV show. Since wedge pillows are much larger and firmer than regular ones, they can provide greater support to your lower back and ideally support your key points.