Can "Silent" Heartburn Explain Undiagnosed Sleep Problems?

At the 70th annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, William C. Orr, PhD and fellow colleagues presented findings of a study that may affect individuals who have unexplained sleeping difficulties. The study shows that gastroesophageal reflux (GER) may silently plague sleep – an individual’s reflux may not be severe enough to trigger heartburn symptoms, yet it may cause frequent awakenings during sleep. The study of 81 patients with sleep complaints at least three nights a week indicated that 26% of participants had acid reflux after undergoing polysomnographic studies. Of the 26% of individuals suffering from reflux, 94% of the reflux episodes caused arousal from sleep. This finding indicates that patients who complain of sleeping difficulties should be evaluated for GER to determine whether heartburn may account for a sleeping problem that cannot be attributed to other causes.

Learn more:

• Read the abstract

• Check out the Science Daily article

• Learn about GERD in the Sleeptionary™