GERD may cause insomnia for Nexium users

When suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease, many people turn to Nexium for relief. This drug helps to reduce the level of stomach acid in the body, which could relieve symptoms associated with the disease. However, many individuals are kept up at night due to their heartburn and other stomach issues that are caused by GERD.

Symptoms
Researchers from the Nara City Hospital recently conducted a study and found that individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who are also suffering from GERD are likely to have issues with insomnia. Of the 28 percent of participants with both NAFLD and insomnia, all showed higher scores on the frequent scale for the symptoms of GERD.

In total, 123 patients were involved in the study. The doctors treated individuals who were suffering from GERD to see if occurrences of insomnia could be reduced. A significant reduction of to their scores on the Athens Insomnia Scale was recorded during the investigation. As a result, the researchers concluded that those who are suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and GERD may find relief from their related insomnia through the use of heartburn medications.

Natural treatments
Nexium users who are suffering from insomnia as a side effect of their GERD can put home remedies to use. The Mayo Clinic recommends trying the following suggestions:

• Have a regular nightly routine that helps your body realize it's time to go to bed. This should include avoiding screen time 30 to 60 minutes beforehand, and can also involve relaxing activities like knitting or reading a book - paperback, not electronic.
• Go to bed when you're tired, rather than laying awake in bed trying to fall asleep. If your body isn't ready to rest, you will spend that time dwelling on the fact that you can't sleep and stress out as a result, which could lead to thoughts of the coming day's list of to dos.
• Exercising on a regular basis can make it easier for your body to get to rest at a reasonable time and prevent you from waking at night. Try to workout at least five to six hours before you plan to sleep. Since this may be difficult to accomplish after work, opt for morning trips to the gym instead.
• Caffeine, alcohol and nicotine can all add to troubles sleeping through the night. These should be avoided whenever and as often as possible.

When GERD is keeping you up at night, you may find that Nexium could ease your symptoms and allow for a full night's rest.