How to eat late night snacks to prevent stomach acid reflux? Physician reminds of dosage and time
A 30-year-old office worker surnamed Hong often works overtime until very late, and after returning home, he is accustomed to eating instant noodles, salted chicken, or hamburgers as supper, and then lying down to sleep. Over time, he began to experience bloating, hiccups, chest fever, and even woke up in the middle of the night by the surging stomach acid. Later on, he went to see a doctor and began adjusting the amount of late night snacks and meal times, and his symptoms gradually improved.
Fu Zhongrui, the chief physician of the Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Gallbladder Department at Changhua Xiuchuan Memorial Hospital, said that being hungry in the middle of the night is not about not being able to eat anything at all. The key is not "which food must not be eaten", but how much to eat, what to eat, and how long to sleep after eating. Eating too much, too oily, too strong in taste, or too stimulating at once is more likely to burden the gastrointestinal tract, which may cause bloating, indigestion, and gastroesophageal reflux.
Many people even pair pearl milk tea with their late night snacks. Fu Chongrui said that pearl milk tea usually contains more sugar, fat, and caffeine. If you eat high-fat foods and drink large drinks late at night, not only will your calories easily exceed the limit, but your stomach will also be more tired. People who are prone to acid reflux or those who cannot sleep well after drinking caffeinated beverages may feel even more uncomfortable.
Fu Zhongrui suggested that if you are really hungry, late night snacks can be a bit simpler. You can choose bananas, oats, toast, eggs, or a small amount of milk, sugar free soybean milk, etc. according to your own eating habits and gastrointestinal conditions. The key is to control the portion size, just eat until you're not hungry, don't eat until you're full.
He said that how long to sleep after eating is also important. If you lie down immediately after finishing supper, the contents in your stomach are more likely to reflux. So you should eat less and take some time to digest before going to bed. If it's just a craving and not really hungry, you can drink some water first, don't let staying up late and eating supper become a habit.
Fu Zhongrui reminds people with gastroesophageal reflux, functional dyspepsia, or easy bloating to pay more attention to eating late at night. If you frequently experience heartburn, acid reflux, foreign body sensation in your throat, coughing at night, or discomfort in your chest after lying down, you should eat less fried, spicy, high-fat foods, and caffeinated beverages. If you are so hungry at night every day that you need to eat a big meal, you also need to think about whether you have eaten too little during the day or if your meal schedule is irregular.
Fu Zhongrui emphasized that if you feel hungry in the middle of the night, as long as you remember three things: eat less, keep the food simple, and don't lie down immediately after finishing, you can reduce the burden on your digestive system. If there are still repeated stomach pain, heartburn, acid reflux, or difficulty swallowing after adjustment, you should go to the hospital for further examination.
