The Links To Heartburn & Anxiety

Most sufferers are aware of the heartburn links to diet, being overweight, smoking and pregnancy but according to research people with anxiety are more likely to suffer from gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) - reoccurring heartburn symptoms.

Why Could Heartburn Be Effected By Anxiety / Stress?

Heartburn could share a close link with anxiety / stress, it’s believed there could be several reasons for this such as2: Stomach acid production may increase due to high anxiety levels. Anxiety may reduce pressure in the muscular ring which joins the oesophagus to the stomach hindering it from preventing acid leaking into the gullet. Muscle tension caused by the body’s response to stress and anxiety may affect the muscles around the stomach, increasing pressure on the stomach which in turn pushes up acid. Equally, frequent episodes of acid reflux and heartburn can also be a major source of anxiety and stress for sufferers as it impacts everyday life – it can be a frustrating and distressing vicious circle.

8 UK Diet and Lifestyle Tips to Help Heartburn and Acid Reflux

Heartburn is common, in fact it affects up to a quarter of adults in the UK.¹

But while most of us get occasional heartburn at some point, for some it can be a daily occurrence and really impact on day-to-day life.

Regular heartburn is known as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and there’s no underestimating the distress and misery it can cause for sufferers.²

What is heartburn & acid reflux and how do they happen?

Described as a painful burning feeling in the chest and often an unpleasant sour taste in the mouth, heartburn, or acid reflux, is a symptom of indigestion and is caused by stomach acid travelling up towards the throat.²

Heartburn/acid reflux occur when the one-way system that prevents stomach contents from entering the gullet (oesophagus) – the muscular ring which joins the oesophagus to the stomach – fails, allowing stomach acid to travel the wrong way causing the pain of heartburn.¹

While it can be made worse by stress and anxiety, pregnancy, being overweight and smoking, for some sufferers it’s linked to certain foods and drinks and symptoms are often worse after eating, when bending over and while lying down.²

The good news is – particularly if your symptoms are mild – there are a number things you can do to stop or reduce heartburn.

Read on for our 8 tips to help you avoid the burn, including some simple suggestions for changing your diet and eating patterns.

What foods and drinks may be causing your heartburn & acid reflux symptoms?

Tip 1 – Trigger foods vary from person to person but some of the main culprits are thought to be spicy or fatty foods, acidic foods such as tomatoes, chocolate, coffee and alcohol.² Other suggested triggers include onions, garlic, citrus fruits including lemons and oranges, fizzy and caffeinated drinks, salad dressings, pepper, cucumber and even mint.³

Tip 2 – It’s best to try and steer clear of any of your gut symptom triggers but if you’re not sure which foods and drinks are causing your heartburn, try keeping a food diary for a week or two to help you work them out.⁴

Best foods for acid reflux & heartburn

Tip 3 – A healthy, balanced diet is recommended for all-round good health but it can also help your digestion and lower the risk of heartburn.³

A gut-friendly diet includes:

Lots of fibre – around 30g a day – such as wholemeal bread, brown rice, oats, beans and fruit and veg.⁴
Plenty of fluids, especially water or maybe try herbal teas or milk.⁴
Probiotic yoghurts or probiotic supplements, which contain the ‘friendly bacteria’ naturally found the gut, are known to have lots of digestive health benefits.⁴

What other dietary lifestyle changes may help?

Tip 4 – You’re more likely to get indigestion, and consequently heartburn, if you’re full⁵ so try to eat smaller, more frequent meals.

Tip 5 – Try not to eat late at night and if possible don’t eat a heavy meal within three or four hours of going to bed.²

Tip 6 – Try to avoid eating ‘on the run’ and eat more slowly. Eating meals at the table will help you sit upright and aid digestion.⁶

Tip 7 – Drinks between meals instead of drinking with meals may help and avoid bending, lifting or lying down straight after a meal as this may cause your symptoms.⁶

Tip 8 – If heartburn disrupts your sleep, try sleeping more upright with the head of the bed raised a few inches to help to stop stomach acid from travelling up towards the throat.⁶

Speaking to a pharmacist & over the counter treatment

If you keep getting heartburn, why not speak to your pharmacist for advice?

If lifestyle changes and medicines such as antacids aren’t helping – and you have heartburn most days for three weeks or more – speak to your GP who can provide stronger treatments.² They can provide treatment such as omeprazole over the counter and help rule out any more serious causes.

Pyrocalm Control 20mg Gastro-Resistant Tablets contain omeprazole which is a widely used treatment for the symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux and works to reduce the amount of acid your stomach makes.⁸

Keep up to date with more tips and advice on heartburn and indigestion by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

References:

1 https://gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/symptoms/heartburn-and-reflux/
2 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heartburn-and-acid-reflux/
3 https://patient.info/news-and-features/diet-sheet-for-oesophageal-reflux
4 https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/good-foods-to-help-your-digestion/
5 https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/common-symptoms/indigestion-and-heartburn/
6 https://www.swft.nhs.uk/application/files/3415/5292/5850/
Dietary_Advice_for_Reflux_2017.pdf
7 https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/drug-cabinet/proton-pump-inhibitors
8 https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/omeprazole/

Self Care Advice

Heartburn At Night: How to Improve Sleep Quality with Heartburn

Ever wondered why your heartburn appears to be worse at night?

Stress and Acid Reflux

We’ve all experienced those ‘tight knot’ feelings in our stomach when stressed. Find out how stress & acid reflux are related.

woman holding her chest due to heartburn and acid reflux

Differences Between Heartburn and Acid Reflux

Heartburn & acid reflux; what exactly are they and how do they differ?

How diet affects heartburn

Find out more about how your food choices and diet can effect heartburn.

Heartburn on holiday

The last thing you want on your much anticipated holiday is the extra baggage of heartburn…

Pyrocalm Control® 20mg Gastro-Resistant Tablets. For the short-term treatment of reflux symptoms in adults.
Contains 20 mg Omeprazole. Always read the label. Medicines can affect the unborn baby.
Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine in pregnancy.

Pregnancy Heartburn Relief: How to Manage Heartburn and Acid Reflux in Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an exciting time as you count down the months, weeks and days to the arrival of your little one.

But it can also be a time of little worries, niggles and gripes – one of them being heartburn.

Be reassured though that heartburn – a burning feeling in the chest caused by stomach acid travelling towards the throat (acid reflux)¹ – is common during pregnancy and there are ways to help ease the symptoms.²

It’s said to affect between 30-80% of mums-to-be at some stage³ and can be caused by the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy.²

Progesterone levels increase⁴ causing the valve between the stomach and the oesophagus (the food tube) to relax, allowing stomach acid to pass into the tube.⁵

Your growing baby pressing against the stomach can make the problem worse.⁵

Thankfully for the majority of expectant-mum heartburn sufferers, it often disappears soon after the baby is born.³ But until then it can be unpleasant and downright uncomfortable.

What are the symptoms of heartburn during pregnancy?

Symptoms of heartburn include:²

A burning sensation or pain in the chest
An unpleasant sour taste in the mouth caused by stomach acid
Burping
Feeling full, heavy or bloated
Feeling or being sick
Bringing up food

It usually occurs soon after eating or drinking – although there can be a delay in the symptoms appearing – and it can happen during any stage of pregnancy, however it tends to be more common from 27 weeks onwards as the baby starts to grow bigger.²

Although it’s natural to be concerned, heartburn doesn’t harm you or the baby but if you are worried it’s best to speak to your midwife or GP.⁵

What can I do for heartburn relief during pregnancy?

Simple dietary and lifestyle changes may be enough to control mild symptoms.² Eating healthily is always recommended and even though it’s tempting to eat more when you’re pregnant, try to avoid the temptation.²

Advice to help ease the condition includes:²

Eat small meals often
Avoid eating late or within three hours of going to bed
Cut down on caffeine and rich, spicy or fatty foods
Sit up straight when you eat to take pressure off your stomach
Prop up your head and shoulders when you go to bed to help stop stomach acid coming up while you sleep

If you need help to manage your symptoms or changes to your diet and lifestyle aren’t working, speak to your midwife or GP – they may recommend medicines to ease your symptoms.²

Pyrocalm Control 20mg Gastro-Resistant Tablets* contain omeprazole which helps reduce the amount of acid your stomach makes.⁶

Omeprazole is a widely used treatment for heartburn and acid reflux and can be taken by pregnant and breastfeeding women over 18 years of age.⁶

IMPORTANT: Medicines can affect the unborn baby. Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine in pregnancy.

If you’d like further information, you can find out more about how Pyrocalm Control works here

References:

1 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heartburn-and-acid-reflux/
2 https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/common-symptoms/indigestion-and-heartburn/
3 https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/dyspepsia-pregnancy-associated/
4 https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ask-the-expert/babies-children/a9916/heartburn-during-pregnancy/
5 https://www.nct.org.uk/pregnancy/worries-and-discomforts/common-discomforts/heartburn-indigestion-and-acid-reflux-pregnancy
6 https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/omeprazole/
7 https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/663/smpc