Why You Shouldn’t Lie Down Right After Eating

It can be tricky to avoid lying down soon after eating. Whether you are going to bed soon after a late dinner or are simply reclining to watch TV while snacking, you may be making it harder for your body to digest food.

When you lie down after eating, undigested food may not make it all the way through your digestive system.

“There is a possibility that the food you just ingested — which has made its way through your esophagus to the entrance of your stomach — will make its way backward, now with some of the acids of the stomach, and up into your throat,” says Peyton Berookim, MD, a double board-certified gastroenterologist at the Gastroenterology Institute of Southern California in Beverly Hills.

“This could present as a burning sensation in your chest and throat, a sour taste in your mouth, or belching,” Dr. Berookim says.

This irritation also may result in a cough that mimics asthma symptoms, he says.

Certain foods or activities may trigger acid reflux, regardless of how soon you lie down after eating.

• Trouble swallowing
• Pain in your chest or belly
• Feeling like there is a lump in your throat

Usually the best way to help your body digest food is to wait at least two to three hours between eating and reclining or lying down, Berookim says. This is especially true for people who already have GERD or a hiatal hernia, he says.

“There aren’t really any types of conditions or scenarios in which we recommend reclining after eating,” he says. “It just goes against the natural direction of gravity that promotes healthy digestion.”

Waiting that long isn’t always possible, however, and it may not resolve discomfort or other symptoms on its own. Here are some other things you can try.

• Prop yourself up. Instead of reclining fully after you eat, rest in an angled, semi-upright position, using pillows for support. “If you’re just going to lie on the couch but with a higher elevation of your head, then it’s usually okay to do so shortly after eating,” Berookim says.
• Sleep on your left side. Falling asleep on your right side may trigger reflux and heartburn symptoms. “This is thought to be due to the position of the stomach, which lies above the distal part of the esophagus when sleeping on the right side,” says Ali Rezaie, MD, a gastroenterologist at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. Changing to the left side may ease discomfort.

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• Stop smoking. Tobacco use is associated with heartburn and GERD.

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• Change your diet. If you have heartburn or GERD symptoms after eating certain "trigger" foods, try to avoid them. These may include fatty foods, spicy foods, tomatoes, and citrus, though triggers are different for everyone.

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   Cutting back on carbonated beverages also can help, Berookim says. Talk to your doctor before making any major dietary adjustments.

• Lying down immediately after eating can lead to acid reflux, heartburn, and discomfort as food and stomach acids move back up into the throat.
• Try to wait two or three hours after a meal before fully reclining or going to bed.
• Prop yourself up, sleep on your left side, and adjust your diet and smoking habits to avoid symptoms of acid reflux.
• Talk to your doctor if you have these symptoms often, as they could be the result of GERD and lead to serious complications.