Vomiting is a forceful expulsion of stomach content through mouth. It is an involuntary process. There is no fix time for emesis, a person can vomit during day or even at night while sleeping. Vomiting during sleep can be quiet disgusting as often the sour and acrid taste persists throughout night preventing sound sleep.
Vomiting occurring during nighttime time may have wide variety of reasons. It may be due to eating something spicy and indigestible food or may be a cause associated with medical condition. Follow certain measures to prevent vomiting during sleep. But before that let us understand the reasons that may be involved with nighttime emesis.
What Causes Vomiting During The Night?
During the act of vomiting stomach contracts, respiratory muscle is pushed downwards and the muscles of abdomen contract voluntarily. This triad mechanism leads to increased pressure in the stomach. At the same time the valve in the food pipe (esophagus) relaxes and stomach content is pushed upwards and expelled from mouth.
Following are the causes for vomiting during sleep:
- Intake of too much alcohol during night can lead to vomiting. It may also occur when a person is asleep. Often these people may not realize the sensation and they vomit in bed. Later on they come to know in morning. The main reason for this type of vomiting is inflammation in stomach also called gastritis in medical terminology. Gastritis is common medical issue in alcoholics.
- People known to suffer from reflux acid are known to vomit during sleep. Reflux disease is a prominent upper gastrointestinal trouble. Reflux esophagitis occurs when the valve in lower part of esophagus is damaged and remains relaxed after meals. The stomach content moves upwards into the mouth when you are asleep.
- Indigestion is another major cause for vomiting during sleep. The food that you have eaten during night may be too heavy to get digested easily. Often eating spicy and too much oily food can cause gastritis and reflux. If you have eaten such food during dinner and soon rested in bed, the stomach content may be pushed upwards. Since you have slept early, vomiting may occur during sleep.
- Often infants vomit during sleep. It can be due to excess of gas in stomach. Secondly it can be due to consumption of excess of milk before sleeping.
How To Prevent Vomiting While Sleeping?
Vomiting during nighttime especially while sleeping can be quiet distressful. If you experience such episodes frequently you can try to prevent it.
Here are some helpful steps:
- Eat your dinner early.
- Avoid eating excess of oily and spicy food during dinner. These foods may produce gastritis and may thus risk your stomach to expel the content out from mouth. These foods may not get digested easily during night.
- Drinking excess of alcohol can lead to vomiting even when you are asleep. Hence avoid it.
- If you are suffering from reflux disease change the position of your sleep. For example if you are sleeping straight or on your stomach, start sleeping sideways. This will helps to reduce reflux of gastric content.