Stomach bloating: Experts recommend the power of sleep to help ease pain and symptoms

Easy Ways to Live Well: Steph McGovern discusses bloating

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Stomach bloating is typically the result of a build-up of gas in the gastrointestinal tract. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. This channel breaks down food as it is transported through the body, helping the body to absorb nutrients and flush out excess matter. There is a proven method to help ease the bloat and reduce symptoms.

According to experts, getting the recommended amount of sleep could do wonders for bloating.

Dietician, Tamara Freeman said: “Many people find that overnight sleep provides a bit of a ‘reset’ when it comes to food-related bloating.

“Having eight or more hours with nothing going into the GI tract allows for the intra-bowel contents to be whittled down a bit and for bloating to subside.”

Getting enough good sleep is important for everyone, but it is especially important for those living with chronic disorders such as gastrointestinal issues including bloating.

Lack of quality sleep can impact the digestive system. Conversely, symptoms of bloating can also impact the quality of one’s sleep.

It’s also advised that once in bed, help relieve any tension and get the digestive system working by doing a few stretches.

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Bringing the knees into the stomach and hugging them to you, followed by twisting of the legs from side to side, can help not only the bloating feeling but also for any mild discomfort caused by the bloating.

When a person digests food, the food becomes reduced to its molecular form and this also results in the release of hydrogen, methane and carbon dioxide gas that needs to be expelled from the body somehow.

Overnight sleep helps to provide a reset when it comes to food-related bloating.

Health experts recommend getting around eight or more hours of sleep and not eating to allow the intra-bowel contents to be whittled down a bit and for bloating to subside.

There are particular sleep hygiene habits and sleep positions one can adopt to help aid in better digestion and gas release.

Pre-sleep habits can include avoiding eating two hours before going to bed and avoiding spicy or fatty foods as these are more difficult for the body to digest.

Other underlying causes of bloating

According to Harvard Health, any of these disorders can cause bloating:

Irritable bowel syndrome, a condition characterised by a combination of symptoms (bloating, cramping, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, or constipation) that last for three or more months.

Inflammatory bowel disease, an inflammation of the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the small intestine. It’s triggered by a protein called gluten that’s found in wheat, barley, and rye.

Constipation, a condition defined by fewer than three bowel movements per week, hard or dry stools, the need to strain to move the bowels, and a sense of incomplete evacuation.

Gastroparesis, a sluggish emptying of food from the stomach into the small intestine.

Cancer. Colon, ovarian, stomach, and pancreatic cancer are among the cancers that can have bloating as a symptom.

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