GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease is the condition caused when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is inefficient. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscles function to restrict the backflow of the acidic contents of the stomach into the esophagus. This backflow is called reflux. As the esophagus is not meant to withstand such acidity, reflux causes an accompanying burning sensation called heartburn.

Over a period of time, the unnatural exposure of the esophageal tissues to the acidity of reflux causes other illnesses. GERD is treatable but it is important to help the esophagus function properly. The prescription of medication should be supplemented with lifestyle tips for managing GERD.

• Use gravity to advantage
  The LES does not get stressed when a person is upright. Gravitational forces naturally keep the contents of the stomach in place. GERD symptoms get aggravated when the person lies down with a full stomach. This strains the lower esophagus. The simplest of lifestyle tips is to maintain a practice of staying upright for at least two to three hours after having eaten. Instead of lying down after a meal, a GERD patient can grab a few minutes of shut-eye in an armchair. This helps prevent reflux and thereby controls GERD.
• Plan bedtime wisely
  Managing the time gap between the last meal of the day and bedtime is one of the lifestyle tips for managing GERD. Eating a late dinner and immediately going to bed is a major trigger of GERD. One should ideally plan to have their last meal of the day well ahead of bedtime. This gives them stomach adequate time to digest food and empty some of its contents before they sleep.
• Do not stress the stomach
  Most busy people grab a quick working lunch and have their biggest meal at the end of the day. When one has GERD, this causes a strain on the stomach before bedtime. It is best to change their lifestyle so that the midday meal is the largest of the day. This gives the stomach a longer period of time to properly digest the meal without any chance of reflux. Taking an afternoon nap negates the benefits of this to a certain extent. But, an afternoon nap is still much shorter than the whole night’s sleep. Instead of bigger meals, one can eat smaller meals spread throughout the day.
• Be mindful of exertion after meals
  Certain actions squeeze the abdominal muscles. This will not cause any problems with a person who does not have GERD. But actions such as bending or lifting are not advisable after meals for a person who does. Even a chore that requires bending such as sweeping or mopping a floor after one has eaten is best avoided.

Antacids and other medications can help to control acidity. But to manage and prevent recurrent GERD symptoms following these simple measures goes a long way. Being mindful of actions that make reflux worse can help personalize the lifestyle tips for managing GERD.