Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Sleep

There is strong evidence of a bidirectional relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease and sleep disturbances. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) events during the night result in sleep disturbances that include difficulty in falling asleep, sleep fragmentation, and early morning awakenings. In addition, sleep deprivation per se induces hyperalgesia of the esophageal mucosa in response to acid. Treatment includes lifestyle modifications, proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), gamma-aminobutyric acid(B) agonists, hypnotics, and antireflux surgery. Among these, PPIs are considered first-line treatment for the control of nighttime gastric acid secretion; however, the timing and dosing of PPI administration should be individualized for each patient.