If you experience heartburn during nighttime or when you are about to go to sleep, the most likely culprit would be your bed. Elevate your body position when you sleep with pillows in order to make gravity work for you by keeping stomach acid inside the stomach. These are the common causes of heartburn. This is mainly the reason why you may want to prevent heartburn especially during nighttime when you are going to bed. People are more prone to experience heartburn during the night when they lie down. This is because when we lie down, it s easier for the acid to reach our esophagus because gravity will no longer be of any help when we are lying down. Heartburn happens when stomach acid comes in to contact with our esophagus. You have to remember that stomach acid can reflux or travel back up inside our body. When stomach acid comes in to contact with our esophagus, it will cause irritation and we will feel that burning sensation that starts in our diaphragm all the way to our chest, which is basically what we all know as heartburn. You also have to avoid wearing tight fitting clothes as this can produce pressure on your midsection forcing stomach contents, such as stomach acid, upwards to your esophagus. After eating, avoid lying down. Use gravity to your advantage. Sit, stand up or walk around for at least 3 hours after a big meal. Women tend to be more prone to chronic heartburn than men. Some speculate that a woman s lower esophageal sphincter malfunctions more frequently than men, which means that gastric juices or stomach acid flows back in to the esophagus. Women who are pregnant are at an even higher risk of developing chronic heartburn. This is mainly the stomach acid reaching your mouth. Heartburn is painful and it can really stop you from doing any of your daily activities. This is why you have to know about the available medical treatments in order for you to properly manage heartburn and take control of your life from heartburn.