Sleep and gastroesophageal reflux disease: a wake-up call.

The medical community has mostly ignored the relationship between sleep and gastroesophageal reflux (GER), although recent studies have begun to explore the connection and suggest possible treatments. These studies have found that the relationship is reciprocal; reflux influences sleep and sleep influences reflux. It has been found that nighttime GER can result in a number of complications, and more generally, lower the quality of life for its sufferers, establishing sleep-related GER as a more intolerable form of GER. Though some lifestyle modifications may help reduce the risk of nighttime reflux, the use of a proton pump inhibitor may be a valuable tool in the management of both heartburn and nighttime GER.