Bloating from Irritable Bowel when lying down that prevents sleep

Hi, @bettbi - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Trying to sleep while you are very bloated sounds very uncomfortable. And trying to sleep sitting up sounds very hard to do.

Sleep is precious, and you should be able to get a decent night's sleep.

Tagging a few members on Connect who have talked about IBS and bloating who may have some ideas and strategies for you from their doctors or that they have just found to be helpful at home. Please meet, if you've not already, @shooei @SusanEllen66 @swilkins1974 @marlenec @ciebrown @researchmaven. @jlharsh also may have some thoughts for you.

Is the discomfort the main thing that causes you to be unable to fall asleep, or would you say you are experiencing any pain? When you do take ibuprofen (Advil), how much sleep does that allow for the night?

Hi Lisa. Actually, with a wedge pillow plus 3 standard pillows and sleeping alone in a queen-sized bed, sitting up is manageable. We do what we must! I rarely experience pain from IBS these days. Insomnia currently is my biggest issue. I would say 85% of the time taking one Advil puts me to sleep within an hour for the rest of the night. I don't take it unless I am still awake at least an hour after trying to sleep. Advil taken daily for a 77 year old can be hazardous, so I try not to take it more often than twice a week. I am not aware of any prescription drug without side effects that aren't as bad or worse than Advil, plus they generally require taking every night. I am curious if anyone else has other methods for reducing the bloating. Gas-X helps a little occasionally but not much and not reliably.

I've had to sleep sitting up for years because of bloating. When lying down, the bloating is so bad that it puts pressure on my bladder and disrups sleep. Part of my problem is swallowing too much air--I guess they say everybody swallows a little--but nothing I've tried--$100,000 worth of surgery to open up nasal passages; Breathe-Rite strips; both plastic and metal nasal dilators--has worked except for Vick's Vapor Inhalers. I keep one by the bed and use it frequently through the night and day too. So I'm swallowing a little less air anyway.

Thanks for telling me--will give that a try. Vick's kind of makes me relax and that's part of my problem--an uptight nervous system.

Last night per another tip I tried laying a heating pad on my gut for 20 minutes or so before turning out the light. I went to sleep right away (still having to sleep upright, though). Have to try all these things a while to know if they really work.

When I'm bloated I lay on my right side for 5 minutes or so, if nothing happens I switch to my left side or back, then belly and it really helps pass gas. I'm usually able to work the gas out of there. I also eat some homemade probiotics.

@bettbi try “ happy baby” today position. Or bring knees to chest. I hold my back shins with one hand on one shin, the other to other shin. Back if shin. It’s a “ energy flow” position

Yoga position. Happy baby. Sorry spell check. Killer!