If you have trouble sleeping due to acid reflux and heartburn, a new study provides insight that may help you sleep better. It suggests that treating sleep apnea may reduce your acid reflux.

The study involved 79 veterans with obstructive sleep apnea. About 78 percent of them had symptoms of acid reflux at the start of the study. Each veteran was treated for sleep apnea with CPAP therapy.

Results show that acid reflux improved in those who used CPAP therapy on a regular basis.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that CPAP therapy is an effective treatment option for sleep apnea. It keeps the airway open by providing a stream of air through a mask that you wear while you sleep.

Common symptoms of sleep apnea include:

  • Loud or frequent snoring
  • Silent pauses in breathing
  • Choking or gasping sounds
  • Daytime sleepiness or fatigue

Many people who have sleep apnea also report having symptoms of acid reflux. Do you have sleep apnea? Take the sleep apnea self-test to assess you risk.

Pledge to Stop the Snore and talk to a doctor about your risk for sleep apnea.

Learn more about the study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine:  Effect of CPAP Therapy on Symptoms of Nocturnal Gastroesophageal Reflux among Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.