Stomach bloating is usually caused by trapped wind, which can be caused by eating foods which are difficult to digest, as well as gassy foods and drinks.
At night this can be particularly annoying, as if the digestive system is working hard to digest difficult-to-digest foods, it can prevent the body from relaxing and make it hard to fall or stay asleep.
Follow these tips before bed in order to prevent symptoms of bloating.
Avoid stodgy and gassy food for dinner
Foods which are difficult to digest include stodgy food fast food, so avoid these for dinner.
Even healthy food can cause bloating, as vegetables like beans, onions, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts and cauliflower are gassy and can cause trapped wind.
Replace stodgy and sugary desserts with fruit. The fibre will help ease digestion.
Eat dinner at the same time every day
In line with this, try to eat dinner at the same time every day to keep your body in a routine.
Eat earlier rather than later to allow time to digest food.
Do some light exercise
Going for a post-dinner walk, light run or doing yoga and stretches at home will help to ease digestion and bloating.
Keep hydrated
Drinking lots of water throughout the day will help remove toxins from the body, but don’t drink too much immediately before bed as you may be using the toilet all night.
Avoid alcohol
Alcohol is dehydrating, which will encourage the body to retain excess water, causing bloating.
Beer is the worst culprit, as it will leave you feeling gassy.
Drinking too much alcohol also makes the liver work harder to repair itself, which can prevent the body from relaxing.
Massage your tummy
Tummy massages will get the digestive system moving and help soothe any bloating discomfort.
“Get rid of bloating by cutting out fizzy drinks and foods that cause wind. Sit down to eat and take regular exercise,” advised the NHS.