Why You Get Hiccups in Your Sleep

At one point or another, most of us have been woken up by a nightmare or an intense urge to go to the bathroom. Waking up because you have the hiccups may be a less familiar middle-of-the-night disruption, but it does happen. Persistent hiccups can last for as long as a month — day and night — which can keep you awake.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629983a6369-d375-4509-a81f-f4889186410f Hiccups are involuntary muscle spasms in the diaphragm, the major breathing muscle that sits below your rib cage. When your diaphragm suddenly and involuntarily contracts, it closes your vocal cords and creates the typical hiccup noise.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c8b425eb-ee9c-4ad3-8d86-b38008827466 Hiccups have several causes and aren’t often a reason for serious concern.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ce722e74-ed66-4a0a-b5b9-7417129d24ac If they don’t go away after 48 hours, see a doctor to help get to the root of the problem.
GERD 1. You Have GERD Your nightly hiccups could be a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition that happens when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus and causes irritation in the lining of the food pipe and the diaphragm. This can trigger hiccups.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e79f57f0-b32a-46a4-89c6-aaa7d7b7dd7e In addition to hiccups and disrupted sleep, other symptoms of GERD may include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b86bdc65-42de-47b1-b745-de27bae81b7f Heartburn Upper-belly or chest pain Difficulty swallowing Regurgitation of food or sour liquid Sensation of a lump in your throat Chronic cough Laryngitis New or worsening asthma Fix it If your hiccups stem from GERD, the best way to prevent them is by addressing the digestive problem. Talk to your doctor, who can appropriately assess you and provide a proper course of treatment. Lifestyle changes can help ease the symptoms GERD for some people:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297ee82d0a-35cf-4c8a-a18b-ade6bc6b46e9 Make dietary changes, such as avoiding trigger foods like spicy and fried foods, alcohol, chocolate, and carbonated beverages. Quit smoking. Prepare smaller meals. Eat food slowly and chew thoroughly. Wear loose-fitting clothing. Reduce excess weight in the midsection. Others may find reflux relief with over-the-counter or prescription antacids that help neutralize stomach acid.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762913fbd8cb-02cf-4373-9701-ff3b640d30fd
Eating or Drinking Before Bed 2. You’re Eating or Drinking Near Bedtime Eating meals or snacking right before you turn in can lead to hiccups in the middle of the night. It typically takes a couple of hours for food to be digested and leave your stomach, and during digestion, food distends the belly, which also produces more acid to break it down.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762921aaaa2b-a6ce-44b6-92c4-e707694f5aea When someone lies down or goes to sleep before this process is finished, all the food and acid remain in the stomach and may even travel up into the esophagus, causing reflux. This can disrupt the diaphragm, producing hiccups, says gastroenterologist Elena A. Ivanina, DO, MPH , a gut doctor and microbiome specialist in New York City. What’s more, trigger foods can irritate the diaphragm and esophagus and increase your odds of developing hiccups. Fix it Stop eating and drinking at least four hours before you hit the sheets, particularly fried foods, spicy stuff, and alcohol. Though it may feel easier to fall asleep when you drink alcohol before bed, alcohol actually leads to even more disrupted slumber.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629dc2e6f5a-f14d-4d6d-a196-fec18c93ef68
Smoking 3. You Smoke Cigarettes Puffing on cigarettes can produce sleep-hampering hiccups, too. Smokers are susceptible to hiccups because they’re swallowing a lot of air with each drag and distending the stomach.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f903591a-597a-4d24-96a0-5626256baf27 And whenever your belly expands excessively, it can lead to spasms in the neighboring diaphragm, says Dr. Ivanina. Fix it Quitting smoking is easier said than done, but there are programs and strategies that can make breaking a nicotine addiction easier.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298b561c26-ec54-4253-8975-78e00c5e56f5 Therapy Stress reduction Exercise Social support Prescription medication
Medications 4. You’re Taking Certain Medications Some prescription drugs may cause hiccups via various mechanisms, such as if they affect the phrenic or vagus nerves (which serve the diaphragm), says Ivanina. Persistent hiccups can be caused by these medications:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629fcbc7714-c6e9-4138-a7f9-0a6d6e4457ac Dopamine agonists, used to treat Parkinson’s Benzodiazepines, which slow the nervous system Some chemotherapy medications Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid Azithromycin, an antibiotic Fix it If you think your meds may be the cause of your nocturnal hiccups, speak to your doctor, who may be able to prescribe you a different drug or dosage.
Ear Infections 5. You Have an Ear Infection It may seem like an unlikely connection, but ear infections are a common cause of hiccups.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762956f41d63-5113-4e8e-bc55-223dc814d87f That’s because the tympanic nerve, also known as the eardrum, is indirectly linked to the vagus nerve.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629293eb9b6-5d41-4467-b887-0ad44189a084 When the eardrum is irritated by an infection, it may impact the nerves that connect to the diaphragm, bringing on a bout of hiccups. Other telltale signs of an ear infection include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299d1782dc-75ab-4a9a-8eaf-415263661daa Ear pain Loss of appetite Poor sleep Fever Drainage from the ear (yellow, brown, or white fluid) Trouble hearing Fix it Successfully treating the earache is the best way to get rid of the hiccups related to it. Ear infections can heal without treatment, but you or your child may need a prescription for antibiotics for infections that don’t go away.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293f0a4acf-e27f-4007-9ed5-18f77531c08f Complications of chronic ear infections include hearing loss, which may not improve if the eardrum is permanently damaged.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d06bdc09-c6ff-48cb-95c9-1929ea10e6a6
Underlying Conditions 6. You Have Another Underlying Medical Issue Physical problems that irritate the nerves in the chest, including laryngitis, goiters (enlargement of the thyroid gland), tumors in the neck, infections near the diaphragm, and hiatal hernia, can result in regularly occurring hiccups.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e8d8599a-f4b8-4256-b6a3-7d79277f610c In addition, tumors, infections, or damage to your central nervous system can also affect your body’s ability to handle the hiccup reflex.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629df4527f5-0f36-4f39-83ee-6bb56374514f That’s why conditions like encephalitis, meningitis, multiple sclerosis, stroke or traumatic brain injury can cause recurrent hiccups. Fix it If your hiccups are hanging around and disrupting your sleep and quality of life, schedule a full exam with your healthcare provider. They can perform a thorough examination to rule out any serious underlying medical disorders.
Managing Hiccups Other Tips to Manage Hiccups When hiccups keep you awake at night, there are things you can do to get them to go away. Try these tactics:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a38f83e4-7ce2-4ef5-ae08-7df8f0232210 Drink water quickly Swallow a spoonful of sugar Gently pull on your tongue or press on your eyes Gargle ice water Hold your breath Breathe into a paper bag
The Takeaway Persistent hiccups can happen both day and night. While nocturnal hiccups aren’t usually a cause for serious concern, they can disrupt sleep patterns. Some people are prone to hiccups because of underlying health conditions. People with GERD or those with ear infections may be prone to them. Hiccups are also related to lifestyle behaviors, like eating spicy or fried foods, drinking alcohol, or eating late at night. Adjusting those behaviors can help them go away. If your hiccups last longer than 48 hours, reach out to your healthcare provider.