Suddenly losing sleep late at night with severe burning sensation in the chest and throat has become a common problem for thousands of people in the city. Often people consider it to be merely the effect of stomach gas or dinner and resort to home remedies. However, according to medical experts and gastroenterology research, this problem is not caused by hydrochloric acid alone, but the main culprit behind it is a digestive enzyme called Pepsin.
Acidity at Night: What is the real reason for severe burning sensation in chest and throat at night? Know the illusion of cold milk and its scientific treatment
The Real Science of Heartburn: The Connection of Pepsin and GERD
This unbearable burning sensation in the throat and chest is a direct symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). When the lower esophageal sphincter weakens, stomach acid and pepsin enzymes travel up the esophagus to the throat.
Pepsin basically works to digest proteins. But when it reverses flow and gets deposited on the sensitive tissues of the throat, it gets stuck there. After this, whenever you eat something slightly acidic (like tea, coffee or citrus fruits), this dormant pepsin immediately becomes active again and doubles the burning sensation.
Cold Milk and Peppermint Tea: Relief or Just an Illusion?
As soon as acidity occurs, most people recommend drinking cold milk or peppermint tea. According to doctors, this is a big myth which can increase the problem in the long run:
- Cold Milk: You feel cool for the first 5 minutes of drinking milk, but the fat and calcium present in milk trigger more acid production as soon as it reaches the stomach. This is called “acid rebound”.
- Peppermint Tea: Peppermint relaxes the esophageal valve. This provides temporary relief, but due to the valve being loose, stomach acid and pepsin easily rush towards the throat.
8.8 pH Water Mathematics: The Right Way to Inactivate Pepsin
Ordinary tap or RO water (which has a pH level of around 7) is not able to destroy pepsin. According to scientific studies, an alkaline liquid with a pH of 8.8 or higher is required to permanently neutralize the pepsin enzyme.
When you drink water or solution with a pH level of 8.8, it permanently denatures the pepsin molecules in the throat. This breaks the cycle of acidity and gives time to the inner layer of the throat to heal.
expert opinion
“People think that by drinking cold milk for acidity, they are treating the problem, whereas they are only suppressing the problem for a few minutes. If you have to wake up in the night due to heartburn more than twice a week, the reflux of pepsin is damaging your esophageal tissues. Correct pH balance and change in diet is the surest solution.”
— Senior Gastroenterologist
What should citizens do to prevent burning sensation at night?
If you’re struggling with reflux at night, adopt these practical changes immediately:
- Bedtime: Keep a gap of at least 3 hours between dinner and sleep.
- Sleeping position: While sleeping, keep the head and chest 6 inches higher than the feet or sleep on the left side, so that the acid cannot come up.
- Avoid triggers: Avoid excessive oily, spicy, caffeine, and acidic foods at night.