What causes flatulence during sleep and how to prevent it

Flatulence is a natural body function that happens during both wakefulness and sleep. “It’s normal to have gas in your digestive tract and fart in your sleep, especially if you go to bed shortly after eating dinner, said Dr Ranga Santosh Kumar, consultant general physician and diabetologist, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad.

As the body digests food, bacteria naturally produce gas in the large intestine. While some amount of gas is normal, excessive gas can be caused by swallowing air, eating certain foods, pregnancy and menstruation, and a variety of digestive disorders.

“Certain health conditions, lifestyle choices, and what you eat and drink during the day can contribute to how much gas your body produces,” said Dr Kumar.

According to Dr Kumar, the average person passes gas around 13 to 21 times a day. “Most gas gets passed while a person is awake. The digestive system slows down after a person falls asleep, which reduces the amount of gas produced by about half.”

While gas is usually nothing to worry about, it may be a sign of an underlying health issue if it’s accompanied by other symptoms, such as pain, vomiting, or unexplained weight loss.

While people have some control over when they flatulate during the day, muscles in the anal sphincter relax after falling asleep and gas passes involuntarily, explained Dr Kumar.

Here’s what to understand (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

What to keep in mind?

Everyone swallows some amount of air, but swallowing too much air can increase gas. “Swallowed air that isn’t relieved from burping builds up and is released through farting,” said Dr Kumar.

People swallow more air at certain times, including:

• Smoking
• Eating too fast or while standing up
• Drinking through a straw
• Feeling jittery or anxious
• Wearing dentures that don’t fit well
• Chewing gum

Dr Kumar mentioned that certain foods can contribute to gassiness, especially those that contain fibre, sugars, and starches that are broken down in the large intestine. “Not everyone is affected by the same foods, but some foods that are known to increase gas include dairy, beans, fruits, certain vegetables, including asparagus, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, corn, and potatoes, breads and other foods made from whole grains, carbonated beverages, such as sodas and seltzers, and artificial sweeteners.”

Digestive disorders associated with flatulence include constipation, irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

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