Probably no one out there hasn't been awakened in the middle of the night with a sudden and painful burning sensation in their stomach or chest. No matter what you have eaten, four proven remedies will help in alleviating your heartburn and indigestion so you can get back to sleep fast.

The first thing many decide to do is drink a glass of milk or use mints to relieve their heartburn and indigestion. However, this is something you shouldn't do. Milk may feel good initially as it goes down your throat but the fats and proteins in the milk will actually cause your stomach to produce more acid and make your heartburn and indigestion worse. While mints will also appear to sooth the indigestion they really, only help to relax the valve between your stomach and esophagus, which is supposed to help keep acid a bay.

As this valve becomes relaxed then more acid will move up into your esophagus and make your heartburn and indigestion pain worse. Therefore, it is best to instead drink a whole glass of water followed with a mixture of one-tablespoon baking powder and a half a glass of water. However, do not do this if you have high blood pressure or if you are pregnant since it can cause water retention and an increase in blood pressure.

A second trick you can use is to eat a banana each day. A banana acts as an antacid for the stomach to help soothe heartburn and indigestion. However, if you are already suffering from indigestion then you can eat a pineapple or papaya as well as drinking the juice depending on which you prefer. This will help settle your stomach naturally without the use of the chemicals you get in over-the-counter medicines. A few people have also said that eating a teaspoon full of mustard will immediately work to help their indigestion.

Third is to avoid eating at least two hours before you go to sleep. Late night snacks keep your stomach busy with digesting the food, and as a result it prevents you from having a deep, restful sleep at night. In addition, some people find that sleeping on their left side or at a somewhat upright angle will help keep acid down where it belongs.

Fourth is to avoid eating the foods that may cause your heartburn. Soda pop or any beverages with caffeine, alcohol, garlic, chocolate, citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato-based products are all food that can cause indigestion and heartburn symptoms. However, some have said that downing a teaspoon full of vinegar will help soothe their heartburn immediately. Many wonder how giving your stomach more acid will help stop the excess of acid it is already producing. This is because the indigestion and heartburn is sometimes caused by too little acid in the stomach and vinegar will help give your stomach the little bit of extra acid it needs to calm down and stop, eliminating your indigestion and heartburn suffering.