- Habits that are harmful to the digestive system.
- Why do staying up late, skipping breakfast, and stress cause gastritis, ulcers, and acid reflux?
- Preventive measures and doctor's advice
Millions of people are facing stomach and esophageal problems such as ulcers, and especially reflux. This article will analyze the impact of these habits and how to effectively prevent them.
The Habits that are harmful to the digestive system.
Three dangerous habits —staying up late, skipping breakfast, and stress — directly affect the acid balance and protective function of the digestive tract lining.
Staying up late, not getting enough sleep:
- Increased cortisol and stomach acid secretion: When you stay up late, your body remains in a state of activity and stress, increasing cortisol secretion and stimulating the stomach to produce more acid.
- Delayed digestion: Staying up late slows down the process of stomach emptying, increasing pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, which can easily lead to reflux.
- Reduced self-healing ability: Nighttime is when the body and stomach lining repair themselves. Staying up late disrupts this process, making ulcers harder to heal.
Skip breakfast :
- Acid attacks the gastric mucosa : The stomach has a biological clock that secretes acid. After a long night, the stomach is ready to digest food. If you skip breakfast , stomach acid is still secreted but there is no food to neutralize it, forcing it to directly attack and erode the gastric mucosa , causing inflammation and ulcers.
- Disrupting the digestive system : Causing irregular eating habits, stimulating overeating at subsequent meals , and increasing the burden on the stomach.
Prolonged stress :
- Brain - gut axis mechanism : Chronic stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, causing vasoconstriction of the blood vessels supplying the stomach. This reduces blood flow, weakens the protective mucus layer, and makes the stomach more vulnerable to acid damage.
- Changes in digestive motility : Stress alters bowel and esophageal motility , potentially increasing the frequency of esophageal spasms or loosening the lower esophageal sphincter, leading to reflux.
Three dangerous habits—staying up late, skipping breakfast, and stress—directly affect the acid balance and protective function of the digestive tract lining.
Why do staying up late, skipping breakfast, and stress cause gastritis, ulcers, and acid reflux?
Pathology | The mechanism by which diseases arise from bad habits. |
Gastric ulcers | An imbalance occurs between aggressive and protective factors. Skipping breakfast and prolonged stress increase gastric acid secretion (aggressive factors) while reducing the protective mucus layer (protective factors). Excess acid then creates deep ulcers in the mucous membrane. |
True reflux (GERD) | Staying up late (eating late at night) and stress increase abdominal pressure and weaken the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Stomach acid and bile easily reflux into the esophagus, causing heartburn and acid reflux. The esophagus lacks the protective mucous layer of the stomach, making it more vulnerable to damage. |
What are the health consequences if left untreated?
If stomach ulcers and acid reflux are prolonged and recur frequently, they can lead to serious complications:
- Gastrointestinal bleeding : Deep ulcers cause bleeding, which can lead to vomiting blood, black stools, and acute anemia.
- Stomach perforation : An ulcer that penetrates the stomach wall, causing severe abdominal pain and requiring emergency surgery.
- Pyloric stenosis : Ulceration near the pylorus (the valve connecting the stomach and small intestine) causes edema and fibrosis , leading to obstruction and hindering the passage of food.
- Barrett's Esophagus : Chronic acid reflux causes changes in the cells of the esophageal mucosa. This is a precancerous lesion that increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer .
If you experience persistent symptoms such as frequent heartburn, acid reflux, dull abdominal pain, or unexplained weight loss, you should see a gastroenterologist immediately.
Preventive measures and doctor's advice
- Never skip breakfast: Eat a full breakfast within 1-2 hours of waking up.
- Eat on time and avoid overeating: Divide your meals into 5-6 smaller meals a day instead of 3 large ones.
- Avoid eating at night: Do not eat anything within 3 hours before going to bed .
- Limit foods that stimulate the body: Avoid sour, spicy, and greasy foods, coffee, strong tea, and carbonated drinks.
- Get enough sleep: Ensure you get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and ideally go to bed before 11 PM.
- Reduce stress: Practice yoga, meditation, or spend time on your hobbies to relieve stress.
- Sleeping position: For people with acid reflux, the head of the bed should be raised about 15-20cm so that gravity helps prevent acid from flowing back up.
If you experience persistent symptoms such as frequent heartburn, acid reflux, dull abdominal pain, or unexplained weight loss, you should see a gastroenterologist immediately. Do not self-medicate without a doctor's prescription to avoid masking potentially serious health problems.
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Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/thuc-khuya-bo-bua-sang-stress-gay-viem-loet-va-trao-nguoc-da-day-169251213003302061.htm
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