My wife complains that I fart a lot while sleeping at night. Kindly let me know how to stop this rather embarrassing habit.
Abdul (by SMS)
Aside from being a potential source of embarrassment, passing gas is common and usually harmless. Most people pass gas between 13 and 21 times.
Flatulence during the night is generally due to diet and lifestyle, although there are some digestive disorders that can cause excess gas. People commonly fart in their sleep, although they usually are not aware of it. Research suggests pressure in the anal sphincter muscle. This muscle is more relaxed during sleep, and it controls whether or not gas present in the large intestine is released. This muscle also spontaneously relaxes multiple times per hour in the morning. As a result, passing gas overnight or in the morning is common. If you want to fart less during the night, it helps to understand what gas is, why humans pass gas, and what factors lead to excessive gas. By making lifestyle changes or addressing underlying health issues, you may be able to reduce your nighttime or morning flatulence. There are actions you can take to reduce morning and evening gas.
The following lifestyle interventions: Avoid talking while eating and drinking as it can prompt you to swallow air, stop chewing gum and eating hard candy, avoid drinking carbonated drinks, do not drink beverages through a straw, sit down to eat and chew slowly, quit smoking and eat small, frequent meals. If these tips do not help, you may want to see your doctor. You can talk to your doctor about possibly reducing or eliminating foods that cause gas from your diet. It is important to be careful when making dietary changes, because many foods that cause gas are part of a healthy diet, and you do not want to switch to a diet that does not meet your nutritional needs.
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