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Let’s face it: Farting is a natural part of life. Our guts were designed to do it! You may find yourself passing more gas during the day if you ate something particularly fibrous (looking at you, beans) or if you’ve had too many sparkling waters to count. But what if your gut’s “farty party” doesn’t really start until you curl into bed at the end of the day? Beyond it being annoying, smelly, loud farts can keep you (and possibly your partner, sorry) from drifting off to sleep. If you’re always asking yourself, “why am I so gassy at night?” this one’s for you.
Truth is, it’s pretty normal to have some gas after you eat, says Supriya Rao, MD, a gastroenterologist at Tufts Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. And farting more at night—after you’ve likely had your biggest meal of the day—isn’t usually cause for concern.
Still, it would be nice hit the hay without a bubble gut. Here, we’ll take a closer look at what causes nighttime farts, how to prevent them, and when it’s time to see a professional about your farts and gut health.
Here are some top causes of farts at night, from mild lifestyle things to potential underlying conditions.
“Some gas and bloating is a natural and normal part of the digestive process,” says Dr. Rao. As the bacteria in your gut break down your food, they produce gases like hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane that take up extra space in your GI tract (causing some bloating) and eventually need to be released—via farting or burping, per the Cleveland Clinic.
Certain foods are more gas-producing than others—especially if you’re eating large amounts of them at dinner. Dr. Rao notes this can lead to bloating. These foods are often higher in fiber or contain FODMAPs (i.e., certain carbohydrates that are difficult for the GI tract to break down). According to the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins Medicine, these might include the following:
Meals high in fat (like pizza or a burger and fries) can make you bloated and gassy, too. That’s because fat takes longer to digest than carbs or protein, according to Merck Manuals. “So when the food is sitting in your stomach for a long time, that can interact with the bacteria in your gut and cause increased gas development,” Dr. Rao explains.
Eating large portions of food at once can also increase gas production. Besides just taking up more space in your stomach (making you feel extra full), more food takes longer to digest, which sets the stage for more gassiness. This is especially true “if dinner is your largest meal if the day,” says Dr. Rao. There’s a good chance it’ll give you more gas compared to your smaller breakfast or lunch, she adds.
Just like how food sitting in your GI tract for longer can give you more gas, so too can stool that’s been sitting around in your colon. If you haven’t pooped all day, that buildup can start to make you feel gassy and uncomfortable by the evening, Dr. Rao points out. Other constipation symptoms include abdominal pain, straining when you poop, and bloating, per the Mayo Clinic.
Plopping on the couch after you eat feels so good…but it’s not the best for your gut. If you want to help your body digest dinner at a quicker rate, and avoid farting in bed, getting in some movement can help, notes Dr. Rao. It also helps move poop, too, which can ease constipation and potentially reduce gas, per Harvard Health Publishing.
Some suggestions? Go for a “fart walk” around your neighborhood after dinner (thanks, TikTok, for this new trend!), or do some light yoga or stretching to encourage that gas to move.
Again, it’s pretty normal to have some gas after eating certain foods. But if you notice that some menu items are causing gas or bloating that’s actually painful, giving you diarrhea, or causing you to make changes to your usual nighttime routine, you could have a food intolerance.
The most common food intolerances include the following, per the Cleveland Clinic:
Keeping a food journal can help you track your symptoms to determine if you’re sensitive to a particular food or ingredient.
Certain meds are known for causing constipation, which can make you gassier. (Nice, right?) According to Harvard Health Publishing, common culprits include the following:
This side effect typically goes away over time, but if your medication is causing worsening stomach issues, let your doctor know.
Lots of GI conditions can cause symptoms like bloating, cramping, and gas. (Though the symptoms can hit anytime, not necessarily just at night.) Per the Mayo Clinic, these can be things like:
When the “wind” starts coming nonstop, you’ve got some gas relief options to get the situation under control.
A 15- or 20-minute stroll after eating is Dr. Rao’s go-to for dealing with post-dinner gas, because it helps encourage digestion. “The more active you are, the less bloating you’ll feel,” she says.
Natural gas relief is also an option. One of the best go-tos? Ginger tea, which you can make by steeping a few slices of fresh ginger in hot water. It’s got gingerol—a compound that’s shown to reduce gas buildup by encouraging your GI muscles to relax, according to January 2019 research in Food Science & Nutrition.
Peppermint works, too, for similar reasons, per a January 2019 meta-analysis in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. You can sip mint tea, or try a peppermint oil capsule like NOW FOODS Peppermint Gels.
If you’re wondering how to relieve gas pain, turning to an over-the-counter (OTC) medication can help—especially when all else fails and you need fast relief. Try an OTC anti-gas med like simethicone (Gas-X) or TUMS, recommends the Mayo Clinic. Both help by breaking up air bubbles in your GI tract, which can curb bloating and gas.
Next time you want to nix the post-dinner gas fest, Dr. Rao recommends trying these tactics:
Having some gas at night can be pretty normal, especially if you eat a big meal, hang out on the couch, and hop into bed afterwards. But if being super gassy at night is a regular thing for you, causes you pain, or comes with other GI symptoms (like changes in bowel habits), you should let your doctor know, Dr. Rao recommends. Together, you can take a broader look at your gas and health, and decide if it’s worth getting evaluated for underlying GI problems.
Taking a walk works pretty well to get rid of trapped gas, Dr. Rao says. One 2021 study in Gastroenterology and Hepatology from Bed to Bench found that walking for 10 to 15 minutes eased symptoms like gas, bloating, and discomfort about as well as gas-relieving meds.
The best position to release gas and stomach pain at night is laying on your left side with your knees tucked up towards your chest. “Laying on that side tends to put your organs in such a way that it takes a lot of strain off of the gut, which allows the gut muscles to relax,” and release trapped gas, Dr. Rao says.
Chances are it was something you ate. Certain foods can definitely make your farts smell worse, per the Cleveland Clinic. The most common culprits include beans, cruciferous vegetables, eggs, garlic, grains, nuts, meat, alcohol, dairy (if you have trouble with lactose), sugar alcohols, and spicy foods.
It’s more about what not to eat, TBH. Paying attention to your portion size and limiting your intake of fatty foods at night will support speedier digestion, which can add up to less gas.
Hormone fluctuations are the most common reason why this happens. Changes in the hormones estrogen and progesterone in the days leading up to your period can cause an uptick in GI symptoms like bloating, gas, and even diarrhea, per a January 2014 study in BMC Women’s Health.