Night Farts - Is There A Way To Control Them?

Farting is a natural process which occurs with everybody in day to day life. Farting is very common and is generally harmless but it is very embarrassing for an individual to fart in public. Excessive production of gas causes farting or flatulence in the night while sleeping. It may be embarrassing for you as well as the person sleeping beside you. 

What causes flatulence in the night?

There are several factors which result in excessive production of gas and thus farting in the night such as diet, lifestyle and certain digestive disorders. The anal sphincter muscle is relaxed during the night while sleeping and the gas present in the large intestine is released through farting. Farting helps to release gas which is generally a mixture of multiple gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen. These gases constitute almost 99 percent of the gas. The remaining 1 percent are those gases which produce the bad smell such as hydrogen sulphide, skatole and ammonia. 

There are three sources by which gas is present in the intestine. They include bacteria present in the intestine which produce methane and hydrogen, air which is swallowed while eating or drinking. Gas is also produced when the acid in the stomach is neutralised. 

There are certain foods which increase the production of gas in the intestine. They are generally termed as flatulogenic and they include carbonated beverages, artificial sweeteners, brussels, sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, soy beans, onions, garlic, leeks, figs etc. The foods mentioned above may not produce gas in every person. Different foods might trigger gas production in different people. Some people may have an allergy or sensitivity or intolerance to certain foods. They cannot digest them properly and hence excessive gas is passed. For example, some people suffering from lactose intolerance are not able to digest dairy products. Some other factors also lead to increased production of gas such as eating quickly, talking while eating which causes the entry of air along with the food which gets trapped in the intestine, smoking cigarettes, chewing gum especially those which contain artificial sweeteners, consuming antibiotics at regular intervals etc.

Also, there are various diseases or disorders which lead to excessive production of stomach acid or gas.

Some of them are discussed below

Ulcerative colitis

In this disease inflammation usually occurs in the large intestine instead of small intestine. There are several other symptoms other than gas production such as blood in the stool, pain in the abdomen, diarrhoea etc.

Stomach cancer

If there is blockage of the digestive tract by the Cancer, then excessive production of gas takes place.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

It is a very common disorder of the gut. Diarrhoea, constipation, pain in the abdomen along with excessive gas production takes place.

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

There is an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine in this disease which leads to excessive production of gas along with diarrhoea and other symptoms.

Crohn's disease

It is an autoimmune disease in which the inflammation is generally in the small intestine leading to excessive production of gas but its cause is unknown.

There are certain precautions or changes in lifestyle which must be made to reduce the production of gas and hence farting while sleeping. These may include

• Stop the consumption of carbonated beverages as they are a major cause of acid production.
• Avoid foods which disturb your digestive tract such as oily or spicy foods.
• Do not talk while drinking or eating as it may allow the entry of large amounts of air along with the water or food resulting in bloating and flatulence.
• Do not eat large meals. Eat small meals at short intervals.
• Completely stop smoking cigarettes and consumption of alcohol.
• Take more and more probiotics as they help in relieving gas issues and maintain a healthy gut.

If these measures do not reduce the gas production then you should visit a gastrologist. He might prescribe certain OTC medications such as H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors and antacids to reduce acid production and neutralise the excess amount of acid. Do not take any medication without doctors advice. You may take advice from him on dietary changes as to what to include in the diet because many times healthy foods also cause gas production in many individuals and hence eliminating them would lead to lack of nutrition in the diet. The doctor might suggest certain alternatives to fulfil the nutritional requirements.