It's amazing how the lifestyle choices you make can affect your overall health. If you have been diagnosed with acid reflux, it's important to find out how to control your symptoms and begin living a more comfortable life. Acid reflux disease will never go away, but the effects can be reduced and the symptoms can be prevented through simple lifestyle changes. Try these seven tips before taking more drastic actions:

1. Eat Smaller Meals

If you typically eat three big meals a day, try adjusting your schedule to taking six small daily meals instead. This can help to prevent you from overeating. When your stomach gets too full, there is an increased amount of gastric pressure. Overeating is a major cause of acid reflux flare-ups, so stick to smaller meals and give your stomach a break. Eating more slowly can also help to reduce your discomfort.

2. No Bedtime Snacks

For at least two hours before retiring to bed, do not eat or drink. If you are one of the lucky ones who enjoy an afternoon nap, you can try doing so in a chair. Lying down with a full stomach can cause the contents of your stomach to be pressed against your lower esophagus, which increases the chances of acid reflux.

3. Watch What You Eat

Many common foods and beverages will trigger acid reflux either through the increased production of acid and gastric pressure, or by loosening up the lower esophagus muscle. Any foods that trigger heartburn should be avoided. Certain foods, spicy foods, coffee, and citrus fruits and juices can irritate the lining of the esophagus and should be eaten in moderation. Try to avoid eating these types of food with dinner, to help prevent nighttime heartburn. If you're not sure which foods tend to trigger your heartburn, try keeping a heartburn record for a week to determine which foods you need to stay away from.

4. Avoid Smoking or Alcohol

Alcohol consumption should also be avoided in your efforts to reduce acid reflux. Alcohol not only creates excess stomach acid, it also relaxes the lower esophagus muscle. When this muscle is relaxed, the contents of your stomach tend to reflux back up into the esophagus. If you do plan on consuming alcoholic beverages, do so in very small quantities. If complications arise, stop drinking alcohol altogether. Smoking is another poor choice for those with digestive problems. In addition to the seemingly endless list of health concerns caused by smoking, it also stimulates the production of stomach acid, leading to an increase of acid reflux symptoms.

5. Sleeping Patterns

The acid in your gut responds to gravity, so keeping your head higher than your waist will help to some degree in keeping the acid down. You might want to purchase a big, wedge-shaped pillow, which will help elevate your shoulders and head. Some people also purchase an adjustable bed, which allows them to incline the head of the bed. A cheaper (though slightly risky) alternative is to prop up your current bed's legs.

6. Stay Comfortable

Remember that tight clothing constricts your stomach, pushing food against the lower esophagus. This can lead to acid reflux symptoms as well. Therefore, try loosening your belt, or wear clothes that are less constricting and have either elastic waist support, or hang loosely.

7. Get More Relaxed

Researchers are unsure about the relationship between heartburn and stress. However, stress may be a factor in acid reflux disease, especially as a precursor. Regardless, reducing stress may help people to also reduce the likelihood that they will turn to comfort foods or drinks that will cause heartburn.

These seven tips can help relieve your acid reflux symptoms. As you know, no single factor can be blamed for this health condition, but a lot of little factors acting together can lead to your problems. So tackle the little things one at a time, and you can find the relief you seek.