Why Does My Stomach Hurt When I Wake Up

You should wake up excited when your alarm sounds in the morning. Or at least, for the coffee you’ve been brewing. You wake up with stomach pains that make it difficult to get out of bed.

It’s not a big deal if it happens only occasionally. The pain will go away soon enough. You should seek medical help if you are regularly woken up by stomach pain or if it keeps you awake at night.

What causes stomach pain in the morning?

What could cause your morning stomach pain?

1. Indigestion

Indigestion is a common condition. This occurs when stomach acid causes irritation to the linings of the stomach, upper part of the bowel, or esophagus.

However, it’s not an actual condition. It is a symptom for a condition such as acid reflux or an ulcer.

Indigestion can be caused by medications, obesity, stress and anxiety, alcohol, caffeine, or spicy or fatty food. Indigestion symptoms usually occur after eating. You may experience stomach pain after breakfast.

Indigestion can cause:

• Stomach pain
• Heartburn
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Diarrhea

Fix: Reduce your consumption of alcohol and caffeine. Also, reduce spicy and fatty food. Eat smaller portions and eat more slowly. Also, keep your anxiety and stress under control.

Aspirin and other over-the-counter pain relievers can temporarily reduce the pain, but they can also cause stomach irritation. Home remedies like ginger ale and peppermint can help ease stomach pain.

What helps digestion and How to improve gut health naturally are covered here.

2. Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, can be a functional gastrointestinal condition. Stress, lack of sleep, or being out-of-sync with your circadian clock — the roughly 24-hour biological timer of your body can trigger it.

The next morning, if you have had a bad night’s sleep, it may make your IBS symptoms worse. Sleep disruption may also worsen GI symptoms, as well as visceral hypersensitivity. IBS morning symptoms can be worsened by a poor night’s sleep.

IBS symptoms include:

• Stomach pain
• Cramps
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Bloating
• Nausea

Fix: Keep your sleep debt down and circadian rhythm under control (more about this soon). These can trigger IBS symptoms and worsen them. Reduce your intake of fiber, fat, and spicy food, and avoid eating two to three hours before bedtime. Exercise, lowering your anxiety, and Melatonin Supplements are also helpful.

3. Inflammatory bowel disease

IBD is a serious digestive disorder. This occurs when the gastrointestinal tract becomes chronically inflamed. IBD includes Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis.

IBD symptoms include:

• Stomach pain
• Cramps
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Blood in the stool

Fix: Talk to your doctor if you suspect you have IBD. You may need anti-inflammatory drugs, immune system suppressors, and biologics that neutralize inflammation-causing proteins.

4. Constipation

Constipation can be defined as infrequent bowel movements or difficult bowel movements. Constipation is usually defined as having fewer than 3 bowel movements per week.

Constipation is often caused by stress, anxiety, not consuming enough fiber, drinking too little water, or not exercising enough.

Constipation can be characterized by:

• Stomach pain
• Have hard or lumpy stools
• Straining for a bowel motion
• Pain after a bowel motion

Fix: Try lifestyle changes like doing more exercise, drinking water, eating fiber, and reducing anxiety to ease constipation. Laxatives and other medications can help.

5. Acid reflux (GERD) and gastroesophageal reflux disorder

You may feel burning in your chest. However, you can also experience stomach pain.

This occurs when stomach acid flows up your digestive system into your esophagus. Acid reflux can be chronic. It is called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

A small research revealed that almost half of GERD sufferers experience acid reflux within the first twenty minutes after waking up.

Acid reflux symptoms include:

• Stomach pain
• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Bad Breath
• You have a bad taste in your mouth
• Bloating

Fix: Avoid eating close to bedtime and sleep with your head raised. After consulting your doctor, you can also use over-the counter medications like Prevacid or Nexium.

6. Food allergies and intolerances

If you ate something different last night, or accidentally ingested something to which you are allergic, you may have woken up with pain or an upset stomach.

Stomach pain can be caused by allergies or intolerances, such as celiac, to dairy, shellfish or wheat, gluten, soy or eggs.

Food allergies can cause:

• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Hives
• Wheezing
• Swelling in the mouth, lips or eyes
• Diarrhea

Fix: If you are not aware of food allergies, you can keep a food journal to record what you eat and when you experience symptoms. Speak to your doctor about allergy testing.

7. Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis means inflammation of the pancreas. This can be accompanied by pain in the stomach, particularly after eating.

Pancreatitis can cause:

• Sharp pains in the stomach or back
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• A swollen, tender or bloated belly

Seek medical attention. You may only need pain relief for the time being, but in the long run you might require antibiotics, fluids or surgery. Your doctor can also determine the cause and treat it. It could be due to alcohol abuse or gallstones.

8. Peptic Ulcer

Peptic ulcers can occur on the stomach lining, or even in the small intestine. The ulcers are caused by a Helicobacter pylori infection (H. pylori), or an overuse of anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin.

Peptic ulcers can occur at any time, but they may be worse in the morning when you are empty-handed.

The following symptoms can be associated with peptic ulcers:

• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Indigestion

Fix: An antacid over-the counter can relieve pain. If you suspect you have a gastric ulcer, you should consult a doctor. You may require antibiotics, proton-pump inhibitors (to reduce stomach acid) or surgery.

9. Period Pain

You can experience cramps and bloating at any point during your period. This includes the morning. Period pain can be made worse if you are unable to sleep due to the combination of anxiety, pain and fluctuating hormonal levels.

Period pain can be characterized by:

• Stomach cramps
• Bloating
• Lower Back Pain
• Breast tenderness
• Migraines

Fix: Try a heating pad or hot water bottle to relieve stomach pain. A brisk walk and abdominal massage are also helpful.

10. Gastritis

Inflammation of the stomach lining is called Gastritis. It can be caused by an infected, by overusing certain pain relievers or alcohol, or even by an infection.

You may experience more stomach pain after eating breakfast if you have gastroenteritis.

Gastritis symptoms include:

• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Upper abdomen feeling full

Talk to your doctor. You may require antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors or acid blockers.

11. Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis occurs when small sacs form in the large intestine wall and become inflamed.

Diverticulitis symptoms include:

• Stomach pain is usually felt on the lower left side.
• Constipation
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Fix: Speak with a healthcare professional. You may require antibiotics. Rest and diet changes can help mild cases, but severe cases may require surgery.

12. Gallstones

Gallstones, which are usually cholesterol-based, are small, hard stones that develop in the gallbladder.

It is possible that you have no symptoms at all and do not need to be treated. If a gallstone gets stuck in a duct of your gallbladder you may experience symptoms such as:

• Stomach pain on the upper or middle right side of your abdomen
• Back or right shoulder pain
• Nause
• Vomiting

Talk to your doctor. You may be prescribed medication to dissolve gallstones, or recommended surgery to remove the gallbladder.

13. Food Poisoning

Food poisoning can be caused by eating contaminated foods. It usually disappears on its own after a few days or hours.

Food poisoning symptoms include:

• Stomach pain
• Cramps
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

Fix: Unfortunately you will have to wait out the illness. Rest, drink plenty of water, and eat bland food in small portions. If your symptoms do not improve within a few days or if you are pregnant over 60 years old, have a serious condition or your child is sick, seek medical advice.