Why do I fart so much at night?

Farting also called passing gas, is something natural. It can happen anywhere at any time. Farting is simply the body’s way of releasing excess gas from your digestive system through the anus. There is a build-up of gas in the digestive system when your body processes the food you consumed.  

On average, humans fart fourteen times a day. Farting can be controlled but sometimes it comes unexpectedly. This can be embarrassing for you when people are around you at the time of the fart. 

Most people think farting only occurs during the day but it can also happen at night and most at times a lot during nighttime or when you sleep. 

In this article, we will explore the reasons why you are farting so much at night.

Farting in your sleep

When you sleep, your body relaxes completely and lets go of any tension. Farting is one of the ways that your body releases tension. 

Also, during sleep, many of your body’s functions will be briefly suspended. Consumption of air while eating foods is the cause of regular farting. This air consists of different types of gasses, which react with the other gasses during the process of chemical breakdown and digestion. 

Due to the inability of gasses to reside in the body, they come out in the form of farts. People tend to fart while asleep because all the muscles relax during sleep and the pubococcygeus muscle is no exception to this. When gas builds up, it causes the anal sphincter to relax. 

A lot of people do not know that they fart a lot during their sleep. The most common way people learn that they are farting in their sleep is if someone else, like their spouse, draws their attention. 

What causes night farts?

Throughout the day, gas builds in the body. The healthy bacteria that live along our intestinal tract, which help us digest food, produce gas throughout the day in our digestive system. Some of the gas is absorbed by the bacteria, while others are removed from the body through farting and burping.

Here are some of the things that can cause you to fart a lot when you sleep

Diet

Many foods can cause gas. Most drinks especially are very gassy in nature. Carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, fruits (such as apples, peaches, and pears), vegetables (such as onions, mushrooms, navy, pinto, and black beans), lactose foods (like milk, cheese, ice cream) when taken before you sleep can cause you to fart.

Swallowing air

When air is swallowed it can also cause gas. Air can be swallowed by eating or drinking too fast, smoking, chewing gum, wearing loose dentures, etc. doing all this can make you fart a lot at night or when you sleep. 

Lactose intolerance

This is a major cause of flatulence. Being lactose intolerant means your body cannot break down lactose (a natural sugar found in dairy products). Lactose intolerant people can experience gas, diarrhea, bloating, nausea, stomach ache along with serious farting. 

IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal condition that affects both the large and small intestine. The exact cause of IBS is yet to be determined but factors such as genetics, lifestyle choices, allergies, stress, diet and intestinal bacterial levels can play a role in its development. 

Signs and symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation, or both. 

IBS is a chronic condition that you’ll need to manage long term. Changes in diet can help people suffering from IBS manage these symptoms. Some diet changes include 

• Drinking plenty of fluids to aid digestion
• Limiting alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and carbonated beverages, which may cause diarrhea and gas
• Eating meals at the same time each day to help regulate the bowels
• Eating smaller meals more frequently, instead of larger ones less frequently
• Keeping a food diary to identify any foods or beverages causing symptoms
• Being mindful of these trigger foods and avoiding them when possible

Medications 

Certain medications have gas as a side effect. You can talk to your doctor about alternative medications if you realize that the medication you are on causes you to fart a lot at night. 

Medications that can cause gas as a side effect include; 

• antifungals
• statins 
• certain types of laxatives 
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Celiac disease

This is an autoimmune condition that causes damage to the small intestine when a person with it eats gluten. Digestive issues are more in children than in adults. 

Symptoms in children may include gas, diarrhea. Bloating, stomach pain, constipation, anemia, headaches, fatigue, depression and anxiety. 

A healthcare professional may use an endoscope to take a tissue sample from a person’s intestines to test for celiac disease. If celiac disease is discovered, the person will need to follow a gluten-free diet.

Sensitivity to food

Some people may be sensitive to gluten, sulphur, or other substances in foods and beverages, and this can cause digestive issues. 

An elimination diet can help identify specific foods or beverages that cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as gas and bloating. This type of diet can be recommended to you by your doctor or health professional. 

Farting frequency

The average person farts 5 to 15 times per day. People with certain digestive disorders may experience more gas

How do you prevent farting so much at night?

You can reduce the number of times that you fart in your sleep or even prevent them. Certain adjustments can be made to your diet and lifestyle. Below are just a few things you can do to prevent or even reduce farting so much at night

• Make sure to eat your last meal or snack a few hours before bed. Giving time between your final meal of the day and your sleep reduces the amount of gas your body produces when you sleep.
• In case you are taking a fiber supplement, talk to a doctor about reducing the dosage of your fiber supplement or switching to a fiber supplement that causes less gas
• Avoid or reduce your intake of carbonated drinks and instead drink more water.
• Reduce or avoid high-fiber foods, dairy, sugar substitutes, and fried or fatty foods for a few weeks. You can gradually add them back when your symptoms improve.

The takeaway from this article

Farting a lot at night can be from a health condition or your lifestyle and diet choices. Making changes to these can go a long way to help reduce the number of times you fart at night.

Also identifying the main health cause can help treat this issue.