This will also mean that the stomach will take a lot longer to digest what you eat and it has to produce more acid to digest the food. This is what you don t want to happen when you are already lying down your bed getting ready to go to sleep. You should also avoid going to bed on a full stomach. You need to allow your stomach at least 3 hours before you turn in. And, you have to remember that although the pain caused by heartburn is felt in the chest, this condition is in no way related to the heart or any heart related diseases. Basically, heartburn is a digestive condition where stomach acid refluxes and comes in contact with the esophagus. A lot of people experiences heartburn for at least once every month. Another cause is by eating certain foods, such as fried and fatty foods, chocolates, coffee, peppermint, sugars, and alcohol. These foods weaken or relax the LES. Eating large meals shortly before bedtime can also cause heartburn. When you eat large meals, the production of stomach acid increases and when you lie down immediately after eating a large meal to go to bed, your body is in the perfect position for the stomach acid to reflux or come in contact with the esophagus. This means that you have to try eating frequent smaller meals rather than three large ones. Eating slowly can also help as well as avoiding going to bed right after having a big dinner. You should also start avoiding foods and beverages that triggers heartburn, such as fried and fatty foods, coffee, peppermint, fatty foods, caffeinated and carbonated beverages, chocolates, tomatoes, and citrus fruits. This is also the reason why you taste something bitter right after the heartburn episode. So, should you be concerned if you experience heartburn? For starters, heartburn is a major symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease. And, you need to remember that this can be misdiagnosed because the burning in the chest symptom of heartburn is also a symptom of ischemic heart disease, which is a much more serious illness. You also have to keep in mind that chronic heartburn can sometimes lead to much more serious complications, which will require you to seek immediate medical attention. If you are already throwing up blood or passing blood in your stools, experiencing dizziness, severe pain or light headedness, have difficulty in swallowing, feeling of dehydration, and you lost weight unintentionally, this is the time that you should call your doctor and go to the hospital.