Most indigestion goes away within a few hours, and you can speed that up considerably with a combination of simple physical adjustments and the right over-the-counter remedy. The key is matching your approach to how urgent the discomfort is: some strategies work in minutes, others take hours but last much longer.
Quick Physical Relief You Can Try Right Now
Before reaching for any medication, a few simple changes can ease the pressure and burning that come with indigestion. Stay upright. Lying down lets stomach acid creep toward your esophagus, which makes heartburn and that heavy, bloated feeling worse. If you’re already in bed, prop yourself up on pillows or, better yet, get up and take a slow walk. Gentle movement helps your stomach empty faster.
Loosen any tight clothing around your waist. A snug belt or waistband puts physical pressure on your stomach, which can push acid upward. If your indigestion tends to hit at night, try sleeping on your left side. Research from Harvard Health found that while sleeping position doesn’t change how often acid backs up into the esophagus, acid clears significantly faster when you lie on your left side compared to your back or right side.
Chewing sugar-free gum for 10 to 15 minutes after a meal is another surprisingly effective trick. Chewing stimulates saliva production, and saliva is naturally alkaline. That extra saliva washes acid back down into your stomach and helps neutralize it along the way.
Over-the-Counter Options by Speed
If physical adjustments aren’t enough, there are three main categories of stomach acid medications, and they work on very different timelines.
Antacids are the fastest option. Products containing calcium carbonate or magnesium hydroxide neutralize acid directly and start working within minutes. The trade-off is that relief doesn’t last long, typically an hour or two. These are your best bet when you need to feel better right now.
H2 blockers take about an hour to kick in, but they reduce acid production for 4 to 10 hours. If your indigestion is lingering or you know it tends to come back after your initial antacid wears off, an H2 blocker provides more sustained relief.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the strongest option, but they’re not designed for immediate relief. They take one to four days to reach full effect because they work by gradually shutting down acid-producing cells in your stomach lining. PPIs make sense if you’re dealing with indigestion that keeps returning over days or weeks, not for a single episode after a heavy meal.
The Baking Soda Shortcut
Plain baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is essentially a DIY antacid. It neutralizes stomach acid on contact. The Mayo Clinic recommends half a teaspoon dissolved in a glass of water, taken every two hours as needed. The daily maximum is five teaspoons, and you shouldn’t use it for more than two weeks straight. If you find yourself reaching for it regularly, that’s a sign something deeper is going on with your digestion.
One caution: baking soda is very high in sodium. If you’re watching your salt intake for blood pressure or other reasons, stick with a commercial antacid instead.
Foods and Drinks That Make It Worse
If you’re in the middle of an indigestion episode, avoid anything that will slow your stomach down or irritate it further. Fatty and fried foods are the biggest offenders because they sit in your stomach longer than other foods, giving acid more time and reason to splash upward. Spicy foods, citrus, tomatoes, and vinegar can directly irritate an already inflamed stomach lining.
Chocolate, caffeine, carbonated drinks, alcohol, and onions all relax the muscular valve between your stomach and esophagus, making it easier for acid to escape. If your indigestion keeps coming back, keeping a simple food diary for a week or two will help you identify your personal triggers. Not everyone reacts to the same foods, but these categories are the most common starting points.
Peppermint Oil for Ongoing Symptoms
Enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules can help with recurring indigestion by relaxing the muscles in your digestive tract, which eases cramping and that uncomfortable fullness. The NHS recommends one capsule three times a day, taken 30 to 60 minutes before eating, with the option to increase to two capsules per dose if needed.
The “enteric-coated” part matters. Regular peppermint can actually relax the valve at the top of your stomach and make heartburn worse. Enteric-coated capsules are designed to dissolve further down in your digestive system, bypassing the stomach entirely.
Prevent It From Coming Back
Most recurring indigestion comes down to a few habits. Eating too much in one sitting is the single most common trigger, because an overfull stomach puts pressure on the valve that keeps acid contained. Eating smaller, more frequent meals reduces that pressure significantly.
Timing matters too. Try to finish your last meal at least three to four hours before lying down. Your stomach needs that time to process food while gravity is helping keep everything moving in the right direction. Eating a big dinner and going to bed an hour later is one of the most reliable recipes for nighttime indigestion.
Stress is an underappreciated factor. When you’re anxious or tense, your body diverts blood flow away from your digestive system, which slows everything down. If your indigestion tends to flare during stressful periods, that connection is worth paying attention to. Even a few minutes of slow, deep breathing before meals can make a noticeable difference.
Signs That Need Medical Attention
Occasional indigestion after a rich meal is normal. But certain symptoms alongside indigestion point to something that needs investigation. These red flags include difficulty swallowing, blood in your stool, unexplained weight loss, and persistent nausea or vomiting. You should also see a provider if antacids stop helping, if you’re relying on them daily, or if your indigestion keeps returning despite making dietary and lifestyle changes.