How to Cure a Morning Stomach Ache

Co-authored by David Schechter, MD

Last Updated: October 7, 2023 Fact Checked

There are times when you might wake up with a stomach ache. This can be unpleasant and start your day off in a negative way. Stomach ache symptoms may include a burning sensation in your lower chest or upper abdomen, bloating, burping, satiety, and nausea.^{[1]
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Research source} If you wake up with a stomach ache, there are some simple steps you can follow to help alleviate your pain and get on with your day.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Food Suggestions

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1
Try starchy foods. When your stomach hurts first thing in the morning, you may need to try to eat something that isn't going to upset your stomach even more. Food rich in starch, such as rice, potatoes, and oats, can help calm your stomach. Starches don't sit in your stomach for a long period of time and they don't stimulate acid reflux, which can make your stomach feel worse.
- Try eating a bowl of oatmeal, a bowl of rice, or grits. This can help sooth your stomach and hopefully make your stomach ache go away.
- You can also try dry toast. Avoid eating jams, jellies, or butter on the toast. Those things may cause your stomach to react and make your ache much worse.
- If you are feeling extremely nauseous, you can try saltine crackers. They are really basic and there isn't much to them. Eating them helps absorb stomach acid and relieve aches.
2
Eat yogurt. Improper digestion is a common cause of stomach aches. In order to get your digestion moving again, you can eat yogurt to get it going. Try a type of yogurt with live cultures to help flush bad bacteria out of your system, which will help alleviate your stomach ache.
- Yogurt also helps with indigestion, which can also contribute to stomach pain.^{[2]
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- Greek yogurt with a little bit of honey is a great breakfast to help ease your stomach and get your day started.
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3
Eat applesauce. Applesauce is a great food to eat when your stomach is upset. it can sooth your stomach because it is starchy and has low acidity. It is also easily digestible. If you are suffering from diarrhea, it can help ease your symptoms. Try a small bowl of it for breakfast to help alleviate your stomach ache.
- It is also high in fiber, which can help with a stomach ache related to constipation.
4
Make milk toast. Morning stomach aches may be caused by a general case of an uneasy stomach. Two of the best things for an uneasy stomach are milk and bread. While the components alone may irritate your stomach, making milk toast has the added benefit of the coating qualities of milk and the absorbing qualities of the bread without irritating your stomach. To make this, warm 1 cup of milk in a saucepan and pour it into a cereal bowl. Toast 1 piece of break and put a little bit of unsalted butter on top. Crumble the toast into the milk and eat slowly.
- Make sure your milk is not boiling. It will make it hard to eat.^{[3]
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- You can also use cornbread instead of toast. Crumble the cornbread into cold or warm milk and eat it like cereal.
5
Eat a banana. Bananas have been used for generations to soothe stomachs. They contain potassium, which helps with dehydration and irritated stomachs. They also have natural sugars, which can help relieve any hunger pangs related to early morning stomach aches.
- The plus side is that they are not too sweet, which can often cause stomach aches to get worse.
6
Cut up a papaya. Although bland foods are commonly suggested when you have a stomach ache, you can try some papaya for breakfast to help alleviate your stomach issues. It is rich in the enzymes papain and chymopapain, which help lower acidity and break down proteins in your stomach.
- Papaya will also help with constipation, encourage digestions, and ease indigestion.
7
Eat the CRAP diet. Although the name is kind of vulgar, this diet plan actually works to help alleviate stomach troubles. The abbreviation stands for cherries, raisins, apricots, and prunes. The diet suggests you eat these fruits due to their high levels of fiber. The increased fiber will help with your digestion, help flush out your system, and make you feel better.
- You can also eat these fruits dried. Make sure you get the versions with no added sugars. The extra added sugar can end up aggravating your stomach more than helping it.
- Taking soluble fiber or pills may also help.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Hydration Tips

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Drink water. One reason that you might wake up with a stomach ache is that you are thirsty. Dehydration can cause a stomach ache and since you have just gone all night without water, you may be slightly dehydrated. Pour yourself a glass of water and drink it slowly. You don't want to drink it too fast and shock your empty stomach.
- You can also add lemon to it as well. It can help calm any stomach irritation caused by the dehydration.
- You can also try to drink juice or a sports drink to help replenish any nutrients or electrolytes that you might be missing.^{[4]
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2
Make ginger tea. If you wake up with pains in your stomach, you may need something to calm your stomach down. Ginger, whether it is in tea, raw, or in ginger ale, can help calm your stomach and make it feel better. It promotes the release of enzymes that help neutralize stomach acid and contains phenols that relax the stomach muscles and irritated tissues. One of the best ways to get pure ginger is by making a homemade ginger tea.
- To make the tea, start with 2 inch (5.1 cm) piece of ginger root and water. Peel and cut the ginger root into small pieces, then crush the pieces into even smaller bits. Boil 2-3 cups of water and add the ginger once it's boiling. Let it boil for 3-5 minutes. Remove it from heat. You can strain the ginger out when they pour it into a mug if you want or you can leave it in and drink it along with the tea. You can also drizzle some honey in it to make it sweeter.
- You can simply eat ginger if you prefer that to drinking the homemade tea.^{[5]
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3
Brew chamomile tea. Chamomile tea is a great way to soothe your stomach. The chamomile in the tea helps reduce inflammation, which can help relax the muscles in your stomach that are contributing to the ache. If you are not a fan of chamomile, you can brew most herbal teas to help with stomach issues.
- Steer clear of peppermint tea. It ca relax certain parts of your esophageal sphincter, which leads to heartburn and acid reflux.
4
Try coconut water. Unlike normal water, coconut water contains electrolytes and natural nutrients that can help alleviate stomach pain. The water contains natural sugars that will give you calories to give you energy as well as potassium and vitamin C.
- Make sure you get 100% pure coconut water. You don't want any of the artificial ingredients that may make your stomach ache even worse.
5
Mix a baking soda solution. Baking soda is great for a stomach ache because it helps neutralize stomach acid, which causes pain. Many over the counter medications contain baking soda, but you can make your own home solution to ease your stomach pain. Add a tablespoon of baking soda to 1 cup of water. Stir it well and then drink it.
- You can warm the water if your want, but it isn't necessary.^{[6]
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6
Make an apple cider vinegar drink. Unlike other kinds of vinegar, apple cider vinegar is rich in nutrients that can help alleviate your stomach ache in the morning. It also has helpful bacteria and enzymes that will alleviate digestive disruption, help indigestion, and reduce cramps.
- Mix apple cider vinegar with water and honey and stir. Drink it all to help alleviate your stomach ache.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Additional Pain Relief Suggestions

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1
Let yourself vomit. If you wake up feeling like you need to throw up, let yourself vomit. It may be that you body consumed something that it needs to expel, so listen to the way your body feels and do what is best for your body. It is never pleasant to vomit, but in the end, your stomach will likely feel better.
- Holding it in can damage your esophagus because the stomach acid is just sitting in your throat.^{[7]
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2
Release any anxiety. One reason you may have a morning stomach ache is because you are anxious about something. If you know you are worrying too much about something, try to calm yourself. Anxiety often causes nausea and stomach aches, so relieving your own anxiety can often make the harsh feeling of your stomach in knots go away. Try to acknowledge the anxiety and let go of whatever is bothering you.
- Try meditating or even breathing. This can help your muscles relax and make you feel better overall.^{[8]
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3
Stretch your back and neck. You may wake up with a stomach ache because of muscle tightness all over your body. This can happen due to a strange sleeping position or over exertion the day before. To alleviate this, lie flat on your stomach on a flat, solid surface. Push your arms up, lifting just your upper body and arching your back toward the ceiling. This will stretch out your back and release the muscles in your abdomen as well.
- To exercise your neck, tip your head forward and touch your chin to your chest, holding for 10-15 seconds. Next, tip your head to either side and hold your ear toward your shoulder, holding for 10-15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.^{[9]
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4
Use heat. You can use a hot water bottle or a heating pad to help alleviate the pain in your stomach. Lie flat on your back and lay the bottle or pad across your stomach. The heat will increase the blood flow to the skin surface. This helps lower the feelings of pain from underneath the abdomen.^{[10]
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- They also make heat patches that may work. You can buy them at your local pharmacy or general store.
5
Try reflexology. There is a method called reflexology that uses the nerves in the body to help relax other areas of the body. In this practice, the nerves in the left foot correspond to the stomach. To use this technique, grab your left foot with the palm of your right hand. Push under the ball of the foot with your left hand and apply a steady, even pressure with your thumb. After a few seconds, release the pressure and move up a little bit, repeating the motion.
- After you reach the top of the arch with your left thumb, come back down the foot with the right thumb, applying the same pressure until you reach the bottom area of your foot.
- If you can't get it right by yourself, have someone else rub the area for you. You may not be able to properly relax if you are doing it to yourself.^{[11]
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6
Take over the counter medications. There are some useful over the counter treatments that can be helpful for a stomach ache. You can try medicines such as Pepto-Bismol or Imodium if you feel overly nauseous or have diarrhea. If your stomach pain is more related to indigestion or acid reflux, you can try medications with ranitidine in them, such as Zantac. Avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium as because they may make your stomach pain worse.^{[12]
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Expert Interview. 15 July 2020.}
- Make sure you follow the dosing instructions for these medications. If you are curious about any issues that may arise from taking them, ask your doctor.
7
Seek medical help. If your stomach ache persists for more than one or two mornings, you should see a doctor to check for any underlying conditions. You should also see a doctor if you try a few remedies and your stomach ache gets worse.^{[13]
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Family Medicine Practitioner

Expert Interview. 15 July 2020.}
- You never want to put yourself in danger waiting for remedies to work on an issue that may have a more serious cause.

List of Foods to Help a Morning Stomach Ache

Sample Foods to Help a Morning Stomach Ache

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Question

What helps ease a stomach ache?

David Schechter, MD
Board Certified Physician
Dr. David Schechter is a physician in Culver City, California. With over 25 years of experience as a family and sports medicine physician, Dr. Schechter specializes in mind-body medicine, preventive medicine, and chronic pain. Dr. Schechter received his MD from New York University and is an attending physician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He was named a Top Doctor by Los Angeles Magazine and Men's Health Magazine. He has also written several books, including The MindBody Workbook.

David Schechter, MD

Board Certified Physician

Expert Answer

The trick is to figure out what's causing the stomach ache. So first, you need to figure out where the stomach pain is. If it's in your upper abdomen, you may be dealing with acid reflux or upper abdominal reflux. In that case, any calcium-carbonate based stomach medication will help. If it's lower stomach pain and you have diarrhea, then it could be stress, a virus, or something else. You could just try to let this kind of pain pass, since it will normally go away. If you have really localized pain, you may have appendicitis or some other kind of condition that requires medical attention. Other types of abdominal pain might be more of a vague bloating or gassiness, which could be a number of different things. So it really depends on what kind of stomach ache you're dealing with.

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Question

Can a hot shower help cure a morning stomach ache?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

Never heard of a hot shower curing a morning stomach ache before, but it is always good to stay clean and healthy. The water can have a calming effect as well.

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Question

What is should I do for stomach pain that has lasted for 4 weeks?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

If you have chronic abdominal pain, it warrants evaluation by a doctor or gastroenterologist. Make an appointment right away.

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Tips

To prevent stomach aches, eat five or six small meals a day instead of two or three big meals. Avoid fatty or spicy foods and medications such as aspirin that make your symptoms worse.

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If you get a stomachache after eating dairy, you may be lactose intolerant.

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You can make celery water: Cut up some celery and place it in water and boil it. Then drink it and you will feel better.

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Find a quiet relaxing place and try some yoga. Stretching might help with muscle tightness, which can cause stomach pain.
Drink water and eat a healthy breakfast.

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Warnings

See a doctor for a stomach ache if you have bloody stool, intractable diarrhea or vomiting, severe pain, fever, or weight loss.^{[14]
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A person may be infected with H. pylori, a bacteria that cause stomach ulcers. Treatment should be done with antibiotics. ^{[15]
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