Elon Musk's Unusual Sleep Hack for Digestion Draws Scientific Scrutiny

Elon Musk, known for his ventures in electric vehicles and space exploration, recently shared an unconventional sleep tip on social media: sleeping with a stack of books under the head of his bed to aid digestion and reduce nighttime acid reflux. He advised users experiencing such issues to create a slight downward tilt of the entire bed towards the feet.

This advice is not new from Musk, who previously suggested elevating the head of the bed by about three inches (5cm) and avoiding food intake three hours before bedtime for improved sleep quality. He posited that many individuals experience mild acid reflux at night that affects sleep without their conscious awareness.

Acid reflux, also known as GERD or heartburn, occurs when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus. This is often exacerbated at night when lying flat, as gravity no longer aids in keeping the acid down. Eating close to bedtime can worsen the condition by stimulating further acid production.

Experts from Harvard Health Publishing support the practice of elevating the head of the bed by at least six inches, suggesting methods like placing wooden blocks under the bed legs at the head or using a foam wedge under the mattress head.

A 2012 study found that elevating the bed with 7.8-inch (20cm) wooden blocks led to improved sleep for 65% of participants, and reduced prolonged acid reflux episodes. More recently, a 2021 review of five trials concluded that head-of-bed elevation is a safe and inexpensive alternative to medication for GERD sufferers.

However, adopting Musk's method, or similar bed-tilting techniques, comes with potential downsides. Some studies have indicated only modest improvements in GERD symptoms and overall sleep quality. A 2020 study involving 39 patients medically treated for acid reflux found that while symptoms improved after sleeping in beds elevated by 7.8 inches for six weeks, there was no significant effect on overall quality of life.

Furthermore, over half of the participants in that study reported adverse effects, including sliding out of bed, swelling in the feet and ankles, neck or lower back pain, and issues related to the bed's tilt. For a quarter of these patients, these side effects were severe enough to discontinue the practice, despite symptom relief. Researchers noted that the high percentage of adverse effects raises questions about the net risk-benefit balance of this non-pharmacological therapy, suggesting further studies are needed to determine optimal, less disruptive tilting degrees.