Nocturnal pains in the stomach Written by Dr harold Gunatillake FRCS, FICS (US), FIACS (US), MB,BS (Cey), AM (Sing) Health writer We all get some gripe or a dull ache in our stomachs in the night time when the whole world sleeps. It is annoying and disturbing and you may go through a sleepless night. So, let us discuss some of the causes, and your stomach ache should fit into one of them. Eating too much close to bedtime in most people makes them sleep well, but others feel the discomfort of fullness. Especially, when you are lying down, the gastric juice containing acid can travel back (reflux) up the digestive tract. Sometimes, this could bring pressure on the diaphragm- the partition between the abdominal cavity and the chest wall, and give rise to a temporary hiccup.   Lord Buddha was on the spot when he directed the monks to ...