Meals are often a trigger for GERD symptoms. In fact, all-you-can-eat buffets are almost always a recipe for heartburn.
A very full stomach can cause the valve between your stomach and esophagus (known as the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES) to relax, pushing stomach acids back up into the esophagus.
Eat several small meals throughout the day rather than the standard breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Don’t make that last meal too late, though: Eating close to bedtime can trigger GERD symptoms as well.)