Gladbach needed only one half to wrap up just their second win in seven matches with goals from Lars Stindl and Raffael before Christoph Kramer struck the decisive third just before the break with a quickly-taken free kick.
The hosts moved up to 43 points in eighth place, three off the sixth place that leads to the Europa League.
Wolfsburg, champions in 2009, remain in 14th on 30, the same as Mainz 05 in 15th and Freiburg in 16th, the relegation playoff spot.
Freiburg visit 17th-placed Hamburg SV on Saturday while Mainz travel to Augsburg a day later.
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich go to Hanover 96 on Saturday ahead of their Champions League semi-final first leg next week against Real Madrid.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ian Chadband)
