Waking up many night with a fast heart rate and scared

[lanakaye]

Many, many nights and it seems to be at night my heart rate gets up there.  The last reading was maximum of 115 during sleep.  The Dr. did not seem at all concerned about this, but it happens a lot.  Does anyone also awaken out of a sound sleep with a fast heart rate?  I also wake up every two to three hours almost every night.  This happens really often? Can anyone else identify?


lanakaye  

[achillea]

You may be suffering from nocturnal panic attacks, described here:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/expert-answers/panic-attacks/faq-20057984

This is kind of a weird condition, quite different from daytime panic, but it's not exactly rare.  Ask your doctor about the possibility.

[Danichole]

Dealt with this and my doc put me on Zoloft and it became severe. I quit the Zoloft and it turns out It was gluten all along. As long as I don't eat gluten or heavily processed foods, I sleep throughout the night.

[OldHelper]

A friend of mine have been waking up also frequently with very fast heart rate like if he had just climbed a mountain.

Could be mainly due to stress/anxiety.

Ask also your bed partner if he/she notices sudden stop in the breath or loud snoring due to sleep apnea.

[Century64]

I have been waking up in the middle of the night with rapid heart rate along with sweating/hot flashes too followed a night mare.  I also have slight anxiety.  Doctor had done EKG on me and everything was normal.  They blame it on anxiety.  Most likely you all have some type of stress/anxiety going on in your life?

[Yes2352]

Hi everyone ...I have been waking up every night in the middle of the night with my heart pumping super fast! ...I sit down a lil and it continues ..then I get up and it seems it gets worst ..then I just start to walk slowly around the house and 10-15 minutes later..it starts to go away ..then I just go back to bed and Wake up till the morning with normal heart rate ..I really don't know what's going on with me ! :(

[Century64]

do you suffer from anxiety?

[dylancars]

no need to be nosy but what terrible news

[sunny8165]

When I read that you wake up at 4 at night it was interesting. The same happens to me, but in my case it's been since I got wake up by a terrible news 5 years ago.

[sajames36]

A couple of times per week, I wake up with a fast heart rate, feel kind of sweaty or hot, and get scared and feel like I have to # 2, which I end up doing. I also get shaky like the chills, but I am not sick like with the flu. I takes about ten to 15 min for mr to calm down, and get my HR down to normal. I also hyperventilate from being scared and shaky which makes me feel worse. It is always around 4a.m. when they happen, and I was dreaming prior to waking. But I also have anxiety at times which can fuel the panic of the fast HR. So it may be a combination of dreaming/anxiety for me, and maybe the case for others. My doctor has not seemed to concerned about it either.

[melissalexf]

I'm 34 almost 35 female.  Last night I woke up sweating and feeling really weird, heart was racing and felt like i had to go to the bathroom #2.  Laid there for a bit heart still racing feeling really weird, sat up and then went to the bathroom heart still racing a bit but it slowed down once i went to the bathroom.  Laid back down and feel asleep. Anyone else ever had this??

[cadreamer317]

I had many of the symptoms that are described here.  Racing heartbeat, waking at night, sleep walking, being very afraid.  I would wake up all night.  I had been doing this for about 14 years, and the last 6 years I have been on Valium at night, which was the only thing that kept me from having those attacks.  I was tested a couple of months ago for parasites, and it turns out that I have Blastocystis Hominis, from when I lived in South America.  About 1 month after taking the herbal remedy for this (part of a 3-month regimen) I tried going off of my sleep medication, and I slept through the night!  I was shocked an amazed.  I know that some parasites cause sleep disturbances and problems with the CNS, so maybe this is what is going on with others.  I feel so glad that I do not have to take major meds any more to sleep.

[angcup]

i to wake up with hr fast and it scares the **** out of me sometimes it takes my breath away

[lanakaye]

Tony, this is very interesting.  I'll check the sugar.  My neighbor who is a diabetic has a way to check it and has offered already.  Thanks.
Are you familiar with hypoglycemia in a non-diabetic?  An internal medicine Dr. and a family Dr. have both concluded that this is the reason for my fast night heart rates.  None of the others have even thought of it.  They have just checked the immediate things deom the top presenting symptoms. However, I suppose it is up to me to tell them everything.  I had forgotten about this from when I was in my thirties, but they did find this condition and say that they thought it causes my sleep problems at night and the fast heart rate.    I was so focused on my heart  alone after all these years with no problems. I had dismissed it.  I wonder if it could be an a-fib trigger. Interesting.  Thank you again for some very thought provoking info .



lanakaye  

[FLBrat]

I wake up every two hours, have done that all my life.  Sometimes I just turn over and go back to sleep.  Other times I get up, do laundry or read.  Lanakaye, I am not "dogging" you here, but are you eating the chocolate you mentioned you liked before sleep?  It does affect sleep rythm.  It can actually cause violent nightmares, which would get your heart rate going.  Dark chocolate has been mentioned as good chocolate for heart health, antioxidants and all that.  Remember, your whole body pays for what goes in your mouth.  

[lanakaye]

Will do this.  Thank you for the tip.  It is good.

lanakaye

[va_tony]

This is from a diabetes web site:

"If you wake up during the night with any of the symptoms below, check your blood sugar immediately. (Or eat quick carbs and then check.)

Nighttime Symptoms

nightmares
waking up very alert
damp night clothes or sheets
waking up with a fast heart rate
restlessness and inability to go back to sleep "

Of course, you probably don't have diabetes but it's something to have your doctor check out for peace of mind.  

[lanakaye]

Yes  and you are right about the dreams.  We are not alone with this.


lanakaye

[ireneo]

I thought that in some cases increased HR at night could be triggered by a bad dream (remembered or not) or lingering stress from the day. I do wake up many times at night (potty breaks and hot flashes). Ain't it great getting old?

[often]

You peeps are lucky...I wake up every half hour most nights.  

[SillyHeart]

This has been happening to me for 15 years.  I've never been able to fully stop them.  My doctors never seem interested in or concerned about them.

[7754]

I have the same identical problem and neither of my drs. had a response.  I get the impression it could be from dreams that get the heart rate going.  Anyway the more we get up and stand when out of bed, I think our hearts are stressed more.  Then add to it the fact we are tired during the day from a lack of  sound sleep and our hearts may be more likely to react to normal stressors.  Try taking 1/2 of a tylenol p.m. it works for me but I don't like the groggy feeling the next morning at work.  Also try to stop eating earlier in the evening.  It's just a thought.

[KLB32]

I definitely don't take Sudafed anymore.  It is nasty stuff.  I use a neti pot for nasal congestion and if I get desperate, a nasal spray like Afrin for a few days (the side effects don't bother me since it isn't going throughout my whole body).

You can buy lavender oil at any health food store or online.

[lanakaye]

Thanks for the idea about the lavendar.  Where did you get it?

Please do not use any more sudafed or decongestants.  These can cause dangerous arrythmia's.  Best to tell your doctor that you have arrythmia's and ask him what to take that will not aggravate your heart.  I believe my cardiologist nurse said okay to use coricidin for high blood pressure when you have a cold and plain benadryl, but not together.  



lanakaye

[KLB32]

This has happened to me a few times but I suspect my HR was much higher than 115.  It scared the living daylights out of me.

One time in particular happened after I took a dose of Sudafed so I attributed it to that.

I have also had trouble sleeping.  I don't know if this would work for everyone but I tried going the "natural" route and started putting lavender oil soaked cotton pads inside my pillow case.  I really started resting alot better.

Lavender is supposed to promote good sleep and help you relax.