Strange phenomenon at night

[is_something_wrong]

Hello, I have a question about something strange happening occationally at night.

If I fall asleep, and wakes up just as I'm about to sleep (from several reasons, my girlfriend going to bed, my book hits the floor, or just for no reason), I get a very strange sensation, some kind of shiver/tremor, and it feels like my heart rate is at least 300. It's really not, it's usually 60-90 (checking pulse), completely regular, but it sometimes feels like a pulse wave hits every third or fourth "shiver wave" (in lack of a better word).

In my semi-concious condition, I'm thinking this may be atrial flutter. Though, it would be strange to get this only when I'm waking up falling asleep, and I guess you don't notice the atrial contractions when you have atrial flutter?

It's more likely to be tremor due to anxiety, but it would be fun to know, is there anyone else experiencing this? I can't find it anywere in literature.

Thanks in advance :)

[jondsam]

The real question is something really wrong.  IF you have a normal echo and EKG, chances that anything is really wrong are very slim.  You probably are a bit anxious like all of us here.  When the heart acts up , it is the scariest feeling in the world.

[rilesnic]

I was going to post how vivid my dreams actually are, but didn't want to whine too much..lol...my husband probably wakes me 2 times a month from me trying to yell out in my sleep...while I'm sleeping I try so hard to yell out for help, for whatever reason in that particular dream, and eventually wake him from me trying to get it out...when he wakes me my heart is racing.  I dread going back to sleep.. I have suffered from nightmares since I was a child...sometimes I remember them, sometimes I don't.

[cindy707]

I agree totally with what you have said......my heart doc says that the reason it happens during our sleep is because humans dream vividly and we actually react to the dreams physically while we sleep....like running from something...or getting scared.....etc.

[rilesnic]

I find that lately, even when I'm awake, I feel like my heart is beating really fast, but when I check my pulse, it's normal.  I even feel a little short of breath, like I have to take a deep breath...it is a very strange sensation...I do feel a lot of heart palps and racing during my sleep which do wake me.

[kay2486]

i wake up with my heart going a little bit faster when ive drifted off to sleep and dream i tripped over in my sleep i get  cold sweat then go normal

[cindy707]

Hi i read your post....you may want to look into REM which is a normal and common occurance with all humans........just a thought

[is_something_wrong]

Hi, thanks for reply :)

I guess you are right. The strange thing is, it feels like heartbeats but in fact it's not. Would be interesting to know where those "heart beats" / tremor origins. I can't find any logical explaination :)

[r9c]

Hi,in my opinion is more likely due to tremor due to anxiety,at times when i am asleep,well like kind of half asleep,i got awoken up by a dream like my heart has been palpitating very fast and once i woke up and check my heart rate it wasnt the fast,just normal around 75 bpm as usual,very strange i guess anxiety dosent goes away even when we are asleep,as its our self defence mechanism and once people who suffered from anxiety disorder their nervous system tend to be more alert than those who never have this disorder.Btw i had this feeling of fast heart beat while i was sleeping then awoken up to be normal and at that time i was wearing a 24 hour holter,and when the result came out,everything was normal,the only fast heart rate was mostly during daytime,like going up the stairs etc..