rapid heart rate when waking up

[paanda2]

i've been noticing that when i wake up, my pulse is very fast, like around 100-115/120. it continues to be that way for about a half hour after waking, as i get up and start my day. i guess it took me some time to notice, because my heart isn't pounding when this happens; it's like a soft fast heart rate. normally my resting heart rate is around 80-88. i take atenolol 25mg twice a day, once in the morning after i wake up, and once in the evening, around 7:30pm.

i guess i'm wondering if anyone has experienced this, and could it be like this because of the time when i take the atenolol? please, if anyone could give me some type of feedback! thank you.

[MommaCookiez1]

This happens to me every morning!  My heart rate jumps as high as 150+ and the pressure goes up too or sometimes the pressure stays stable while the heart spikes ... This happens as I emerge from sleep and lasts about 10minutes till it slows down back to normal!  It's very scary and exhausting!!! I've been to neurologist and cardiologists many times and they insist I'm fine! What's happening to me?

I upgraded my breast implant size from 550ccs to 1500ccs back in November and now my boobs weigh 6lbs... I'm wondering if that's too heavy on my chest as I rest and maybe that's what's causing this?

[MommaCookiez1]

This happens to me every morning!  My heart rate jumps as high as 150+ and the pressure goes up too or sometimes the pressure stays stable while the heart spikes ... This happens as I emerge from sleep and lasts about 10minutes till it slows down back to normal!  It's very scary and exhausting!!! I've been to neurologist and cardiologists many times and they insist I'm fine! What's happening to me?

I upgraded my breast implant size from 550ccs to 1500ccs back in November and now my boobs weigh 6lbs... I'm wondering if that's too heavy on my chest as I rest and maybe that's what's causing this?

[Haggis360]

You may have severe bruxism which is grinding of the teeth massiive pressure builds up in the night and is released on you waking up but just to be sure get fitted with a monitor to check no heart issues cut out caffeine altogether too.
I would always seek the doctors advice firstly and get your blood pressure checked you can buy an inexpensive one from the chemist 120 over30is healthy but over 150 is not good and a pulse rateof less than 100

[Haggis360]

You may have severe bruxism which is grinding of the teeth massiive pressure builds up in the night and is released on you waking up but just to be sure get fitted with a monitor to check no heart issues cut out caffeine altogether too.
I would always seek the doctors advice firstly and get your blood pressure checked you can buy an inexpensive one from the chemist 120 over30is healthy but over 150 is not good and a pulse rateof less than 100

[fourtrisotp]

I sort of have the same thing but my pulse isn't high in the mornings only at night when I wake up and realise how quick my heart rate is. I haven't seen a doctor about this and I've researched what the cause may be and hopefully its's just stress and anxiety (which I have a lot of). But if not that then hopefully just a symptom of a disease I have (that is an aftermath of cryptosporidium) which is undiagnosed yet. Can anyone relate and/or help?

[nannieo5]

Hi, I woke up this morning with a racing , rapid pulse. My blood
pressure was up, 2 hrs later, my blood pressure is down but my
pulse is still running high, 122 now 127

[nannieo5]

Hi, I woke up this morning with a racing , rapid pulse. My blood
pressure was up, 2 hrs later, my blood pressure is down but my
pulse is still running high, 122 now 127

[tom_h]

My physician kept increasing my beta blocker until I was walking around like a zombie.  He then recommended a sleep study where it was determined that I was actually suffering from very severe obstructive sleep apnea.  My heart was pounding hard in an attemp to circulate blood starved oxygen,  My pulse ox was in the mid 70's.  Once I started wearing a mask, my heart rate fell during sleep back to tryical restful rates.

[kdevere85]

Hi, I believe anxiety and stress has a lot to do with it. When we wake up we start worrying about the things we need to do. Also I think maybe drinking more water throughout the day would help. We sleep 8 hours normally without drinking anything and if our bodies are dehydrated that could effect us in many ways. I think if u are expecting your heart rate to go up in the morning than it does and even more when we think about it. I take magnesium and St. John's wort to help with anxiety because when we are under a lot of stress our bodies use up magnesium stores faster and it makes anxiety worse. Magnesium has many beneficial uses including controlling the heart rate. I also take Ativan and I too seem to feel jittery with heart palpitations after it wears off so it could be just a bounce back from the drug or maybe even a withdrawal.

[medheart101]

My doctor kept trying to adjust my Metoprolol to lower my blood pressure, and by increasing the dosage from 50mg to 100mg, it slowed my heart down too much and caused me to lose oxygen to the brain...another trip to the ER.  First they tried a new drug Losartin 160 mg, and this almost killed me and caused my blood pressure to explode.  Another trip to the ER.  I think they finally got it straightened out, though I still have a racing heart in the morning.  Talk to your doctor before taking new drugs!

[sajames38]

What you are experiancing, is very classic symptoms of sleep apnea. I woke up for months two to three times a night like this, had stress-ECG-blood tests, x-rays,ect. Finally had a sleep study and was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea(19 episodes and hour of paused breathing from obstruction of my tongue falling back a bit to far). The reason you awake with the rapid HR is that once you hit REM thats when the episodes begin. You have a pause in breathing, you HR speeds up to try to get more oxygen, while you Blood preassure elevates, and then your brain sends a signal to wake you up. When you wake up during these episodes, you will feel very yucky-a fast HR, a bit of elevated BP, and sometimes short of breath. My GERD makes my apnea worse at times too. I now use a CPAP machine, and the symptoms are gone. I do still have PVC symptoms here and there but only after I eat suger or fatty foods, brush my teeth-I think the toothpaste does it. I would try and get referred to a sleep specialist.

[Madge270]

I have GERD (acid reflux) and take meds for it.  Although I have a pounding heart at times during the day (and yes, in the morning when I wake and get up), my cardiologist says I'm better off without a beta blocker. I tried one, and the acid reflux was considerably worse.

Since I have a normal heartbeat in the seventies (more when active, less when resting), and blood pressure on the low side, my cardio doctor says the beta blocker just lowers the pulse and BP more.  And he's right.  That's what happened when I tried it. I also have more PVCs when my heart rate is slower.

I think a beta blocker is a good thing for many people.  And if I ever need to take one, I will. But those make me feel tired and zombie-like, and cause reflux problems for me.

I've also been told that the morning rise in pulse rate is normal for  many people. I do think that the body gets some adrenalin going then. I don't worry about it. I don't like the pounding though, which can happen randomly during the day. It happens when my heart rate is normal and I'm just sitting, or it can happen after I do some mild exercise.  I had an echocardiogram and other tests + monitor two years ago.  Guess that's just how my heart is right now.  I also found out that I have mild mitral valve prolapse and a somewhat leaky tricuspid valve.  (But my doc says that at my age (68)  that's pretty common and not to worry. So I try not to.

[Jcoope28]

Hello!!
I have the exact same thing !  I was diagnosed with IST years ago but I wake up and I'm tachy til I get movin, take my pills and drink water.  I also wake up in middle of night with tachy about 3-4 nights a week. Very scary! Mine used to be super high and now I'm on beta blocker but its all still happening :(
After eating my HR can sometimes be really high ( I stopped gluten and had some improvemnet but it eventually came back) and I also get GERD. We need to start a support club with yearly meeting s at a weekend spa. At least no one else will think we r crazy! LOL  
Oh and by the way I have had EVERY test known to man on my heart....all is fine. Some things I have found to help is to drink alot of water before standing up out of bed and take a good magnesium supplement of 400 to 800mg before bed.
Good luck to us all!

[JCA123]

I thought I was loosing it but, after reading these comments it is very reassuring i am not the only one with these symptoms. I too have had EKG's, Stress tests, lab work, echo...u name it. I even thought it was my thyroid but even that came back normal. I don't smoke or drink. I try to maintain a healthy diet and still i feel the rapid heart rate at nights. i am almost afraid to fall asleep because i dont want to feel like this. I think about these things and then it makes me feel even more anxious. I think its my job at times. i recently went to ER and was diagnosed with H.Pylori infection, doc said it could produce these symptoms due to acid buildup and reflux. currently taking meds prescribed to treat infection 2 antibiotics and prolosec, i hope this takes care of it. thanks for your input. i pray we all get this resolved and are able to move on and get our life back. Isaiah 53:5

[jnielsen980]

I too have food intolerances.  I used to have heart palpitations and the last three days I've been waking from sleep and naps with a heart rate that is between 120-155 bpm.  I'm now on atenolol 12.5 mg twice per day.  Not sure what this is.  I can't get good sleep and I'm quite frightened!

[caroline2010]

I also have a rapid pulse on waking and when moving in the morning for first half hour, my pulse goes to 140-150 and light just putting the kettle on and I feel light headed weak and have to lie down again. I am gonna get a 24 blood pressure monitor to see if it is going excessively low. I've had Cardiology tests and they tell me everything is fine. I am also going to be referred to Gastro.

I have a v sore stomach and lots of food intolerences and on a restrictive diet. After eating I am usually unwell with a pounding heart as well. I dont take any medication. I've had full blood test and I'm abit low on 1 lipid and 1 white blood cell count but they are not concerned by it. I'm 37. I am about half a stone underweight. Its really ruining my quality of life at the moment.

I am sure that the gastro and heart symptoms are interlinked.. Does anyone else have the stomach symptoms as well as heart symptoms?

[questionnone]

whats that weird feeling in your chest?

[dixnew]

i have been having the same issues, i have had an ekg and stress test but everything comes back great. i am going back to the gastro dr tomorrow and hope they give me an upper gi, last time i went they gave me prevacid 30mg, i am also on a statin for high cholestrol. all my blood work is fine except for high cholestrol. i also have a weird feeling in my chest sometimes and on my left side. i wish they could figure it out because it is driving me nuts. my wife says it is stress being i drive to work 200 mile round trip a day (waiting on my transfer) and i have twin 2 year olds.

[xklownx]

I get the same scary fast heart rate feels like just went jogging when I wake up. I can feel my heart pounding when I put my hand on my chest above my heart. Now I have a tension in my back feels like knots and puts pressure on my chest when laying down, having trouble sleeping I wake up after 3 hours. Any ideas. I suffer from anxiety disorder as well

[JanFL]

I did this routine back in November and while I was already on Cartia ER (180mg) in a.m. - it would do the morning fast heart rate bit.  So, I did the 'event monitor' and it showed the morning faster rate. It too would slow down.  And a nap showed same thing.  His solution was to put me on a 2nd 180mg cap around 10pm - and it did take care of it.  So, go figure.  I hope you get it resolved.  I had a bunch of tests as well. Nothing remarkable from the Dr. on results.  Good Luck - Jan in FL

[dancingheart]

Autumnx1003   Has a poll going for this same discussion. Just wanted to let you know. It seems that this is so popular that everyone is posting about the "wake up slump" if you can call it that! Too bad we couldn't put all these posts into one.  I am traveling all over the forum to read them all...wish I could anser them all.  I too wish this nonsense could end for myself.... BUT at least I know I am not alone!!! It seems that all our hearts are in a hurry to get moving.  So far I have seen 9 posts with this problem...Sleeping (nap or night) = undesirably fast heart rate.  

[hawkeye245]

I suffer from GERD, take altenol for BP, when I fall asleep I sometimes wake up with pounding heart - even when I take a nap this happens, makes me very nauseaous.  I take ativan for anxiety also - doctor says my heart is fine - I stress test, 64 Slice Heart Scan- what next - it seems everything almost make me sick.,

[coribell]

Iv recently started on metoprolol and iv noticed my heart rate is a little high in the morning just after getting up usually about 94 to 105 but after move around some take my medicine it slows down to normal rate.Im not sure but i think it might be bcause of the metoprolol or i know my heart never raced before i started the metoprolol.

[paanda2]

my heart rate is high when i wake up/am in bed. i notice it before i get up out of bed. then it starts slowing down then as i get moving (and take atenolol). 88 is just an example of what it is sometimes. depending on the time of day, if i ate, and the last time i took the atenolol, it is different. like right now it is 65. my doctor was saying that because i have a structurally fine heart (from echo and holter, etc), i just seem to get tachycardia; part if it is because i am thin with a fast metabolism (and just everything in my body moves fast).

but my concern really is that i just started noticing this as i've been on the atenolol. i am sure i am just being paranoid and am over thinking it. i will probably call my doctor's office tomorrow though.

thank you!