Pounding heart beat everytime I try to fall asleep/ Am I sick or just crazy???????

[Alady]

Hello*** I was wondering if anyone could provide me a little information and possibly some relief to the problem I am experiencing right now.  Every night for the past week or so, when I try to fall asleep, my heart rate accelerates tremendously and pounds like crazy.  Normally I never have any trouble falling asleep so this is becoming somewhat of an annoyance because I actually FEEL sleepy but because my heart beats so fast and so hard it keeps me awake.  I can feel it throughtout my body and it lasts for hours. I try so hard to fall asleep that I have come up with little tricks to kind of "pych myself out".  Like I try rolling over in different positions trying to offset the rhythm so hopefully when it starts again it will be normal. I try to clear my mind totally.  After a while I will doze off, (without me knowing but I'm not complaining) but I'll wake like 45 min later only to realize that my heart is still beating as hard as ever.  If I get really annoyed I'll try to stand up, walk around or go for a drink of water.  But nothing helps.  And I'm so sleepy. As soon as I settle back in it starts again. I have had anxiety issues in the past but I think what made it worse for me is that at first I didn't know what it was.  Then once I became more aware of what an actual "anxiety attack" was it just kind of went away on its own.  And I do admit I was dealing with a whole lot at the time.  But now, on the contrary, there has been no extreme changes in my life or anything I would say I am really stressed or worried over; @ night all I pretty much want to do is sleep and I can't.  It's coming to the point now that I am almost expecting my "nightly episodes", like I'm looking for it to start.  And this is an obsession (an unhealthy one at that) that I don't care to have!  The way my heart beats it feels like to me that it is pumping way too much blood throughout my body for too long of a time,  my heart might burst, or I may die in my sleep.  Its poisoning my thoughts and I wish I knew what to do to make it stop.  I'm afraid. Please help.

[Mellisa1977]

Sounds like sleep anxiety,  you obsess that much about heart pounding and not sleeping that you don't sleep because of your heart racing.

I suffer from it myself, you can't force yourself to sleep,  you associate bed with heart racing and not sleeping,  so guess what - You don't sleep because of your heart racing!

When I don't think about, not thinking about not sleeping and heart racing,  I sleep!

[chalten]

hi everyone am 30 yrs..am having this issue of pounding heart every night it drives me crazy.. is making me to be having negative thought like is like am goin to die..have gone for ECG and echodiagram..last month and my heart is very much owk no heart disease.. I was happy to see d result buh this issue of nt sleeping in the night will be forcing my self to sleep and will be having bad thought ..pls I need some help is making me unhappy.. tnx

[JessJoyce]

Hello, I know you posted this quite sometime ago but I have started experiencing this at night and your description fits me to a tee.  Heart pounding, sinking feeling...did you every figure out what was causing it?  Thank you!

[sot0123]

Same story here. Go to toilet, **** as much as you can and empty your stomach. It really helps.

[DDvv12]

Well I did all possible blood tests and two ultrasound tests. Hearing that my heart has a normal shape and that all the valves are properly working really helped the situation. The first 48Hour holter monitor shows nothing out of the ordinary (I didn't really feel this during that period) now the cardiologist offered a week long holter - if that is not enough they are able to extend it.

My experience so far tells me that you need to think about some of the bad habits and do whatever you need to do to change them (fix bad sleeping habits, bad eating habits, eat breakfast, go for walks, jogs, bike rides, and take breaks from the computer screens).

[Tommward]

Wow I can't believe these many people have the same problem I am having. It's not an everyday occurrence it only happens once in a while. Had test done and everything and was told I was having anxiety attacks and my heart beat was fast so the doctor prescribed propanalol to slow my heart down some. It worked for the most part. Was also prescribed Xanax but I never took them. I don't wanna feel all doppy lol. But I commented on this post because for some odd reason when this happens I go on the toilet and have to take a number 2 and after I'm done I feel better and my heart slows down. I don't know if this is some kind of placebo effect or maybe there is more to it. I would get these episodes so bad that I would get really cold and start shivering uncontrollable and can't stop. I even called the ambulance a few times cause I was so scared. My resting heart beats per minute were around 125 to 130. That is pretty high for a resting heart. Everytime I have my blood pressure taken they say it's almost text book good usually around 120 over 60. I don't know what causes this and the doctors aren't either. They are stumped and can only figure out I have anxiety. Well I hope everyone feels better. If this happens you can always try to go outside and breath in the air. Take deep breaths and try to calm yourself down.

[adamcataleya]

I have experience the same thing. The worst thing is i cant sleep for 7 nights. Im totally lost and confuse

[Zeus_Apollo]

I also have this issue and my mom thinks I just have really good hearing. Sometimes when I'm in my resting state my whole body moves along with my heartbeat.I've been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and I think that's the main reason why I have this. Doctor said he didn't hear anything out of the norm but being me, I'm getting really angry about it and I want it to go away. I can't take it anymore

[bonrabbit]

Many thanks for your comments, I exactly took your advice (having shower at 7pm, no any electrical or electronica equipment after shower, books only) after two nights stay-up with pounding heart beat. at first book night , I still had one or two times pounding heart beat during sleep. but it was so great that I didn't stay up nearly whole night ! then, I added some massage, and try to practice a little bit Tachi, it looks better and better. next step, I will add day exercise in!