Difficulty Falling Asleep And Palpitations
- Medical Author: Dan Brennan, MD
Reviewed on 6/15/2020
Your symptoms can be caused by multiple medical conditions, including a heart condition, stress reaction, or panic attack. Keep track of your symptoms and if you have concerns, please contact your doctor. If your symptoms seem severe or if they persist, you may need to call 911 or go to the emergency room.
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
What Is The Mechanism
The mechanism of heart palpitations when lying down depends on the reason that causes it.
In heart diseases, it is due to the inability of the diseased heart to pump properly the blood throughout the body. When lying down, it has to work much harder to properly supply the tissues with blood, and this causes palpitations.
Even dehydration causes palpitations with the same mechanism. The only difference is that the inability of the heart to properly pump blood throughout the body is due to the decreased circulatory volume and not due to an affection of the heart tissue.
Stress and anxiety cause heart palpitations when lying down, due to the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, which stimulates the heart to beat faster and harder.
Eating too much food causes the heart to beat faster, to pump more blood to the gastrointestinal tract, in order to digest the eaten food. This causes palpitations.
The hypersensitive electrical system causes palpitations due to the increased sensitivity of heart electrical system. It can be stimulated even by changes of positions, or by putting pressure on various parts of heart tissues, causing palpitations.
Thyroid affections can cause palpitations. This is a result of the direct effect its hormones have on heart tissue.
In certain periods of a womans life, such as perimenopause, menopause, menstrual cycle and pregnancy there are some hormonal changes in the body, which can cause palpitations.
How Can I Keep My Heart From Racing At Night
Consider if any of these common causes of nighttime heart palpitations could be affecting you and try to address the issues.
If you think your eating habits may be responsible, watch what you eat and drink late in the day and early evening and opt for healthier snacks or herbal tea.
If stress is the problem, add some relaxation techniques to your bedtime routine. Try deep breathing, meditation, stretching, journaling, or reading. Regular exercise also can help you maintain a normal heart rate.
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Why Does My Heart Race At Night
1 Minute Read
You go through the day feeling fine, but when nighttime rolls around and you lie down to sleep, your heart starts beating rapidly.
If this sounds like you, then you may be relieved to know that nighttime heart palpitations are common and usually dont signal a major health problem. If you dont think any of their common causes apply to you, it may be best to talk to your doctor.
What Are The Drugs For Heart Palpitation
Enalapril, lisinolipril and captopril are examples of this medications. Digoxin Digoxin is used to treat heart failure, usually along with other medications. It is also used to treat certain types of irregular heartbeat. or digitalis corrects arrhythmia so can be used as a medication of heart palpitations. Other anti-arrhythmic drugs are: Amiodarone This medication is used to treat certain types of serious irregular heartbeat. It is used to restore normal heart rhythm and maintain a regular, steady heartbeat. , flecainide , propafenone etc.
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Why Did I Wake Up With My Heart Pounding
Anxiety. Stress and anxiety trigger the release of stress hormones, which in turn increase your heart rate and blood pressure. The more anxious you feel, the more pronounced your symptoms can be. If you have depression or anxiety, or are under a lot of stress, you may wake up with a racing heart from time to time.
How To Treat Heart Palpitations When Lying Down At Night
If ones doctor doesnt find the heart suffering from any particular ailment, then the abnormal beating of the heart rarely requires any treatment. The doctor only prescribes ways for one to stay free of the heart palpitations, but if the abnormal beating of the heart is due to ailments such as an arrhythmia. Treatment will be mainly to rectify the ailment.
The most effective ways to treat heart palpitations is by staying away from any factors that lead to cause the condition
- One has to reduce stress: By using relaxing methods. For example meditation, yoga or deep breathing.
- Avoiding Using Stimulants: For example Caffeine, nicotine, medicines which are cold and some energy drinks which make ones heart beat abnormally either fast or in an irregular way.
- Avoiding The Use of Illegal Drugs: Drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines can cause the condition.
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When Should I See My Healthcare Provider About Heart Palpitations At Night
If you have frequent heart palpitations when resting or lying down, you should schedule a visit with your provider. Most of the time, heart palpitations at night arent harmful. But its important to see your provider to be sure they arent signs of a serious health problem.
Get help right away if you have heart palpitations and:
- Loss of consciousness or fainting .
- Severe swelling in your limbs, especially your legs, ankles and feet.
- Unusual or sudden fatigue.
You should also seek medical attention if your fitness device alerts you to a heart rate over 100.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
If you often have heart palpitations at night, talk to your provider. Although most heart palpitations arent dangerous, you should schedule an evaluation. You can lower your risk of heart palpitations at night by eating right, avoiding alcohol and nicotine, and staying away from caffeine before bed. Try yoga and meditation to reduce stress and help you relax. Get help right away if heart palpitations happen along with chest pain, dizziness or shortness of breath.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/22/2021.
References
Rapid Heartbeat While Lying Down: Symptoms And Causes
Have you ever experienced a more rapid heartbeat while lying down?
Heart palpitations are quite common, and every person might experience it every once in a while. Although these sensations may come and go, it can be worrying to feel your heart racing when at rest, particularly when lying down at nighttime. Lets find out why this happens and learn on how to stop heart palpitations at night.
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If This Problem Plagues You Most Nights Try This:
Do one minute of your hardest exercise such as squat jumps, squat thrusts, burpees, jump lunges, pushups or sprinting on your treadmill.
Dreamstime.com/ Tomasz Borucki
And I mean DARN HARDEST for 60 seconds, so that at the end, youre gulping air.
This one minute of strenuous exercise will trick the body into thinking you engaged in the fight part of the fight or flight response.
The body will then release hormones that will oppose the stress hormones that cause your heart to flutter in the first place!
This approach may calm down your heartbeat, once your rate returns to normal after the exertion.
Dr. Davidsonis with the Division of Cardiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and has been practicing for 30+ years. Areas of specialty include coronary artery disease, heart attack and palpitations.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. Shes also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Causes Of Heart Palpitations When Lying Down On Left Side
Palpitation is the abnormal beating of the heart. This commonly occurs to people with heart problems however, this may be felt by others with no diagnosis of any heart disease. These palpitations may be in the form of an extra beat or more beats that last for long periods of time.
Palpitations are sometimes ignored by many but others extremely worry about it. Though the vast majority of palpitations are not related to heart illness, still it is better when one should consult a doctor about it.
Series of tests may be undertaken to determine what causes ones irregular heartbeats. These abnormal beats are usually felt on the chest, throat, or neck.
Some people may feel unusual increased in heartbeats for only a certain time but others may feel it often, after eating, or when lying down.
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What Is The Best Medication For Palpitations
Medications called beta blockers are the most commonly used type of drug to treat palpitations. These drugs slow the heart rate and control the electricity flowing through the heart. A medical procedure called an ablation can be performed by your cardiologist to help control palpitations from arrhythmias.
What Causes Heart Palpitations When Lying Down At Night
Heart DiseasePeople who have heart diseases are likely to experience frequent heart palpitations due to the defects in the heart. Oftenly occurs when one is lying down due to the side the heart is at and has to work harder in circulating blood through the body system. This happens often if the heart already is suffering from a given ailment or condition. Diseases or conditions affecting the heart such as, valvular heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias and my cordial infarction are some of the known ailments of the heart which can lead to an acceleration of the beats of the heart hence palpitations.
Intake of Caffeine Drinking large quantities of caffeine per day accelerates the metabolism rates of the body system which in turn leads to an increase in the beats of the heart of any given person. Excessive drinking of coffee or tea which are stimulants which contain high levels of caffeine is major causes of the abnormal beating of the heart.
Dehydration Excessive alcohol intake or doing exercises before going to bed or late hours of the day may cause one to suffer from dehydration, this mostly shows when they get palpitations while lying down. Manifests itself while an individual is lying down.
Smoking Nicotine which is mostly found in cigarettes which is a form of a stimulant, leads to the acceleration of the beats of the heart. Individuals who have the hobby of smoking find themselves at a high risk of suffering from heart palpitations.
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Occasionally These Heart Rhythm Disruptions Signal A More Serious Condition
Lately you’ve felt like a flipping fish is stuck inside your chest. You feel fine otherwise, but there it is again flip, flop. It’s gone as fast as it appears. But you’re starting to worry: is it a sign of a serious heart problem?
Chances are what you’re feeling is a condition called heart palpitations, which are usually harmless blips in the heart rhythm, explains Dr. Peter Zimetbaum, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Harvard Medical School. Only occasionally are these rhythm disturbances the sign of a more serious heart problem that should be checked out.
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Diagnosis For Heart Palpitations When Lying Down At Night
The following procedures are used to test the number of beats of an individuals heart beats. This depends on the seriousness of the condition and the duration of the test needed to get the number of heartbeats required to happen.
The tests that the doctor may require to do will depend on the overall condition of ones heart. The tests are taken while incorporating the signs you narrate to the doctor, this allows them to come up with the correct diagnosis or any other hidden factor that may lead to them happening. The diagnosis procedures include
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Why Do My Heart Hurt Randomly
Muscle or bone problems can cause sudden, sharp chest pain. Your ribs and the muscles between them can get injured or bruised by working out, carrying something heavy, or in a fall. You can also sprain a muscle in your chest wall. Chest muscle or bone strain can lead to a sudden, sharp pain in your chest.
Heart Palpitations: When Should You Worry
It seems as though almost everyone has heard a cautionary tale about heart health. An unrecognized symptom, an undetected heart condition, or pushing your heart to its maximum capacity during practice or time outdoors can all produce a dangerous, and sometimes fatal, result. Stories like these have prompted awareness about heart conditions and heart health, and have also helped to increase knowledge of which symptoms to keep an eye out for.
Heart palpitations, the feeling of a rapid, fluttering, pounding, or otherwise irregular heartbeat, is one of those symptoms. When these occur during physical activity or on particularly warm days, its a cue to slow or stop what youre doing. However, heart palpitations arent exclusive to situations like these. Anyone can be affected by that feeling of a fluttering heart, which is why understanding the causes and concerns associated with it can help you determine whether or not to worry.
Heart palpitations can be alarming, because your heartbeat feels abnormal, explains Richard R. McCurdy Jr., MD, Lankenau Heart Institute cardiologist at Riddle Hospital, part of Main Line Health. Fortunately, most palpitations are not dangerous and often can be explained by external factors.
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Are Heart Palpitations A Sign Of A Heart Attack
Heart palpitations
Your heart and body rely on a consistent, steady beat to best move blood throughout your body. If the beat gets out of rhythm, this could be a sign youre having a heart attack. Heart palpitations due to heart attack can create a sense of unease or anxiety, especially in women.
Catch Heart Palpitations In The Act
The key to diagnosing palpitations properly is to catch them red-handed on an EKG. Thats unlikely in the brief time youre hooked up to an EKG machine at a doctors office.
Palpitations that occur one to several times daily can often be detected by a Holter monitor, a strap-on device worn for 24 to 48 hours that continuously records your heartbeat.
For less frequent palpitations, a cost-effective way to detect them is to wear a cardio-event recorder, which can transmit graphic recordings of episodesif and when they occurover a more prolonged period.
To detect underlying heart disease, an EKG before and immediately after exercise, or a nuclear stress test, in which injected material is used to detect coronary artery obstructions, may be necessary.
A last resort is the invasive electrophysiology study, in which a catheter is threaded from your groin to your heart, and drugs are used to provoke the arrhythmia and pinpoint its origin. Once identified, the source of the abnormal rhythm can be eliminated by high-frequency sound waves. A defibrillator-pacemaker can be implanted if needed.
When trying to find the cause of palpitations, its important to consider the setting. In a study of 190 people with them, less than half had heart disease. One-third of the remaining cases were due to psychological causes, such as anxiety. No cause was found in 16 percent. The rest of the cases were triggered by thyroid overactivity, anemia, and drug ingestion, including caffeine.
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How Do Healthcare Providers Diagnose Heart Palpitations At Night
Your provider will ask about your symptoms and listen to your heart. They may recommend a blood test to look for anemia or infection. A blood test can also show signs of a vitamin deficiency or a problem with your thyroid.
To monitor your heart rate, they may do an electrocardiogram . This test measures your heart rate using sensors that attach to your skin. They may ask you to lie down during the test, which usually takes about 15 minutes.
Many times, an EKG doesnt detect heart palpitations. You might not have an irregular heartbeat during the test. If this happens, your provider may recommend an ambulatory electrocardiogram such as a Holter monitor. You wear this device for up to a week as you go about your daily activities. It records your heart rate and stores the information for your provider to review.
Why Does One Have Palpitations When Lying Down
When palpitations lying down are more noticeable, the person can be at rest and when there is no distraction in the room. Sometimes, they can be so intense that can even wake one up from sleep.
Palpitation is the awareness of an abnormal beating of the heart. Some people may get heart palpitations for only a short period of time, but others may experience them from time to time.
Heart palpitations when lying down are not a common occurrence and can be caused by many factors, as the following:
· Heart diseases Most people with heart disease experience palpitations when lying down, because in this position the heart has to work harder in order to pump the blood throughout the body.
Palpitation may be experienced more when lying on the left side, due to the excess pressure put to the heart.
· Dehydration Dehydration can cause palpitations when lying down. Things that can cause dehydration are drinking alcohol or exercising before sleep or late in the day.
· Stress and anxiety They can be one of the main causes of palpitations when lying down. Sometimes people get obsessed with this palpitation, which only makes them worse.
· Mitral valve prolapse People with this disease complain of having heart palpitations when lying down, especially on the back or on the left side, or while lying down o watch television.
· Eating too much food A lot of people get palpitations after eating too much food.
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