Weak/soft pulse waking up

[nokindofhero]

Hey again, everyone.

I'm on edge with anxiety right now and haven't slept well.. I woke up feeling like my heart was struggling as it was rapid but very soft? I have no idea how that works.

So, about 4 days ago, I rushed to the ER for the second time in a few months.

Basically, I woke up just like today, with a steady and decent pulse probably about 75-80bpm but it felt like a forceful yet really faint beat in my chest and my neck. Like a really unpronounced beat, but fast like it was struggling. I'm used to heart slamming, but this was the exact opposite.. It just really freaked me out and I thought the worst, so I sat up, heart rate shot up and I just knew I'd be making a visit to the ER that day.

I went in, had an EKG, blood tests for any abnormalities and a chest xray which all came back fine.

They gave me a sedative with a saline flush, probably to bring my BP down a bit which was at 136/74.

Fast forward to today and I've been waking up with the same "over relaxed, soft, weak" heart beat and it really makes me worry. It just feels so unusual and I haven't been able to sleep well in forever because of it.

Any advice or reassuring words? ):

[Fishmanpa]

136/74 is actually in the "normal" range. Tests have shown all is physically well with you. What advice or reassurance will do more than that? You're speaking of a "feeling" you have, not on medical or physiological fact. That feeling is due to anxiety. Treat that and you treat any other physical symptoms you may feel and the way you react to them. Fact is, our bodies do things that feel weird all the time and it's just the way it is and it's not sinister in the least.

Positive thoughts

[nokindofhero]

Thanks, fishmanpa!

I'm feeling a little better now, but I am pretty tired.

It's just hard to believe that nothing is wrong in the moment and that soft, almost weak beat really makes me feel awful inside. Blah.

[swanick15]

The heart rate decreases as well during sleep plus what fishmanpa said about anxiety...

[anthrokid]

Fishmanpa and aaron have already given some good advice. Your body is much less active when you sleep, so your heart rate decreases. Upon waking up, many more areas of your body are active and require more blood circulation. I imagine that when you wake up, your heart needs to adjust to the different body state. Most people likely wouldn't notice this change. However, with anxiety your body is always on 'high alert' for any little warning sign. This means you notice sensations that most people wouldn't. It could just be that the sensation you are feeling is actually just a normal process of waking up, but because you are so in tune with every little feeling, you notice it and it worries you a little. Remember, you've had tests that have all come back fine, and the doctor has said there isn't anything to worry about in terms of your heart. This is good :) it's hard to ignore those automatic negative thoughts and believe something that goes against them - anxiety does that. But you need to try and challenge those thoughts. Whenever you think that your heart is weak you need to talk back to those thoughts - "My heart is not weak. My tests are all clear. My heart is healthy. Anxiety is trying to trick me." The heart is very resilient and much stronger than we often give it credit for :)