Palpitations only during the night?

[Chantel]

I've never been one, despite my health anxiety, to worry about my heart but the last few weeks have had palpitations that are making me anxious. I don't notice them until I wake up during the night (usually by my 4 month old who is still nursing during the night). My heart rate is at its slowest, naturally, but every 7 or 8 beats it's like my heart will hold for a half second. Is this a skipped beat and why would I only be getting it at night? I never notice them during the day.

It seemed to go away for several days but came back last night. Can anyone relate?

[Aaahhfreakout]

It could be skipped beats. You could ask to be put on a 24 hour portable monitor to see what it really is.

Is there any relationship to your breathing rate?

[Chantel]

I notice when it happens after waking up that I have been breathing really shallowly if that makes sense. It seems to come and go. Some nights I am fine and other nights notice it's happening every time I wake up.

[Aaahhfreakout]

The reason I asked is that there is a common feature in young, healthy people of the heart rate varying with breathing, increasing as you breathe in and decreasing as you breathe out.

[Chantel]

Yes, that does happen to me during the day time but these palpitations are exclusively at night.

[teez]

yes i can also have this several times a night,,mainly when my anxiety levels are high,,,if ive been uptight all day its virtually guaranteed,,and like you say can wake me up throughout the night

[Strawberry_3]

It could depend on your breathing, mine slows down (and almost pauses) when I breathe out really slowly, and quickens up when I breathe in.