Can heart handle this much stress and pressure?

[katiedarling]

I have not been sleeping that great, and I keep waking up in the middle of the night, sometimes two times a night.
I wake up, and I feel my heart just like....not racing, but just like pulsing. Like it feels really really prominent and heavy. It feels like its vibrating or something. It worries me and I have a hard time getting back to sleep, cause I just feel like surely my heart cant keep taking this. Like if there really is nothing wrong with my heart, then putting so much pressure on it, and constantly feeling scared about it...wont that damage it?
Like when your heart races, or you can always feel it, or your pulse feels too fast....like wont that eventually just damage your heart? Like can you heart take all that.....time and time again?
I just have such a hard time falling back asleep, because I get so agitated that I am wrecking my heart, or weakening it. I feel like my blood pressure is going up, and my pulse is too fast....and that I am killing my heart, but I cant stop it.
Is all this anxiety going to have an effect on my heart?
Im pretty scared.

[LeeBee]

Why don't you have a chat with your doctor, put your mind at ease? All I would say is that your heart is designed to cope with you running around all the time or suddenly getting startled etc. You can't "wear it out" with worry. Having high blood pressure all the time isn't too good for your arteries, but it takes years and years (like 30 or 40) to do any damage, and you can avoid this through relaxation, good diet and exercise. If I were you I'd to my doctor about my worries.

[House fan]

Hi Katiedarling

I'm sorry to hear that your going through so much worry and anguish. I hope I can reassure you a bit. Although the feelings that you are experiencing are frightening, and annoying, I can assure you that they are completely harmless, and will not damage your heart in any way!

Your heart is an incredibly strong, reliable organ that hasn't so much as missed a single beat since you were born. What you are suffering from is nothing more than sensitizes nerves. When we are feeling out of sorts, or fearful, the body releases adrenalin which speeds everything up, causing amongst other things, increased awareness of our heartbeat.

Even waking up in the middle of the night is a classic sign that all is not well with your nerves. Even as we sleep, our brain is still working hard repairing the body, and energizing it for the day that lies ahead. However,our subconcious brain holds a record of truth, and any anxieties that we harbor can be brought to light, and this can manifest itself in a variety of ways. Some people can't sleep at all, others have nightmares, and yes you've guessed it..... the increased adrenalin released by your brain can cause your heart to race, or it's beating to be more prominent!

It's a classic case of anxiety babe, nothing more and nothing less. These episodes can not harm your heart, I promise you. They are frightening I know, but now you are aware of your heart, my guess is that your constantly monitoring it's every beat, waiting in dread for it to 'act up' again.

During a conversation with a cardiologist once, I explained how I felt my heart was going to explode at times, to which he said (and I've never forgotten it) 'Who are you to tell your heart how fast or how slow to go? It's kept you alive for all these years with absolutely no input from you'.

I guess he had a point! I hope this helps a wee bit. x

House.

[katiedarling]

House,
Your email was very very reassuring. I keep coming back here and checking back for responses, and I found your email very calming. It made me feel alot safer, if that makes sense. I feel really really assured, and totally appreciated your input. You were very sweet and very gentle and I need that...
Thank you so much. Any fears that can be put to rest about my heart....makes me feel a world better. Thank you for the time House...
Darling

[monkeyness]

Hi KatieDarling
Im new to this site and feel very lucky to have come across it. I've never really told anyone about my worries, as I've kind of known in the back of my head that they are irrational, but still they have plagued me for about 4 or 5 years on and off. My heart being the main thing that I've worried about. I get stressed at work and then sometimes have chest pains and become aware of my heart rate - then I can't stop thinking about it - which makes it worse. Then I become more stressed because I think any minute I might keel over and die of a heart attack. I used to be obsessed with checking my pulse and was convinced my heart was beating unnaturaley fast and then the panic would make it worse! I had a fear of exercising because I thought my increased heart rate would mean my heart was about to give up on me. It kinda gets out of hand. I don't know where this anxiety has come from at all. I have no history of heart disease in my family at all...

Its nice to be able to speak out about things like this with like minded people, and maybe by discussing our worries, we can all make each other feel a bit better and hopefully try to overcome some of our worries.

I've told my husband some of the things that worry me, but no-one knows the full extent - I know its all in my head but that doesn't solve anything. Im a successful career girl, with a fantastic job, a wonderful husband, beautiful house, great family, great friends and a confident exterior. If only people knew what was going on inside!!!

I've often wandered too, that if there is nothing wrong with my heart, then all this worry is bound to be damaging it anyway! It was good to read Houses reply to your post. Made me feel reassured. I want to get over this because its making me unhappy.

Thanks for listening xx