Being woken by thumping heart (nightmares)

[MidnightCalm]

Every time I wake up it is because of a nightmare and every time it happens my heart is beating ridiculously fast. So I'm woke up by this daily! Sometimes even 4 times a night.
Could it be a problem with my heart or do you think it's triggered by the nightmares?
x

[MidnightCalm]

Happened AGAIN last night, over and over.

[Ella_Jayne]

This has happened to me quite a few times and I was told it's night panic. I woke up the other night for some unknown reason saying that I couldn't breathe and my heart was racing so fast but it went away after a couple of mins. You're ok, anxiety and stress doesn't disappear at night, it's still present in your mind so anything can set it off whether you're awake or asleep. Although it always seems worse at night because everything is just so much more unsettling, waking up, confused, racing heart, panic, worry... It's not a sign of a heart condition so don't worry about that. You'll be ok.

[monkfishjoe]

I've had this too. I thought I had sleep apneoa for a while, but the Doc reckons it's night panic. It started to happen long before my daytime panic attacks too for some reason.

I'd wake up with a pounding chest, trouble breathing and the weirdest, most confused thoughts. It still upsets me from time to time, but just try and relax and go back to sleep.

If you are worried about your heart then go to the docs and ask for an ECG for reassurance. I'm sure it's fine though!

[jaynjaylyn]

I have this when I take naps during the day I will awaken to a racing heart and feel very panicked. Also right before I fall into a deep sleep at night I will awake with the same thing almost like I stopped breathing or something.

[jaynjaylyn]

oh and i get very dizzy.

[jaynjaylyn]

and veryyyyy nervous.

[fightfear]

beta blockers have fixed this for me for 6 months and counting