Fast HeartBeats at Night

[MCmom]

So, this has been going on for about a year now. It doesn't happen every night but in bunches. Like 2-3 times a week and then nothing for a few weeks then back again.

I will go to bed and be sleeping, I will all of the sudden wake up. My legs will get this weird shaky feeling and then my heart starts to beat really fast. Like really fast. I sometimes get shortness of breath. I normally get up go to the bathroom, then walk around. Sometimes, I'll grab a banana to eat. I'll go lay back down and look at my phone, watch tv...something to get my mind off the heart beating so fast. Sometimes, I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. After a while it goes away and my heart beats like normal. It sometimes is only a few minutes. One time it lasted like 5-7 minutes.

oh and weird thing...it always happens around 3 am.

I have had a few EKGs for skipped beats and did stress test all about 2 years ago and all was normal. I'm 49 5'7 about 165. Could this be another issue with hormones/perimenopause?

HELP!

[venusbluejeans]

It sounds like you are waking up in a panic to me and you are having an anxiety attack upon waking.

YOu have done the right thing getting the tests 2 years ago and this should encourage you that this isn't actually heart related but anxiety.

If you continue to be worried about it head to the dr again to put your mind at rest.

[SarahNah]

Sometimes, when I would wake up and find my heart beating fast it would continue to do so and would take ages for it to come down. I would actually like have to push myself up onto my elbows trying to get a breath in. It would happen every night for weeks- then go away then happen again.

Just like you, I had tests done, all came back fine.

A interesting theory to this my therapist talked to me about was maybe I was having a nightmare and woke up without remembering it. Then my body would remember it, but my mind wouldn't and it would awhile to settle and it would start again! A interesting theory for sure!

[Midnight-mouse]

This is how my anxiety first showed itself as a child, it’s a night terror/panic attack sometimes triggered by nightmares or stress but other times they were random.

They always happen at the same sort of point for me too, usually a couple hours after I’ve fallen asleep. Still get clusters of them occasionally but as you’ve ruled out problems with the heart you can know that you’re safe.

Keep doing what calms you, I just lie on my phone for a little while and ride it out before going back to sleep.

Positive vibes

Mouse


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[MCmom]

Thank you everyone. That puts my mind at rest a bit. Funny thing is that sometimes when this happens, I have been having dreams where I am running or having a nightmare, but not always. Sometimes, it happens when I've had some wine to drink. Grrrr...I just want to feel normal! So frustrating!

[Colin44]

Sounds like the night time panic attacks I sometimes get. Sounds like you coped well with it, it can send me in to a state when I get them.

[Aaahhfreakout]

If you quickly take your pulse in your neck the moment you wake up and the change in heart rate isn't instant, then it's anxiety.

Heart abnormalities instantly change the heart rate, anxiety will have a quick acceleration and a long slowdown.