Why is my heart racing when im trying to sleep?

We’ve all been there, lying in bed, trying to get some shut-eye but our heart seems to have a mind of its own. As someone who suffers from this too, let me tell you – it’s freaky. You start googling “heart palpitations” and “am I having a heart attack?” Well fear no more because we’re going to dive into the world of cardiac rhythm disturbance (okay just kidding, that sounds boring). Let’s explore why your ticker is acting like it’s running the New York marathon.

What is Tachycardia?

Before we understand why our heart races at night, let us define what tachycardia means (wait did I lose you already?). Simply put it refers to an abnormal accelerated heartbeat or beating over 100 beats per minute (bpm) because apparently just saying “fast” isn’t good enough anymore for medical jargon lovers out there.

Sinus or Supraventricular?

Okay okay before we continue on this journey together can I talk about one more thing: types of tachycardia! It could be sinus tachycardia where your sinoatrial node cells are doing their job by increasing the rate of electrical impulses thus causing faster heartbeat OR supraventricular tachycardia which originates above ventricles in AV junction pathway causing similar symptoms as previous type with slightly different cause (nope still here!! awesome!! moving forward)

Causes

Let’s look at some possible reasons behind this maddening situation;

Anxiety and Stress

Our minds tend not to shut off when they need too – especially during sleep mode. Our thoughts run wild making us anxious or worried about a particular event so much so that our sympathetic nervous system gets activated expelling adrenaline via blood vessels leading to tachycardia (OMG that escalated quickly).

Diet and Lifestyle

Our dietary habits need addressing. Too much caffeine or alcohol can have an impact on the cardiac rhythm, leading to heart palpitations. Also overeating before bed dilates vessels in body for digesting food causing increased blood flow which ultimately takes a toll on our precious organ, the heart.

Medications

Consult with your physician if you’re getting a new medication because some meds actually list tachycardia as a side effect – now come on isn’t this just great!?

Medical Conditions

There are various medical conditions like hyperthyroidism, arrhythmias (abnormal electrical activity of heart), CHF, hypertension causing rise in BP thus resultant high rate of beating (phew we made it through that!)

Solutions?

Enough about what all could go wrong- let’s focus on ways to treat ’em up;

Lowering Stress

Reducing anxiety levels via straightening sleep hygiene routine by including meditation techniques, yoga or anything else helping you relax need not be emphasized enough (seriously it’s time to hop off Instagram folks and focus on mental health)

Diet & Exercise

A healthy diet with limited caffeine/ alcohol consumption merits enlistment here along with incorporating regular exercise(deadlifts and snatches anyone?)

Medication Adjustment

If medications potentially cause this issue – consulting concerned physician may result in presenting better alternatives or altering dosage accordingly

THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS >>>

Now that we’ve covered most reasons why our hearts act-up from time-to-time but make sure if symptoms persist longer than normal seek medical attention immediatley……OH wait I guess I should add ‘in rare cases these symptoms could signify more severe underlying issues related to cardiovascular system.’ Ahhh BOY you weren’t ready for THAT warning at end were ya?! Good night 🙂