Dreaming again after the pacemaker has stopped the pauses

[Jonathan_C]

Strange topic for a thread, but its not a joke

I had a pacemaker put in on 19 July after cardiologist discovered my heart was pausing for up 20 seconds during my sleep. The pauses happened randomly and were usually between 10-15 seconds. I sometimes went for 4-6 weeks without pauses and then would have a few every night for 5 or 6 nights. The pauses varied in length from 3-4 seconds, and on the rare occasion to 20 seconds.

I used to have very vivid dreams and it feels to me like I stopped having them for sometime (almost as long as i have been in persistent afib, which could be as long as i have had the pauses), but in the last few weeks i have started having them again on as regular a basis as i think I used to.

I am sure when one learns about something like this (the pauses, which was a shock) and then has a procedure to correct it, you tend to notice stuff and rationalise that stuff as being an effect of the procedure - when in fact its not related or always happened etc.

However, it makes sense to me that I would not have dreamt because of the pauses, and/or my memory of the dreams would have been wiped out because of the pauses...

As far as I know there are others on this forum that have had pacemakers put in to the address the same problem, so would appreciate your views and/or those of sleep experts.

[bantam12]

I’ve had a pacemaker for nearly 5 years, fitted because of pauses. Honestly say I don’t dream at all or at least very very rarely.

[Jonathan_C in reply to bantam12]

Do you recall if you used to dream?

[bantam12 in reply to Jonathan_C]

Not sure I did, the occasional bad dream but generally nothing.

[Czech_Mate]

For me the experience of dreaming was more related to the beta blocker that I was put on. When I first took Metaprolol I had some very vivid dreams of mixed-up topics. Perhaps it was just that I was suddenly more aware of what I was dreaming about, but it felt weird.

The cardiology nurse said it was a normal side effect when starting this medication and it wouldn't last. The cardiologist reduced the dose and the phenomenon gradually reduced, maybe because of the reduction or maybe I got used to it.

Not sure if this is useful or relevant to you, but it's my experience.

Cheers CM

[Snowgirl65 in reply to Czech_Mate]

A short comment here Czech_Mate, that I'm on Metoprolol too and have the most vivid dreams. I can feel, taste, smell, see colors and have emotions in my dreams. I'm not complaining by any means as sometimes my dreams are more interesting than real life. Being an oil painter, I have to say they're a wonderful resource of ideas.

[baba]

I have permanent AFib, pauses, pacemaker and vivid dreams , some of which I recall but mostly not. I can't say pacemaker made a difference to dreams but at least I stay conscious now when awake.

[BobD Volunteer]

I suspect it is a matter of how deep or otherwise your sleep is. You need a particular deep state to dream I think and if your sleep is shallow (which I fear many of us Af people is) you may not dream. Personal opinion only .

[Jonathan_C in reply to BobD]

I agree, and my cardiologist thought that when I went into that deep state that was when I had the pauses.

[CDreamer in reply to BobD]

Dreaming occurs in REM sleep, which usually comes in cycles during the night. REM sleep is a shallow sleep state. Whether or not you remember your dream is dependent on when you are woken, for us AFers it could be several times a night! I can have vivid dreams and have a pacemaker but no change to my dreams before or following implant.

If yours o2 sats dropped significantly during pauses that could have had an effect but I suspect it was more about remembering or not what you dreamed.

[lawli56 in reply to CDreamer]

For those who don't know REM is Rapid Eye Movement and everyone dreams in this sleep stage even if you don't remember it. It is essential to good brain health.

[secondtry in reply to BobD]

Agree Bob, I welcome vivid dreams as I usually wake more refreshed.

[President2012]

I have a pacemaker for the same reason as you. I had vivid dreams before the pacemaker and still get them now. Certain meds seem to make them more vivid for me - antihistamines in particular. I enjoy my dreams!

[OldGrit]

My pacemaker stopped me from falling asleep during the day …I had one or two best misses while driving which I thought were due to overwork tiredness but were pauses.

[Bunkular]

Believe it or not but everyone dreams every night unless taking sleeping pills which would eliminate the Rapid Eye Movement phase of sleep when dreams occur. The fact that people would remember their dreams would be because something woke them up before the REM phase of their sleep, otherwise no one would recall dreaming. I watch my dog dreaming & he gets his legs involved too. Arrhythmia could explain waking up before REM & that usually means that sleep may not be as restful.