Hi everyone.
Does anyone else’s heart race at nighttime when they are asleep?and when you wake up it’s pounding?no chest pains at all or breathlessness just heart pounding?its horrible!
I also have really vivid dreams and wake up from them a lot.also when my alarm goes off I jump out my skin and feel adrenaline running through me.
Just wondered if anyone had any tips on how to stop or help this?thank you x
My therapist asked me if this ever happens, so I suppose it’s ‘’normal’’ anxiety-related thing. I did have heart racing a lot, but not during sleep. It also calmed down when I started taking medications and now it’s rare. I know Propanolol (or something like that?) is good medication for racing heart, because you can take it when you need it to calm your heart down. But please discuss this with your doctor, maybe he finds better solution for you!
Of natural ways, I know Magnesium helps to balance heart rhythm and it also is natural relaxant. I take Magnesium every night before bed.
Thank you so much for your reply.
That is really helpful.
I had no idea about magnesium.will definitely be buying some of that.thanks again.
I agree, Magnesium is very good, especially Marine Magnesium (H & B sell it - bit pricey though...). I also take Hawthorn berry capsules as my problem is skipped beats followed by a thump in the chest. Very annoying but I’ve been told it’s common... I wonder if it would work for your racing heart?
Hi Minnie . I get this to and the dreams , but it is part of anxiety, but it is scary and horrible . Masa 2333 is right that medication will help . I have started taking paroxitine , early days but I know they will help . I hope you get help and feel better soon . Take care. God bless x
Thank you so much for that reply.so nice to know I’m not alone!really helps!is t anxiety just the worst!!
My heart skips beats for long periods of time. It is especially annoying (and fearful) at night. I also get PVCs on a regular basis. As for you waking when the alarm goes off and you are startled, it could be your cortisol kicking in. Cortisol is there when you wake in the mornings, your "flight or fight" hormone. Being startled would cause it to be high when you wake then it should calm down.
You sound totally like me!yes I am exactly the same!
It’s like I’m constantly on high alert and jump at the slightest things.its horrible.
For some reason at night it’s scarier getting these symptoms.and the racing when I sleep and wake up is driving me mad.thank you for your message.it really helps.
Take care. If you google cortisol it's at it's prime when you wake, the adrenal glands make it. Night is always a bit more "all consuming"....hang in there
Hiya. Sorry to hear of your experience. But please remember that some people this sort of reply could trigger the anxiety. The lady posted is a friend of mine and we both suffer with same symptoms and have done for years.we are also scared over our hearts, we’ve had checks etc. And had it many years. It’s just we find these sort of comments scary. Sorry I don’t mean to come across rude because I’m not, it’s just we suffer with health anxiety and can over think these sort of comments. Thank you and hope your okay
I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to cause you any worry. I just had never heard anyone else experience that feeling and thought I was going mad and my gp looked at me has if I was mad. I don’t think and I’m so sorry. I will remove myself from this page. Best wishes to you both.
Oh no no please dont!!!!
You haven’t caused me any harm at all.
Anxiety is just cruel isn’t it and makes you worry about flipping everything!!!
I hope you are recovering well from your heart attack and don’t suffer any anxiety.its a horrible thing isn’t it x
Oh no defo not caused any upset. I just read these things and then I over think every little thing 🙄 that’s all
I know how you both feel, I’m constantly worrying about my health! I have had terrible anxiety for many years. The heart racing started a few months ago and I really don’t know whether I am dreaming it or it’s real, but now you have said you get this I am thinking it is real. My dr did say it could be my anxiety. Does yours happen every night? Xxx
Mine happens most nights.usually with very vivid dreams.its really horrible and then I wake up and it continues as well as a host of other nasty symptoms.
It’s so strange how thinking about a symptom can actually make it so much worse! X
Yeah I agree. My dreams are so real I am convinced they are real! The heart racing is horrible, I just can’t work out if it’s a dream. I have taken my pulse when it happens and it is high. I also wake up with my stomach churning and that horrible anxiety feeling and I can’t get back to sleep. Sometimes I don’t want to go back to sleep. What has your doctor said? Are you on meds for anxiety? I take amitriptyline 75mg for depression and anxiety. I have tried most of them over time and this one works the best for me. Xx
Oh the dreaded stomach churning and butterflies!
I have those allll day everyday!awful!i was taking propranolol for years but this time round I’m not taking anything.
I’m housebound at the moment so I only talk to my doctor on the phone.
She is great and I’m waiting for my cbt therapy to start over Skype.its just hellish everyday.
How do you find the amitriptyline?
I don’t think I’ve heard of that one xxx
That’s awful for you, the physical feelings are the worst and the more you think of them makes them worse! I really like amitriptyline, they are an old antidepressant but my psychiatrist says they are a lot better than the newer ones and have less side effects. My anxiety has gone from daily to maybe once a week. They do make me a bit drowsy, but they help me to get to sleep. They might be worth a try, they are the only ones that have worked for me. I can’t take beta blockers like propranolol as I have asthma.
Xx
I actually think antidepressants can be really really effective in helping anxiety because they control mood don’t they?and I swear depression and anxiety are so linked.
It’s amazing how horrid something can be without giving you any pain.
It ruins your life.
That is amazing that you used to have daily anxiety to now once a week!wow.what symptoms did you have before the meds? Xx
I had terrible anxiety, couldn’t sleep, butterflies, feeling of dread and something terrible, palpitations. Couldn’t go to supermarket, many times left trolly and walked out or didn’t go in. Cancelled appts and social events, working was torture! Also depression which I have had for 21 years. The amitriptyline seems to be working so well compared to others I have tried that all had terrible side effects and made my anxiety worse.
I tried talking therapy but it just didn’t work for me. Did a bit of cbt which was a bit helpful.
I have a cousin who worked as a mental health support worker and she helped me a lot.
I agree the two are definitely linked.
Are you housebound due to your depression and anxiety? If so I can totally understand, for a long time I couldn’t go out the door and did t work for 5 years.
Would you consider trying amitriptyline? I know different meds work for different people but they may be worth a try. Xxx
Thank you so much for your reply.
Honestly it means a lot.
Wow you really were bad like me!thats so amazing that you have made such huge steps with these tablets.I’m definitely going to mention them to my doctor!do you feel mentally better too?how lovely that you had the support of your cousin who was a mental health nurse.that must have helped so much.
I’ve had anxiety my whole life(I’m 31)
But I have had bouts throughout the years that have been really bad.and I’m in the middle of this one that has been everyday for 9 months.
Same symptoms as you.constant all day.plus lightheadedness and faint feelings constantly.feel so unwell that I just don’t go anywhere.i have two young children and my partner has had to quit a very good job as I can’t take my eldest to school.its destroyed everyone’s lives xxx
I know exactly how you feel, it is the worst illness that people still don’t really understand. I think unless you have had it you will never know how debilitating anxiety and depression are.
My parents were old school and just didn’t believe it existed!
I honestly think for me it was the amitriptyline that made the difference and a bit of tough love from my cousin that helped me. I’m not one for cuddles and being it will be ok, I need someone that was going to push me a bit bit also be there when I got really bad.
I still get it, comes on out of the blue but not as often. Like you I had it every day. I have 3 kids 21, 11 and 10 and a granddaughter who is 7 months. My oldest lives on her own with her daughter but is only 5 mins away.
My kids school has been great and would come and pick kids up for me. My husband left 5 years ago, he also had mental health problems and in the end we weren’t helping each other. He is still in my life daily and sees the kids daily we just couldn’t live together.
I’m so sorry you are affected so badly, it is a terrible illness! Xxx
Oh my gosh you really have been through a tough time!!
I cannot even imagine not having my partner.i don’t know how I would cope.
You sound like a tough cookie!well done!
So lovely that you have children and a grandchild!thats so nice and must keep you going.
You are so right about anxiety and depression being so terrible.they really are.and unless someone has experienced it it’s just not worth trying to give an opinion on!
My parents have been great but as you said,they don’t understand it as have never had it.
I honestly think I would rather have two broken legs than all these awful symptoms.
I hope you don’t mind me asking and please say if you do,so is your heart attack completely unrelated to the anxiety? Xxx
Yes, totally unrelated. Heart disease runs in my family and I was a smoker, overweight, high cholesterol and for months was living in takeaways, little exercise. One artery was blocked but thankfully the other 3 are healthy so they put a stent in and I have to completely change my lifestyle. I have stopped smoking, which is so hard but I’ll get there. Working on the healthy eating and will start exercising at cardiac rehab.
I have had quite a lot of illness unrelated to my depression and anxiety and had very bad health anxiety, which I still get at times but the cardiologist said I should make a complete recovery, thank goodness.
Anxiety symptoms and depression are the worst feelings in the world, I have coped with other illnesses as there are specific treatments but it’s a whole lot of trial and error with anxiety and everyone responds differently. I’m like you would rather have broken bones than anxiety. Even my heart attack I knew they would be able to treat me as there is a specific treatment but for anxiety there is not.
I work 16 hours in a drs surgery and the amount of patients with anxiety, depression, ptsd and other mental illness is astounding. More research and awareness needs to be done. Xx
Minnie you sound like a lovely person and it is lovely you have the support of your husband. If you ever want to chat or just get something of your chest or a good moan please contact me. ❤️
Thank you so much for telling me about your heart attack.i hope you didn’t think I was being rude.
I’m so glad that you are recovering well and have had good news from the doctors.that must be such a relief for you.
My mum has heart disease and lives such a full amazing life!shes never had anxiety and you wouldn’t even know she had heart disease/angina!
But yet i “only have anxiety” and cannot leave the house!its crazy.
It’s so nice to hear that there are others like me.you feel so alone with it and that makes it so much worse!
Thank you for your lovely message.that would be great,and the same goes to you too.always so lovely to have support from someone that has been there and lived it xx
Yeah it is lovely to have someone who understands. I’m not going to let the ha get me down and like your mum I really want to have a full life. I really think it was my lifestyle that led to it.
I’m going to cardiac rehab which involves exercise, education on nutrition etc.
To be honest I think last year I was suffering from depression quite bad and I defo get that SAD. Couldn’t be bothered cooking. Sick of dieting and just got fed up with exercise so kind of fell into a black hole. My daughter turned 21 2 days before Christmas and we went out for a lunch with friends and I thought to myself, that’s it pull yourself together and make an effort. I had such a lovely time that day and my elderly mum came up to my house (she lives about an hour and a half away) for Christmas and we all had a lovely day. Best Christi have had for many years. I am sure with the right treatment and people who know what you are going through you will see an improvement. I would defo try amitriptyline if your dr will let you. It might not work but anything is worth a try. If you don’t mind me asking, do u live in the UK? I’m from Scotland xxx
Honestly my mum lives such an amazing full life and looks amazing.you wouldn’t even know.
The cardiac rehab unit sounds fantastic and should really help in you getting better.
Aww that’s so lovely that you had a good Christmas!must be so nice to feel “normalish” again too after suffering for so long.
Thank you.im going to ring my doctor in the morning and explain about the meds.see what she says,I’m just concerned that it will make my 24/7 symptoms worse.although right now I probably couldn’t be any worse!
I’m from the uk.near Brighton on the south coast.wow I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland!it it really cold up there at the moment? Xxx
I was anxious about taking them after nothing else working. I started off on 25 mg for a few weeks then 50 and 75mg. Psychiatrist felt it was best to put them up slowly to minimise side effects. I felt them working fairly quickly. I don’t think anything can make the symptoms worse, they are hellish!
Do you manage to sleep at night? I always find a hot water bottle to cuddle helps sooth me, I use it in summer too just with not so warm wAter, it’s like a comfort blanket.
I have always wanted to visit Brighton, looks lovely in pictures. I’m in Glasgow and yes it’s freezing up here at the moment. The sun is out today so going to try and get out a walk with the kids. Xx
Yes I totally agree with you!!you can’t feel any worse than you do now so why not?thats where I’m at at the moment.couldn’t get any worse so what’s to lose.
I do manage to sleep at night.although some nights I have awful vivid dreams and my heart races as you know.then I get the skipped beats etc.and sometimes I feel dizzy in my sleep.its great!lol.
What about you?
I’m about 30 minutes from Brighton.its lovely here.and the beach is great.
Did you manage to go out for a walk with your children? Xx
You should keep on at your doctor, they could refer you for sleep studies where they monitor everything and watch you while you sleep. I had one done years ago but nothing showed up.
I have never been a good sleeper, up and down all night. Been like that since I was 18. I suppose I just got used to it. The heart racing and vivid dreams are horrible though, I honestly don’t know if I’m dreaming or not.
We never got out for a walk I have been so tired I have doses on and off.
Did you manage to speak to your doctors? X
Wishing you a speedy recovery and you are doing well.
For me its usually before bed and after i wake up, and sometimes during the day, i guess it depends on people’s anxieties , for example at first when i had worse heakth anxiety, i would be worried about sleeping alone or being alone where i would panic before , now its a bit less severe and i feel calmer before bed, try to see if distracting yourself and meditating before bed helps, try to download app simple habit which helps in meditation and has incredible options, i tried it and helped me through some tough times, itrelaxes you through a variety of podcasts and sounds that are soothing and actually logical and convincing and gives breathing techniques and advices, if it doesnt help maybe it could be something that you should discuss with your therapist or a close trustworthy friend or family member , from experience googling and online search mayb be more scary that helpful, wish u well good luck 
I’ve gotten that before. Anxiety is like an annoying cat slapping you in the face.
Heart racing 
Waking up with Racing heart
Wake up with a racing heart
WAKING AT NIGHT WITH HEART RACING
