Sleeplessness

[jonboy40]

Hello. I'm new here ,can any one tell me if heart medication can cause sleeplessness? I've been on loads of Beta blockers,Statins,Blood pressure tablets ,& slow release angina tablets,to name but a few,can any one help? Supertram

[maria68]

I’ve also had sleeplessness since my afib started. I get palpitations at night when I lie down hence not getting to sleep. I do think some of the side effects of medications do make it worse especially Flecainide. Try breathing exercises and relaxing. It’s awfully frustrating isn’t it?

[jonboy40 in reply to maria68]

I'getting no sleep at all I' having to rely on Sominex,or Diphenhydramine, & just manage to sleep one night in 3,still its better than nothing.

[Saltwater]

Hi, sorry you have been having problems sleeping. Yes, these kinds of medications can definitely affect your sleep patterns. I was on beta blockers for heart palpitations and I had insomnia for days. I have autoimmune hypothyroid disease which really affects my sleep too. When I was taking beta blockers, if I did fall asleep, I would have terrible trouble staying asleep and would jump all the time. I also experienced more nightmares during the short amount of sleep I did have.

Beta blockers reduce melatonin in the brain which is needed for restful sleep as it regulates the sleep/wake cycle. It makes it worse because people who have high blood pressure already produce less melatonin and so the blockers on top of this really suppress the amount of this chemical in the brain. (please do not consider taking melatonin supplements without speaking with your doctor as it can make blood pressure worse)

Statins also affect the brain and can cause disturbed sleep and nightmares in some people. Sometimes they disturb sleep by causing muscle pain. Perhaps you might be disturbed by this during the night as it is quite a common side effect of statins. It can make people toss and turn a lot as the discomfort is felt more at night for many people.

Try creating a good mood for bedtime. Make sure you get fresh air during the day and exercise if you can. Keep a regular routine if you can and start early. You can't just get into bed and expect to sleep. Many people agree that the body starts winding down and preparing for rest about 2 hours before you actually go to sleep. So don't engage in activities that keep the mind alert, turn off phones and screens too if you can. Scientists agree that watching a program on television does not affect our sleep in the same was as using our phones and devices because it is passive. It is the way that we interact with our devices that causes our brains to switch on and it is for that reason that we can get addicted to them because they offer us something back.

You could try a nice warm bath, spray some lavender if you like the smell, and just calm the mood down to help your brain understand that you want to rest now. Clear your mind before you go to bed and don't spend your awake time solving problems or going over the day. If you can't sleep, don't force it because this makes it worse. I just come downstairs and watch a lovely nature documentary and then go back up as if it's the first time. There is nothing worse than telling yourself you need to sleep. You can manage on a lot less sleep than you think, so just let it happen. Worrying about not getting enough sleep is one of the main reasons we don't get enough sleep!

All the best to you from another night owl.

[jonboy40 in reply to Saltwater]

Ive tried all those, but to no avail, I have a drug review coming up, I'll ask the pharmacist, the drugs might need changing. Thank you for your reply.

[Saltwater in reply to jonboy40]

I completely understand your frustration. I could nod unintentionally like when you are just sat on the sofa or whatever, but whenever it came to actually getting into bed and intending to sleep, my palpitations would start and then anxiety would set in around sleep, making matters worse. My palpitations were always worse on my side.

Going to bed has become quite stressful for me now, and I think part of breaking that cycle is retraining the brain not to associate bed time with anxiety. Usually, my best sleep would come after about 3 nights of insomnia, when you are just so exhausted that you sleep anyway. Hope things improve for you and definitely mention it at the review.

All the best.