Heart Palpitations at Night

Any health issue related to the heart is worth getting worried about, including heart palpitations! Our heart is that one organ in the body that continues to beat throughout our life, starting in the womb itself... much before we were born! Palpitations in the heart are an indication that it is not functioning as smoothly as it is expected to. Heart palpitations are nothing but rapid heartbeats which tend to give a pounding feeling! Heart palpitations are not always bad, I mean it's normal to feel them when a person is exerting physically, or is under stress, or anxiety. However, unexplained heart palpitations or skipped heartbeats can be an alarming sign of a triggering health issue. Therefore, it is important to be very careful if you are experiencing irregular heart palpitations at night or otherwise. Consulting a healthcare specialist as soon as possible is what is required to be done. But before that, you can go through this article and educate yourself with some possible causes resulting in the condition.

Heart Palpitations - Causes

The normal rate at which the heart beats in an adult is usually 60 - 100 beats per minute. Rapid heartbeats or palpitations occur when the heart beats more than 100 beats per minute, which in medical terms is known as tachycardia. The abnormality in the heart rhythm is known as arrhythmia, which is the main cause behind heart palpitations. Ever since you have started experiencing this problem, I'm sure all you're wondering about now, are the possible reasons behind these heart palpitations, right? Well, one of the most common reasons for noticeable heart palpitations is stress, worry, or anxiety! If your mind is upset about certain things or events happening in your life, you might be lying on the bed and thinking about those things over and over again, which in turn, are leading to heart palpitations in the night. Does that make sense? Well, if not stress, then what can be the other causes? Mentioned below are some other causes of the same.

• Excessive consumption of caffeine, which means if you sip on your coffee a bit too much, you need to stop!
• Consumption of nicotine. So, if you tend to chew tobacco or smoke too much of cigarettes throughout the day, especially before going to bed, then your heart is telling you to stop!
• Consumption of certain medications, like asthma, high blood pressure, or cold and cough medications containing a stimulant known as pseudoephedrine can also cause palpitations. Consult with your doctor if this could be the cause!
• Pregnancy leads to significant hormonal changes in a woman's body, which can cause heart palpitations. This can also be experienced during menstruation.
• Thoughts or incidences that lead to strong emotions like stress, anxiety, or fear.
• Fever could be another reason for heart palpitations.
• Doing exercises which are strenuous in nature, especially if you do it just before sleeping!
• Heart palpitations after eating is also observed among many people. So, if you consume your meal (a heavy one) in the night, and experience heart palpitations, it simply means that the heart is pumping in more blood into your stomach to help digestion!
• Hyperthyroidism is also a very common reason behind palpitation.
• Alcohol consumption.
• Blood pressure problems.
• Some people have experienced palpitations due to dehydration as well. You think that could be the reason?
• Heart Problems.
• Rapid heartbeat signifies that the heart is having troubles to get adequate amount of oxygen, which leads us to another reason behind low levels of oxygen in the blood.
• Consumption of diet pills.
• Another reason for heart palpitations is high cholesterol levels in the body. If that it is the case, then you will also be experiencing symptoms like excessive sweating, pain in the left arm, and fatigue.

The aforementioned are some of the most common causes of heart palpitations. As you might have observed, these causes can be either natural, mild, or threatening in nature. Which is why, getting a professional advice on the condition is a must to avoid further complications.

Treatment for Heart Palpitations

The exact treatment of how to get rid of heart palpitations could be determined only by conducting proper tests and diagnosis, which can help in revealing the exact palpitation causes! Many times, nighttime heart palpitations are common and there is nothing much to worry about, however, at times, the occurrence of rapid heartbeats can be a sign of some serious underlying disease! If you are worried that you might have to go through a surgery, then please relax! Treating heart palpitations by surgical methods happens once in a blue moon. Therefore, to determine the exact treatment, it is important to detect the cause, which is possible only under medical supervision which involves conducting various tests and examinations including ECG, chest X-ray, Holter monitoring, echo-cardiogram, and so on! Till then, you can try incorporating the following steps in your daily lifestyle to avoid further complications!

• Avoid intake of caffeine.
• Avoid intake of nicotine.
• Avoid intake of alcohol.
• Use meditation and exercise to reduce stress and anxiety.
• Avoid the intake of medications or drugs that consists of stimulants that boosts heartbeat rate.
• Make sure you get a good and sound sleep at night.
• Consumption of illegal drugs, like marijuana, cocaine, etc., can also increase the speed of heartbeat rate. Stay away from these if you want to lead a healthy life with an optimal heart rate!
• Do not eat anything at least 4 hours before going to bed to avoid heart palpitations at night while you are about to sleep.
• It would be a good idea to record the timings and the frequency of heart palpitations.

No matter how minor or severe be the case of experiencing heart palpitations, it is strictly advisable to consult a doctor and seek medical advice without any further delay, especially if the palpitations are accompanied by dizziness and tightness in the chest. Do not delay and seek professional help immediately. Take care.