Why does my heart beat fast when I sleep?

Everyone needs enough sleep, a good sleep can provide us with sufficient energy for the next day. But some people have a very fast heartbeat when they sleep, and because of this problem their sleep quality is poor and their mental state is even worse. Therefore, if your heart beats very fast when you sleep, you should consult a doctor in time and seek a reasonable solution. So, why does your heart beat so fast while you sleep?

1. Reasons

Cause: It may be due to high blood pressure, myocardial ischemia, or left ventricular dysfunction. In order to adapt to the body's greater demand for blood after the increased activity, the heart rate increases to supply more blood from a static state to an active state, from a low-exercise state such as walking to a high-exercise state such as running. In addition, from lying to sitting, standing, and from sitting to standing, the heart rate also needs to be increased because the heart needs to raise the blood pressure to a higher level.

2. Inspection

Diagnosis: Myocardial ischemia may also present without symptoms and signs, but clinical examination may show evidence of myocardial ischemia, such as ST segment changes, myocardial perfusion defects, and ventricular wall motion abnormalities. Usually after coronary artery obstruction occurs, the following changes occur: decreased coronary blood flow, a change in the ratio of local blood supply to blood demand, decreased coronary sinus blood oxygen content; weakened myocardial contractile and diastolic functions; increased left ventricular diastolic pressure; ECG changes, such as ST segment elevation or depression; chest discomfort, etc. However, these abnormalities often occur over a relatively short period of time, and patients may never experience chest discomfort.

3. Differential Diagnosis

The differential diagnosis should be made with the following symptoms:

1. Palpitations with abnormal heart rate: Palpitations are a feeling of discomfort or panic in which one is conscious of the heart beating. When the heart rate increases, you feel the heart beating uncomfortably, and when the heart rate slows down, you feel the beating is strong. When palpitations occur, the heart rate can be fast, slow, or there may be an irregular heartbeat. People with normal heart rate and rhythm may also experience palpitations.

2. Increased heartbeat after meals: Increased heartbeat after meals is normal and occurs in many normal people. If the patient has frequent attacks, it is recommended to see a doctor for an electrocardiogram check, etc. Actively find the cause and treat it symptomatically.

3. Increased heart rate: A normal heart rate should be between 60 and 90 beats per minute, and an athlete's heart rate may be slightly slower. The mechanism that controls the speed of a person's heartbeat is as follows: there is a sinoatrial node at the root of the aorta, which sends out electrical stimulation autonomously and at a regular interval. The current is transmitted to the myocardium through the conduction bundle, causing myocardial contraction. At the same time, the medulla oblongata in the central nervous system is the heartbeat center, which sends out sympathetic nerves that speed up the heartbeat and vagus nerves that slow down the heartbeat. Normally, the sympathetic and vagus nerves are in a balanced state. In an emergency, the sympathetic nerves are excited, which causes the heartbeat to speed up, thereby increasing the amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute and supplying more blood to the body to cope with the crisis. At night when sleeping, the vagus nerve is excited, which slows down the heartbeat and reduces the heart's blood supply to the body.