Do you ever wake up from a deep sleep, the sun shining down on your face? But rather than feeling calm, you wake up with your heart racing and pounding. This may put you on high alert, but it’s a typical response from your body, reacting to the change in your blood sugar levels. It could also be a result of disrupted sleep.
Ultimately, an irregular heartbeat is always thought to be due to cardiac-related issues, but that’s not true. Sometimes it could be an acute problem that goes away on its own. To find out why your heart keeps racing every morning, continue reading this article.
Why Do I Wake Up With My Heart Racing?
While waking up with a pounding heat is not ideal, it isn’t exactly something to worry about either. Depending on the reason behind the palpitations, you may or may not need to contact a cardiologist. Here are some common reasons behind the sensation:
- Anemia
Iron deficiency leads to a lack of healthy red blood cells in your body. This tends to affect your heart rate, making you wake up with a racing heart.
- Arrhythmia
An irregular heartbeat is typically a sign of arrhythmia, especially if it happens all the time. This is a serious heart condition that must be evaluated by a professional for further diagnosis and treatment.
- Caffeine Overdose
One of the after-effects of caffeine is a fast-racing heart. If you have too much of it before you sleep, you might wake up with a sense of anxiety, restlessness, and a pounding heart.
- Dehydration
Drinking water is a necessity. When your body doesn’t get enough water, it starts to feel dehydrated. This slows your blood pressure and accelerates your heartbeat.
- Drinking too much Alcohol
As bad as alcohol is, drinking it in excess can give way to an irregular heartbeat. Since it takes time for your body to process the liquid, drinking alcohol at night can cause its effects to show up the next morning.
- High Blood Sugar
High blood sugar or hyperglycemia is a condition that has many symptoms. However, a racing heart is one of its most common results, along with fatigue and increased thirst.
- Hormonal Changes
When a woman is going through a strong hormonal shift, such as during her menstruation or menopause, it can cause many changes, even in her heart rhythm.
- Irregular or Lack of Sleep
Disrupted sleep or sleep deprivation are both the leading reasons behind the pounding in your chest when you first wake up in the morning. A healthy sleep schedule is necessary to maintain your health.
- Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder where your breathing stops entirely for a short period of time while you’re asleep. Since it reduces your oxygen levels, the added stress on your heart can put it into overdrive. - Stress or Anxiety
Most of the time, the reason your heart suddenly starts going haywire is because of heightened anxiety and stress levels. This can also have an impact on the quality of your sleep, making it difficult to rest.
Treatment
Even if you think a pounding heart isn’t something to worry about, it is important to consult a trained medical professional for more information. Based on the seriousness of the situation and how frequently you wake up with a racing heart, you might require different treatments. For a more serious, heart-related issue, a remote cardiac monitoring device might be inserted in your chest. Whereas for sleep-related troubles, you may need to contact a sleep therapist.