How to Calm a Racing Heart at Night
It can be really hard to fall asleep when you can feel your heart beating in your chest when lying down. The good news is that there are some simple ways to deal with your heart pounding at night, and these expert-approved tips are a great place to start.
1. Change Your Sleeping Position
If you have a weird feeling in your chest and want to know exactly how to calm a racing heart at night, Jessup recommends starting by experimenting with different sleeping positions — especially if you tend to lie on your left side.
If your heart rate won’t go down, try sitting up or lying on your back, or roll over into the best sleeping position for heart palpitations: your right side, which might help the rhythm to right itself.
2. Drink Some Water
To get rid of that weird feeling in your chest, Jessup says that getting up to drink a glass of water is a good idea. That is especially true if you realize that you had a lot of caffeine or alcohol — and maybe not enough water — that day.
3. Do Breathing Exercises
Wondering how to stop heart palpitations due to anxiety? You can try some breathing exercises to calm yourself down if you’re feeling stressed or think anxiety is causing heart racing when you’re trying to sleep. You’ll want to focus on slow breathing, which can help you activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
“In healthy people, we see a temporary increase in heart rate with inhalation, followed by a decrease with exhalation,” says Dr. Anderer. “Slow breathing can also have a direct influence on pressure receptors in the vascular and pulmonary systems and promote a state of relaxation, which tends to enhance the parasympathetic response throughout the body and allow you to ‘rest and digest.’”
4. Eat a Plant-Rich Diet
If you can feel your heart beating in your chest when lying down, Klodas says that avoiding known palpitation triggers and practicing stress management can help. But she also recommends keeping your heart healthy in general through your diet. “People who exercise regularly and eat a whole-food, plant-rich diet that’s naturally high in fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants experience fewer heart rhythm issues and less heart disease in general,” she says. “They also feel better and live longer.”
When Are Heart Palpitations a Cause for Concern?
Wondering when to worry about heart palpitations? Occasional heart pounding, racing, or fluttering is pretty normal. However, if you’ve just started noticing palpitations, Klodas says that it’s always a good idea to be evaluated by a medical provider. “Although most palpitations signal a benign cause, there are features that should trigger medical evaluation,” she says.
Below, learn how to tell what warrants a doctor visit and when a racing heart signals something more serious.
When to See a Doctor for Palpitations
If you’re experiencing chronic palpitations every time you go to bed, and you’re hydrating well, reducing stress levels, and monitoring caffeine intake — talk to a doctor. Sometimes heart palpitations can be a sign of heart conditions like arrhythmia, heart valve disorders, thyroid conditions, or myocarditis. These conditions are chronic problems that require treatment, so be sure to reach out to a medical professional if you feel strange heartbeats consistently.
Heart palpitations can also be a sign of an anxiety attack. These episodes are not an immediate risk to your physical health. Rather, they are a sign that you should seek mental health care.
When to Go to the Hospital for a Rapid Heart Rate
“Any palpitations that are newly persistent, or any palpitations that are associated with any one of shortness of breath, chest pain, and/or lightheadedness/passing out spells should be evaluated urgently,” says Klodas.
In the moment, a racing heart could signal you to tune in for signs of a heart attack. Heart attack signs include accompanying chest pain, dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, or fainting. If you experience these symptoms in tandem with heart palpitations, seek treatment urgently.
The Bottom Line
It can be alarming to feel a weird sensation in your chest. Your mind might wander to the worst-case scenarios, but rest assured that slight changes in your heartbeat when you lie down are fairly common — as long as they’re not chronic and no other symptoms arise. If your heart is doing gymnastics when you settle in for some sleep, roll over or get some water, then snag those z’s.
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