What Causes Change In Heart Rate During Sleep?

Posted on Wed, 25 Feb 2015

Question: I have have a few questions which are on my mind constantly. Over the past six months I have had 2 echos , 3 holter, several ecgs and 2 stress tests. The last groups of tests were done last week. Everything has turned out structurally normal. My stress test was very good. The holter showed occasional pacs and pvcs. One thing that does concern me is my resting heart rate of around 52-56. My holter was always in sinus rythm and average heart rate was 70. However at rest my heart rate goes that low. Also during sleep it went to 41 for a short period. That was during deep sleep. I am very worried but my doctor says everything is normal. Is this the case? I am not athletic but over the past 10 months I have lost 75 lbs through proper diet. I am a 31 year old male. Can you please help me out

Answered by Dr. Lilit Baghdasaryan (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Everything in pretty well

Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir,

1.Losing weight leads to switching the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic to vagus, which results decrease in blood pressure and heart rate. It is good for your organism.

2.At rest our brain and muscles don't need much blood and oxygen, so slow heart rate is enough. Slow resting heart rates usually seen in athletes, but it can be seen in healthy adults as well. The important thing is to have adequately increased heart rate during exercise, which is present in your case.
So there is absolutely nothing to worry.

3.During deep sleep the vagus activity is maximum, so we have slowest heart rate. But it is not abnormal, during this period our organism need minimum energy, so slow heart rate is ok.

So I would advise you do not worry any more. Follow healthy lifestyle and everything will be ok.

Wishing you good health

Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Lilit Baghdasaryan (37 minutes later)

Hi Doctor Thank you for your detailed response. I really appreciate it. One last question I have is I get episodes where I feel anxious and my heart starts racing to 160-170 BPM. My doctor caught this on the holter and says nothing was abnormal and he thinks it's my anxiety and panics. Is it possible for the heart to race like this due to anxiety?

Answered by Dr. Lilit Baghdasaryan (14 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Physiological response of organism to anxiety or panic attacks

Detailed Answer:
Dear Sir,

When we are anxious or we panic, the concentration of adrenalin in blood increases which results to high heart rates. It is physiological response of our organism. So there is nothing abnormal and nothing to worry.
If you start to worry for you health less, your nervous system stress will decrease, anxiety and panic attacks and your complaints will gradually disappear.

Wishing you good health

Regards,

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju