Do you feel your chest pounding when you wake up at night? Let's learn about heart palpitations.

Have you ever been scared when you go to sleep at night, or just when you're just standing there, and suddenly your chest starts pounding? This experience, which feels like your heart is going to jump out of your chest, or suddenly stops and starts beating again, is really uncomfortable and scary. Many people have had this experience. In medicine, we call this condition 'Heart Palpitations'. So today, let's talk about why this happens, is it something to be afraid of, and what we should do about it.

Simply put, what is heart palpitations?

Palpitations, or what we call palpitations, are when you start to feel your heart beating abnormally . Normally, we don't feel our heart beating when we're just sitting there. But at this time, you can feel it very well.

This can feel different:

• Racing: Your heart beats loudly and rapidly, as if you've been running.
• Pounding: A pounding sensation in the chest as the heart beats . Some people feel as if they can hear this sound in both ears.
• Fluttering or skipping a beat: It feels like a butterfly is flying around in the chest, or like the heart beats once and then pauses for a moment before the next beat.

You can feel this throbbing not only in your chest, but sometimes even in your neck or throat.

What are the symptoms of chest pain at night?

If you feel these things when you're lying in bed, trying to fall asleep, or just lying down, it could be 'palpitations.' Let's look at this a little more clearly.

Why does our chest hurt like this at night?

There can be many reasons for this. Let's divide them into two parts and discuss them. One is the common, not so serious reasons. The other is the reasons we should be a little careful and seek medical advice.

Most often, this is due to a small change in the heart's rhythm, causing one of the chambers of the heart to contract (beat) before the normal time. We call this a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) or premature atrial contraction (PAC) . In fact, everyone's heart has these small changes in rhythm from time to time, but not everyone feels it.

How does a doctor diagnose this condition?

When you go to see a doctor about this, he or she will first ask you a few questions. For example, how long has this been going on, what time of day does it come on, and whether you have any other symptoms (such as dizziness , chest pain) along with it.

Then, he or she will listen to your heart beat with a stethoscope. In addition, he or she may do some tests, such as:

• Blood Tests: This helps to see if you have anemia, what your thyroid hormone levels are, and if you have any vitamin deficiencies.
• ECG (Electrocardiogram): This is a simple, painless test that takes about 15 minutes. However, if you are not having chest pains during the test, the ECG may be normal.
• Holter Monitor: If the ECG doesn't show any problems, your doctor may recommend that you wear this small device. You'll need to wear it for a day, two, or even a week. While you're doing your normal activities, the device continuously records your heart rate. This can help detect any irregular heartbeats that may occur.

What can I do if my chest hurts at night?

This occasional condition often does not require major treatment. If you suddenly start having chest pains at night, don't panic and try these things.

• Take a deep breath: When you are anxious, your heart rate increases. So calm down. Take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. Doing this a few times will help control your heart rate a bit. Things like meditation can also help reduce stress.
• Drink a glass of water: This may be because you are dehydrated. So try drinking a glass of water.
• Change your position: If you're sleeping on your side and this happens, try turning over to your side. Or, get up and walk around the room. Sometimes, just changing your position will help.

What can we do to prevent this?

While this cannot be completely prevented, there are several things you can do to reduce the risk.

• Stop doing certain things before bed: Avoid drinking alcohol, drinking coffee, and smoking, especially a few hours before going to bed.
• Avoid heavy meals: Avoid eating heavy meals high in oil, sugar, salt, and carbohydrates close to bedtime.
• Manage stress: If you have a condition like anxiety or depression, seek appropriate medical advice and treatment. Practicing things like yoga and meditation on a daily basis can greatly reduce stress.
• Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight increases the risk of heart disease and irregular heartbeats. Therefore, maintain a healthy weight through a healthy diet and exercise.

When should I definitely see a doctor?

While there's no need to be afraid of an occasional chest pain, there are some situations when you should definitely see a doctor.

Simply put, if you experience this condition frequently or if you have a lot of fear or doubt about it, the best thing to do is to see a doctor and get checked out. It will give you a great sense of relief to know that it is nothing serious.

However, if the following warning signs (Red Flag Symptoms) occur along with chest pain, go to a hospital's Emergency Department (ETU) immediately .

Additionally, if you receive an alert from a fitness watch or other device that your heart rate is above 100 at rest, it's a good idea to talk to a doctor about that as well.