Nightmares

Does anyone know if the pounding heart...and I mean the pounding heart from nightmares can actually cause damage to the heart?

Gosh Petunia, I sure hope not! I'm not really sure, you may want to ask your doctor that question though. Or maybe someone here knows? I know that under stress the hormone cortisol is released, which I have read can cause blocked arteries, among other health problems. I'm not sure if it applies to stress caused by dreams.

I sure do know what you mean about the pounding heart though after a nightmare!

Sujin

I will ask my doc.

I just thought of it though after having a recent bout of nightmares. Last night my heart was pounding sooooooooooooo hard I thought, this can't be good!

I don't have an answer--wish that you didn't have a reason to ask though.

((((((((((((((((((((Petunia)))))))))))))))))))))



Elizabeth

((((((((((((((((( Petunia ))))))))))))))))))

(((((((Petunia)))))))

I hope I didn't alarm you! I really don't think it's anything to worry about, I have never heard anything that says nightmares (and the symptoms that go with it) can cause any type of physical harm. I just thought if it concerned you then it would be a good question for your doctor.

Cortisol is a stress hormone that gets released into the bloodstream, but I believe that it can be harmful only if it's a constant thing. (Like not taking time for yourself when you're under great amounts of stress). I don't think a nightmare is a long enough duration for us to really be in any danger. I do know that dreaming is supposed to be good for us, no matter if it's a good or bad dream, since it supposedly helps rid our subconscious of excess "waste." I am not qualified to give advice on the question you asked, I was just stating a thought. I'm sorry if I caused you any worry!

Love,
Sujin

No worries, Sujin!

I'm really not concerened, I was just curious.

I've had nightmares for the past few nights that really had my heart pounding hard.

Like, real real ridiculously hard.

It did make me wonder, is it too stressful for the old ticker to take?

Night Terrors Symptoms:
Sudden awakening from sleep, persistent fear or terror that occurs at night, screaming, sweating, confusion, rapid heart rate, inability to explain what happened, usually no recall of "bad dreams" or nightmares, may have a vague sense of frightening images. Many people see spiders, snakes, animals or people in the room, are unable to fully awake, difficult to comfort, with no memory of the event on awakening the next day.

Fast Facts about Night Terrors:
* Run in families.
* Are not dangerous.
* Can last 10-20 minutes.
* Occur in stage 4 of the sleep cycle.
* Can happen at any age 1 hour - 100 years old.


* * * * * * * * * *

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

I do not think so Petunia because athletes and people like myself who exercise often and hard raise our heart rate a lot. Mine I run over 180 bpm I normally have a pulse rate of 60. When you have this can you take your pulse? Also as far as how HARD it beats that can OVER A LONG TIME cause some damage because it is high blood pressure. But we ARE speaking long times not 20 minutes or so. I am sorry you are having this. I hate when I get it out of the blue

I doubt that the few minutes you might experience from a night terror/mare would harm you at all... remember the stress tests, the step tests... it raises your heart rate to pounding, but the key is how quickly the heart resumes it's normal rhythm, rate etc? Within 3 minutes is excellent!

Sometimes when we have aggitated dreaming, it's like we're running a marathon... the best thing is to get into the best shape you can... and not worry about it TC!

No it can't I asked my physician that because I wake up in major panic attacks to t he point where I can't breath and dizzy and heart pounding to the point where you can see the heart beating reaction at my pressure points. He said no the worse thing that will happen is that I will hyperventilate from my heart pumping too much oxygen and I pass out which is what hyperventialtion does and in which case when I am passed out I am no longer in fear because I am out cold so my heart rte will automatically return to normal and then I wake up. Kind of like when someone holds their breath their heart starts beating hard to pump more oxygen and the person passes out and returns to normal breathing and heart rate.

The only way any damage can be done is if the person already has a pre-existing heart desease or heart problem. in which case panic attacks can trigger a heart attack if the person already has a heart condition in which they already experience heart attacks. In which case they were probably due for a pace maker anyway.

He also pointed out people like runners and other sports type activities. That speeds up the heart rate and intensity but yet no olympic runner had to be carted off the track or marathon route due to their sped up and intesified heart beat caused damage to their heart. if so they would only run one race and then be declaired medically unfit to participate in another olympic race since entrants go through complete physicals before being declaired completely physically fit to enter the races and so on.

There is an elementary teacher here that runs the NYcity and I think in boston marathons every time and she is out back here running here heart off to the max and has not missed a marathon in the 13 years I have lived here.

First off I'm sorry you are having nightmares.

I actually asked my cardiologist about this, because I already have a heart condition. He said that for me, he didn't think it was harmful. He said I should take my pulse when I wake up and make sure it recovers quickly. I find that this actually helps me calm down. It gives me something else to concentrate on. He said that my pounding heart from the nightmares is the same as when I go running. Not harmful.

I would check with your cardiologist about it because your condition is a lot different than mine. I'm sure its probably nothing to worry about, but it can't hurt to check.

Yo flowerface, I have had night terrors since in my crib..... I go with the "look at them as athletic events" folks. Mine have lessened gradually over the years. I usually wake up going into them, so the adrenalin has not really got going, and my recovery is quicker. Still no picture of what is after me after all these years..... brains, gotta love'em.

I would check with your cardiologist about it because your condition is a lot different than mine.

I guess I should've mentioned that I do have an issue with my heart.

Thanks for the reassurance everyone!

i hope it doesnt do you any harm, flowers need hearts, thats a fact

All the girls is so right! Flowers need hearts, thats a fact.

I'm curious about this question too, though I don't have other heart challenges. I do experience nightmares and sometimes upon awakening am definitely all heart pounding and adrenalized.

Hi
New here so don't know the system. I want to ask a question a little like the other one. See I have a lot of nightmares to. I dream of an incident where I was very close to drowning, so I awaken while holding my breath. Thing is I'm so scared when i wake it takes a while before I start breathing again. My body aches from the lack of oxygen afterwards, and I get so dizzy and my legs shake so much that I can't get down the stairs. Can you suffocate in your sleep?

What about holding your breath? I have nightmares about drowning so I hold my breath in my sleep. Can you suffocate yourself while you sleep?

i know i am slow responding to this question cause i just kinda got here.

i have been having nightmares for about 8 years now....horrible ones and i wake up sweating and my heart is trying to leap out of my chest. so far as i know, there has been no damage yet.

i wish u luck getting control of your bad dreams. hugs

sorry i posted the same twice. I didn't see it. didn't mean to be rude or anything.

Hope the heart gets better

me too pet, me too.

I have a mild arrythmia and sometimes get sinus tachychardia with PVC's(pre ventricular contractions) and doc has told me too it is a how quickly you recover thing.

basically if it goes away within a few min, your probably fine. If you feel any major crushing pain, dizziness, headache, pain or numbness in one arm ect - its worth going to get it checked out if it doesnt stop.

Also, my doc told me that if it doesnt stop and I think i may be having cardiac trouble, on the way out the door pop an aspirin. Apparently it can bust up clots and buy you time.

I don't think you can suffocate in your sleep from holding your breath. I know if you are awake and hold your breath for a long time you will pass out. Then your body takes over and you breathe. My guess is that the same would happen if you hold your breath in your sleep. The headache and symptoms you describe would make sense.

I am sorry for what happened to you, and it is understandable that you would have nightmares from it. Therapy would help with the nightmares, as it would help you process those memories in a way that they don't keep popping up unexpected like they are doing now. We can tell you that what happened was not your fault, but your feelings are still real to you.

(((Petunia)))



Can relate...it can be bad on the system over time..fear of sleep starts to set in..which can exacerbate the issue..agree with Rapunzel..psychotherapy to help with the nightmares, but would still keep close tabs on your physiological responses once you settle down from the terror of awakening in a panic state..

Eva

(((((((((( Pet )))))))))))))

I don't know, but you'd better ask your Dr. I want to tell you that the nuero put me on a tiny dose of Elavil for my night terrors. They are gone. Just gone. If I wake up early and drowse off back to sleep, I have them, but not during the night in normal sleep. It's a miracle. All these years of horror and no one knew to give it to me.

Please ask for some.

Hugs,

Jan

My Pdoc put me on Prazosin, which is an alpha blocker bp med, also used for PTSD. It works most of the time. I totally know the feeling.... wake up with heart practically pounding out of your chest, drenched in sweat, and feel like you've been running a marathon instead of sleeping.

I know that you can't suffocate yourself by holding your breath. You'll start breathing again as soon as you pass out.