
What Causes Sinus Tachycardia While Sleeping?

Question: I have two questions...
1. I was diagnosed with paroxysmal afib. I only get it at night, I wake up in it. converts back to nsr within 20 minutes. I wore a 30 day monitor and woke up about 8 nights with a rapid heart rate. 1 was a fib the rest were just sinus tachycardia. what would make me wake up in sinus tachy all the time? I had a sleep study and don't have sleep apnea.
2. I take bisoprolol for rate control. I only take half my pill as laying awake in bed my pulse is 58 and I am worried if I take my whole pill my resting heartrate will drop to low. any thoughts on that? during the day sitting up my resting rate is in the mid 60's to mid 70's. it's only in the 50's when laying down.
1. I was diagnosed with paroxysmal afib. I only get it at night, I wake up in it. converts back to nsr within 20 minutes. I wore a 30 day monitor and woke up about 8 nights with a rapid heart rate. 1 was a fib the rest were just sinus tachycardia. what would make me wake up in sinus tachy all the time? I had a sleep study and don't have sleep apnea.
2. I take bisoprolol for rate control. I only take half my pill as laying awake in bed my pulse is 58 and I am worried if I take my whole pill my resting heartrate will drop to low. any thoughts on that? during the day sitting up my resting rate is in the mid 60's to mid 70's. it's only in the 50's when laying down.
Brief Answer:
I suggest to take half the dose in order to avoid severe bradycardia.
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you for asking!
I read your query and understood your concerns.
1. It's normal that during sleep to have bradycardia (HR < 60 bpm) and sinusal tachycardia alone is enough to wake up a person. This is why tachycardia (fibrillation or sinusal tachycardia) made you wake up.
2. As i said above it's normal to have a HR < 60 bpm during sleep (even when you lay down to bed) and you shouldn't worry about it. However I also suggest to take half the dose in order to avoid severe bradycardia during sleep or at rest. These will prevent from fatigue, hypotension, dizziness, lypotimia and pre syncope.
Hope this was of help!
Dr. Shehu
I suggest to take half the dose in order to avoid severe bradycardia.
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you for asking!
I read your query and understood your concerns.
1. It's normal that during sleep to have bradycardia (HR < 60 bpm) and sinusal tachycardia alone is enough to wake up a person. This is why tachycardia (fibrillation or sinusal tachycardia) made you wake up.
2. As i said above it's normal to have a HR < 60 bpm during sleep (even when you lay down to bed) and you shouldn't worry about it. However I also suggest to take half the dose in order to avoid severe bradycardia during sleep or at rest. These will prevent from fatigue, hypotension, dizziness, lypotimia and pre syncope.
Hope this was of help!
Dr. Shehu
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar


any idea though as to why I get tachycardia so often while sleeping? never had it during the day
Brief Answer:
Following explanation to your query...
Detailed Answer:
Hi back,
While you are sleeping (around 3 a.m) there's an increase on adrenaline secretion (adrenaline peak secretion).
It's a well known fact that adrenaline will cause tachycardia and other types of arrhythmias. During the day adrenalin levels on blood are at mean values and their effect is balanced by bisoprolol. While you are on sleep, due to excessive adrenaline release bisoprolol dose isn't enough to control your heart rate and you will experience tachycardia.
This is why you don't experience tachycardia during the day, but only at night.
Wish you health!
Dr. Shehu
Following explanation to your query...
Detailed Answer:
Hi back,
While you are sleeping (around 3 a.m) there's an increase on adrenaline secretion (adrenaline peak secretion).
It's a well known fact that adrenaline will cause tachycardia and other types of arrhythmias. During the day adrenalin levels on blood are at mean values and their effect is balanced by bisoprolol. While you are on sleep, due to excessive adrenaline release bisoprolol dose isn't enough to control your heart rate and you will experience tachycardia.
This is why you don't experience tachycardia during the day, but only at night.
Wish you health!
Dr. Shehu
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

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