Slow heart rate at night .

Dear Natalie,

I haven't read the previous thread but just saw yours.

Like you I have been checked over a few times as now and then I personally get a lot of "atrial ectopics."

Once 15 years back I was having 2000 a day they recorded it was so scary.

I invited Jesus into my heart and life and miraculously they stopped over night and I felt peace, it was beautiful.

Another time, I was over weight and they started up, I think having more air in my tummy and a bigger tummy, so when I had air I could feel it circulating and I think it would agrivate my vagus nerve, when the air agrivated it is causes the atrial ectopics in me.

So when I lost weight and started exercising a bit they improved and went.

Last time they flared up was 4 or 5 months ago after having not had them for a few years. This time I was 3 or 4,stone over weight, smoking, eating big meals late at night, poor sleep, stress and lots of sweets and takeaways etc.

Nsaw heart Dr and made some changes,. I have almost stopped smoking and started vapping or nicotine gum instead (although not great as still a stimulant but obviously miles better than fags) I have lost two stone almost praise God! And cut out the crap take aways and silly size portions, I can comfort eat and so if it wasn't for the palpitations I doubt I would have had the motivation to start getting back in shape and healthy diet again, excercise and put cigarettes down.

But even with loosing the weight I still had them this time, they didn't stop until I started doing 30 mins gentle cardio 4 or 5 times a week. When I did that they stopped!!!!

Although they were benign atrial ectopics for me they were still scary : ( so the excercise had been well worth it, it also helps with my depression and anxiety.

The last piece in the puzzle for me is to keep the healthy regime going, and not stop, I drifted away a bit last week, no excercise for a few days and a few bigger meals and large take aways, and they came back.

The last thing I'm working on is my poor sleep pattern as that can effect me, over tired, sleeping at wrong time of day staying up to late etc, this is a real battle but what's been amazing is even when a bit. tired I can still excercise and feel better!!

The heart Dr said to me that although my palpitations were benign, when I excercise regulalry my heart will deal with my palpitations much better when I'm fit, and that by making some likestyle changes and sticking to them has and is really working well for me praise God, thank You God.

BTW I also have slow pulse rate at night 51 52 etc but it's been like that for ages and the heart Dr said he not worried, and trust me I'm no athelite lol.

I grew up in a violent achoholic home so my anxiety levels were set eey high at an early age, so I know how anxious I can get and I can "catastophise" and imagine the worst happening in many times in any situation, I'm my own worst enemy! But I'm getting better and having some counselling and some support groups.

Obviously I would check with your Dr about your waking up in the night, and check about how to start doing excercise if not doing already. I just started gently on cross trainer for 30 mins and now I can go a bit more quickly as my fitness is improving. I always warm down after wards and do 4 mins very slow on it.

I have to be fairly rigid on my food. So in the morning I have porrage with a banana and apple. Sliced in it, a low fats sandwich hich for lunch and maybe with some fruit, and then a calorie controlled meal in the evening, maybe some nice fruit for desert, water mellow etc then maybe a bowl of light serial and hour before bed. Juts sticking to this, and gym, the weights comming off nicely and feeling much better about myself all round! And palpitations have almost gone completely.

Before I started this a few months back I having 1600 atrial ectopics a day. Feeling like crap. Constant anxiety and fear. Making these changes out of total fear if I'm honest, and most importantly trusting God to help me, I am feeling like a new man, which is good cos I was going the wrong way, 45 years old, smoking, no excercise, obese, depressed and fearful. Don't get me wrong I still fight my anxiety but these healthy changes. And not isolating so much I feel so much better spiritually, physically and all round.

Here is a good link that I found when I was googling full of fear when having so many palpitations, http://www.anxietyguru.net/how-to-stop-heart-palpitations/comment-page-7/

It also mentions excercise and hydration. I was not drinking enough water. I'm having just a few little palpitations as I write this, but it's late, I have a bit of gass as has some fruit and it's late am tired so perfectly normal and no need to freak, just slowly breath into my stomach, and get to bed as I'm over tired, again lol, shall get some rest now and go to gym tomorrow, eat healthy. Try not smoke and I know I should have a good day if I look after myself.

My advice is go docs get checked, and if like me they suggest some lifestyle changes give it a go!!

3 Months ago they were never ending for me and I was pacing in fear, the test comming back normal was reassuring and I just started making these changes. I hope this helps, your not on your own,. I would be so rich if I had a pound for all the times I was sure I was gonna dies all the times.. Adrenalin and pannick just gave me more palpitations lol.

One of my close feinds also went to Dr once about his palpitations, and he said to him "as long as your worrying about these, they ain't going nowhere lol! It's true, for me its part that, but sorry if I'm repeating myself again but if Dr says it's OK do some escercise 4 or 5 times a week, me I use cross trainer, I start slow and graduly build up. Listening to dance music on headphones while I really helps, I actually enjoy it, and feel a bit of a lovely glow afterwards praise God. I hope some of this encourages you and that you will try some of these things if they apply for you too.

PS..I have trusted God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit with many things in my life, I hand my day to God and ask for help each day to look after and move myself, I couldn't do it on my own.

Much love,

God bless,

Mark