How Lack Of Sleep Affects Your Heart Rate

Sleep is a vital process that allows the body to recover and recharge. During sleep, the body's stimulation of the nervous system is reduced, and most bodily processes slow down. This includes the heart rate, which typically lowers to its resting rate during light sleep, before dropping even further during deep sleep. However, during the REM stage of sleep, the heart rate can fluctuate and increase, especially if the content of the dream is scary or active.

While a lower heart rate during sleep is normal, a consistently elevated heart rate at night could indicate underlying health issues.

Heart rate and sleep stages

Sleep is a chance for your heart to slow down and recover. The process of sleep is made up of two primary stages: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

During the first stage of sleep, NREM, your heart rate, breathing and blood pressure all drop to levels below those that occur while you are awake. NREM sleep is further divided into light sleep and deep sleep. Within about five minutes of falling asleep, your heart rate gradually slows to its resting rate as you enter light sleep. During deep sleep, your heart rate slows to about 20% to 30% below your resting heart rate.

During the second stage, REM sleep, your heart rate can vary. REM sleep is when you dream. If you are having a scary dream or a dream that involves activity, your heart rate rises as if you were awake.

In general, your sleeping heart rate will be about 20% to 30% lower than your daytime resting heart rate. On average, a healthy adult will have a daytime resting heart rate of about 60 to 100 beats per minute, and a sleeping heart rate of 50 to 75 beats per minute. However, this can vary depending on factors such as age, weight, genetics, physical activity and other health conditions. For example, children tend to have faster heart rates than adults, and athletes tend to have slower heart rates.

There are several factors that can influence your heart rate during sleep. High sleeping heart rates are associated with stress and anxiety, poor sleep hygiene, nightmares, and certain health conditions such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and REM sleep behaviour disorder. Lower sleeping heart rates can be caused by certain medications, such as beta-blockers, and health conditions such as heart disease, rheumatic fever, Lyme disease, and sleep apnea.

If you are concerned about your sleeping heart rate, or if it is consistently above or below normal levels, it is important to consult a doctor.

Stress and anxiety

Sleep is a chance for your heart to slow down and recover. During sleep, your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure all drop below the levels when you are awake. However, a good night's rest is not always easy to achieve. Stress and anxiety can increase your heart rate and blood pressure during sleep, and poor sleep can, in turn, negatively impact your heart rate and blood pressure during the day.

Chronic stress can increase your blood pressure and heart rate, forcing your heart to work harder. Prolonged stress and anxiety can also negatively impact your sleep quality, which can further contribute to higher heart rates and blood pressure during the day. This can create a negative feedback loop, making it challenging to get a good night's rest.

Additionally, stress and anxiety can lead to an increased risk of mood disorders like depression, further impacting your overall well-being and heart health. Addressing stress and anxiety through relaxation techniques, such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, or progressive muscle relaxation, can help induce a state of relaxation, leading to slower breathing and a lower heart rate.

Furthermore, stress and anxiety can impact your lifestyle choices. Poor sleep can influence your food choices, leading to a preference for unhealthy foods and a decrease in physical activity levels. This can create a cycle where poor sleep choices further contribute to higher stress levels and anxiety, making it more challenging to achieve the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night for heart health.

To break this cycle, it is essential to focus on stress management and improving sleep hygiene. This includes establishing a consistent sleep schedule, creating a calm and sleep-friendly environment, avoiding electronics before bed, exercising regularly, and limiting substances like nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol, which can disrupt sleep. By addressing stress and anxiety and improving sleep habits, you can optimize your heart health and overall well-being.

Sleep behaviours

• Consistency: Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends, is crucial for regulating your body's internal clock. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
• Environment: Create a sleep-friendly environment by using blackout curtains, an eye mask, or a white noise machine. Keep the temperature in your bedroom cool, as a cooler environment can promote better sleep.
• Limit Screen Time: Avoid using electronic devices in bed or before bedtime. The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with your sleep hormones, making it harder to fall and stay asleep.
• Exercise: Engage in regular physical activity, as studies show that exercise helps improve sleep quality. However, avoid strenuous exercise close to bedtime, as it may stimulate your body and make it difficult to fall asleep.
• Meal Timing: Avoid heavy meals right before bedtime. Late dinners or snacks can disrupt your sleep and impact your heart rate.
• Substance Intake: Limit your intake of nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol, especially close to bedtime. These substances can disrupt your sleep and increase your heart rate.
• Morning Light Exposure: Exposure to morning light, particularly during the early hours after waking up, can help set your circadian rhythm and improve your sleep-wake cycle.

By following these sleep behaviours and maintaining good sleep hygiene, you can support your heart health and overall well-being.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, the body works harder than usual to grow the fetus. The amount of blood in the body increases by up to 50%, and the heart has to work harder to pump this extra blood around the body and to the fetus. This can result in heart palpitations, where the heart pounds, flutters, races, or skips a beat. These irregular heartbeats are usually harmless, but they can be alarming. They are more common in the third trimester, when the fetus is bigger and requires more blood.

There are several things that pregnant women can do to manage their heart rate and reduce the risk of heart palpitations:

• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
• Avoid caffeine, especially coffee and chocolate, as these can make heart palpitations worse.
• Eat a balanced, nutritious diet with plenty of protein, fruits, and vegetables.
• Get regular exercise, such as walking, swimming, yoga, or stretching.
• Manage stress and anxiety through relaxation techniques, deep breathing, or meditation.
• Sleep on your side, as this takes pressure off the vein that carries blood back to the heart from the feet and legs.
• Avoid rigorous exercise before bed and try to establish a consistent sleep pattern.

It is important to see a doctor if you are experiencing any symptoms that seem abnormal, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe dizziness, or fainting.

Medication and medical conditions

Additionally, various medical conditions can affect sleeping heart rates. These include:

• Atrial fibrillation
• Premature ventricular contractions
• Other heart conduction disorders
• Thyroid issues
• Heart disease
• Rheumatic fever
• Lyme disease
• Sleep apnea
• Anorexia
• Hypothyroidism

It is important to note that underlying health conditions, such as sleep apnea, hypothyroidism, and anorexia, can also contribute to lower heart rates during sleep.

Furthermore, specific lifestyle factors, such as nicotine and caffeine consumption, can cause heart palpitations and affect an individual's sleeping heart rate.

Frequently asked questions