We've all had those frightening, vivid dreams that shake us awake, beating heart, sweat forming on our brow. Nightmares are unwelcome visitors in our bed, leaving us uneasy and sometimes even afraid to sleep again. But beyond the immediate psychological discomfort, might these nighttime horrors be sharing a secret with us about our physical health, specifically about our heart rhythm?
Since ancient times, the connection between our dreams and our bodily health has been circumstantially based. Now, with an expanding base of research, intriguing links between our nighttime adventures and cardiovascular health are beginning to emerge. We got in touch with our expert, Dr Shubendu Mohanty, Sr Consultant Cardiology, Shardacare - Healthy City, Noida, and in an exclusive interaction with the editorial team of Onlymyhealth, he explained the link between nightmares and our heart rhythm. Here is what he shared with us, but let us first understand how nightmare works.
What Happens During A Nighmare?
When you're having a nightmare, your body actually experiences a very real physiological stress reaction. Although the danger is only imagined, your brain can't always tell the difference. This activates the ‘fight or flight’ response, sending a cascade of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. This release of stress hormones has an almost instantaneous impact on your cardiovascular system:
1. Increased Heart Rate
Your heart begins to beat faster in order to circulate more blood to your muscles, getting ready to react to a perceived threat.
2. Increased Blood Pressure
Blood vessels narrow, causing a temporary increase in blood pressure.
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3. Alterations in Heart Rhythm
Although usually harmless, these hormonal spikes can occasionally cause transient alterations in heart rhythm, such as palpitations or missed beats, even in healthy people.
For the majority of individuals, these physiological reactions during a nightmare are fleeting and benign. The situation, however, becomes more complicated in the case of individuals with existing heart conditions or those who have constant, severe nightmares.
When Are Nightmares A Warning Signal?
Dr Mohanty assured that though an isolated nightmare would not likely result in permanent heart difficulties, habitual or severe nightmares might be a sign of, or lead to, underlying problems. These may include:
1. Increased Cardiovascular Risk in Vulnerable Populations
For individuals already suffering from heart disease, such as atrial fibrillation, or a previous history of heart attacks, the chronic stress response of frequent nightmares may place an added burden on an already compromised cardiovascular system. There has been some research that has looked at whether chronic stress, of which nightmares are a manifestation, could play a causal role in the development of heart disease.
2. Sleep Disorders and Cardiac Health
Nightmares frequently are a manifestation of underlying sleep disorders, including sleep apnea or REM sleep behaviour disorder. Sleep apnea, which involves the cessation of breathing during sleep, is an accepted risk factor for many cardiovascular issues, including arrhythmias, hypertension, and heart failure. If nightmares are a significant component of your sleep pathology, it's important to explore possible underlying sleep disorders.
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3. Psychological Distress and Heart Rhythm
Psychological stress, anxiety, depression, and heart rhythm disturbance have a robust bidirectional relationship. Frequent nightmares are a major cause of psychological distress. This ongoing stress may trigger inflammatory pathways and sympathetic nervous system overdrive, both of which have been implicated in arrhythmia development and perpetuation.
4. Medication Side Effects
Sometimes, side effects of certain medications, especially those in the central nervous system, can trigger nightmares. Be sure to talk to your physician about any new or changing nightmares, as they may be a reaction to your medication therapy.
How To Navigate Through Nightmares For Better Heart Health?
According to our expert, good sleep hygiene and stress management are important for both your dreams and your heart. Therefore, here are a few things to note:
- Get seven to nine hours of good sleep each night.
- Create a bedtime routine to relax reading, a warm bath, or soothing stretching.
- Restrict screen time before bed as the blue light emitted from screens can interfere with the production of melatonin.
- Have your bedroom dark, peaceful, and cool.
- Engage in stress-reducing activities such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or being outdoors.
- Regular exercise is an excellent way to enhance the quality of sleep and lower stress, but no heavy exercise should be close to bedtime.
- Restrict caffeine and alcohol, particularly in the hours before bedtime.
- If you have any suspicion of a sleep disorder or any heart issues, get professional medical guidance and care.
Bottomline
Although the relationship between nightmares and abnormal heart rhythms is intricate, still under study, one fact is undeniable: our nighttime activities are not independent of our physical health. Nightmares are a strong signal of underlying stress, sleep disorder, or even silent cardiovascular weakness. By listening to our dreams and actively controlling our sleep and stress, we can take strong measures towards cultivating both our mental health and the health of our most critical organ.