Why Noticing Your Heartbeat At Night Is A Major Health Warning

There’s one sound that everyone on the planet is familiar with, and that’s their own heartbeat. Most of the time, we don’t hear our ticker tocking away inside our bodies. But when it’s very quiet, it can be easier to hear your heart as it pumps blood throughout your body.

Of course, the quietest time in any person’s day is when they lay down to go to sleep at night. That’s when most of us hear our hearts, and we mostly don’t think of this as any kind of big deal. However, recent statements from medical professionals have revealed that hearing your own heart beating late at night may be a major health warning for a number of reasons.

Just what is this a warning of, and what can you do about it to stay safe and healthy? Keep reading to discover the answers!

What if you only occasionally hear your heartbeat while lying down?

First, we need to address the elephant in the room. If you’re reading this, it’s because you have many memories of hearing your heartbeat at night. And now that you know that it can be a warning sign regarding your health, you may be worried that hearing the heartbeat at any time in your life means that you are somehow doomed.

Here’s the good news: if you just occasionally hear your own heartbeat at night, you most likely don’t have anything to worry about. Those occasional moments are most likely caused by your carotid arteries resting against the pillow. Blood vessels pass through those arteries, and those arteries are close to your ears. Therefore, laying your head down on a pillow may mean that you can occasionally hear those vessels moving.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that there are other times you should be very concerned about hearing your heartbeat.

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When should you be concerned about hearing your heartbeat?

We already covered that you don’t have to worry about your health if you only hear your heartbeat occasionally when lying down. So, when should you be worried about hearing it? Simple: you need to be worried if you hear your heartbeat almost every time you are in bed and trying to get some sleep.

If this sounds like what you are experiencing, you should know that you may not actually be hearing your heartbeat. Instead, you most likely have a health condition known as pulsatile tinnitus. Those with this condition may often hear ringing or buzzing noises, and it can sometimes sound like the regular beat of your heart (especially when you’re in bed).

By itself, the tinnitus itself is not necessarily a threat to your health. But the tinnitus may be caused by certain other conditions that put your health at risk.

Hardened arteries may be to blame

If you have pulsatile tinnitus, there are several possible causes. One of those causes is hardened arteries, which is a condition known as atherosclerosis. Among other health problems, hardened arteries can lead to irregular blood flow.

There may be other signs that you have hardened arteries, but the tinnitus may be your only clue. If you are worried about this or any other health condition, be sure to consult with your physician right away.

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The importance of blood pressure and blood flow

There are other possible culprits for your pulsatile tinnitus. One of them is high blood pressure, which can lead to a range of other health problems if left unchecked. Fortunately, this can often be managed by changes to your diet and exercise routine and medication as needed.

There’s also a chance that your tinnitus could be caused by rapid blood flow. This can lead to higher blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, and more. While it can be scary to think about something like this happening to your body, never forget that the sooner you get it diagnosed, the sooner you can get it treated.

Other surprising causes of this tinnitus

There are still more possible reasons that you could be suffering from pulsatile tinnitus. It could be caused by something as benign as pregnancy, but it can also be caused by something scary such as hidden tumors in your body.

In some cases, this tinnitus can even be caused by anemia, a condition in which your various tissues and organs aren’t getting enough oxygen. By addressing the potential problem right away, you can take care of your body like it deserves to be taken care of. 

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Better safe than sorry

The rising cost of health insurance is one reason that many hesitate to go to the doctor. However, a surprising number of people avoid going to a medical professional because they convince themselves that nothing is actually wrong.

Take it from us, though: you’ll never regret going to the doctor if you’re worried something is wrong. Best case scenario, you’ll find out your health is fine and gain some much-needed peace of mind. Worst case scenario, you’ll confirm something is wrong and begin treatment. Either way, you’ll walk out better prepared to lead a longer, happier, and healthier life than when you walked in!