I get heart flutters, especially while lying on my side. Is this a worrying issue?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern. According to your statement, you have been suffering from heart flutter or palpitations at night. It occurs when you get the feeling of a strong pulse in the chest after you lay down to sleep. It is usually normal and not a sign of any serious health condition. So it does not need any treatment.

Sometimes, heart flutter can result from stress, anxiety, exercise, medications, pregnancy, sleep deprivation, too much caffeine consumption, nicotine or alcohol, etc. In rare cases, it can be a symptom of serious cardiac abnormalities like irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, etc., and treatment will be required.

And a common cause of a rising heart rate during sleep time is lack of oxygen, which can be happened by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a condition where a person's normal breathing frequency may be reduced or sometimes flat out stopped during sleeping.

Treatment of heart flutter depends on causes. You should undergo ECG (electrocardiography), Pulse oximetry for oxygen saturation, ABG (arterial blood gas) analysis. etc., for the detection of causes and treat them accordingly.

By lifestyle modification, changing drinking habits, weight reduction, taking a balanced diet regularly, removing anxiety or depression, and proper sleeping, a person can control his heart flutter.