Fast Heart Rate After Drinking Alcohol

The same thing happens to me
but only when i don't drink water while drinking and eat a lot of food
i usually wake up in the morning with a really fast heart rate and im thirsty as hell
so is it just extreme dehydration?
Although i don't always experience the fast heart rates when im dehydrated from drinking so i really don't know drinking water seems to calm it down

I definitely have the same problems that y'all are having. Drink a pretty decent amount of booze and waking up 4-5 hrs later just to start freaking out on the fast heart rate.

Here are a few things that could cause a fast heart rate when there's a good amount alcohol consumption:

#1. Dehydration. Lowers blood volume so heart has to work faster to compensate

#2. Ion imbalance could cause misfires on your heart. Probably as the result of dehydration as well.

#3. Alcohol withdraw symptoms

#4 Low oxygen level (sleeping/passed out under a blanket or pillow) When the oxygen level gets dangerously low, the fight or flight response kicks up to boost the intake of oxygen and circulation.

#5. Of course panic attack when you realize that your heart rate is above normal after waking up suddenly from your sleep (even when you have been passed out). Basically the panic attack is a result of the above symptoms. There are probably more reasons, but those few above were the big ones. Unless you have a serious heart problem and you are on heart medication, you shouldn't worry about the heart rate at all. Hopefully this is helpful for you guys out there.

In response to your thyroid question. I have had the alcohol-fast rate heartbeat thing for a few years. I have even posted on here before. I pretty much just gave up on it ever being resolved (I am only 24, and was pretty bummed about not being able to enjoy a drink or two now and then). However, I went in for a physical and had routine blood work done (I hadn't had any done in about 3 years). My T4 level came back HIGH. Regular levels are .450-4.50, mine was at 7.409. This means my thyroid is under active (I know weird, high # equals slow thyroid, one of those medical opposites). Long story short after being on Synthroid for about 10 days, I just went out for the first time and had several vodka sodas. I don't know if it is coincidence, my thyroid, or the fact I drank a low sugar alcohol but for the first time in years I didn't wake up with the heart poundies (as I call it). Bottom line, get your thyroid checked. I am a 24 year old female, an avid runner and not overweight, but somehow I had the "Oprah disease" aka the fat and tired thyroid disease. It might be worth your time and cure your heart poundies!

Hey. I've looked up this topic before, but may have finally phrased my question properly. I have also been experiencing this for a good number of years. And, unfortunately for me, I am in the beer business and its uncomfortable enough that I cannot enjoy drinking a good number of beers, but its worse that I can barely enjoy even two in an evening.

Things that seem to help me: keep away from food late. Don't go to bed drunk. If you do wake up at 3 or 4 AM, drink up to 7 pints of water and it seems to help the symptoms a lot. Poland Spring does well by me. I just knocked back four bottles over the last half hour reading all these posts.

I have read that this is an indicator of an "addictive personality". Don't know how valid that is. The above-mentioned thyroid explanation intrigues me, as I remember my dad had a thyroid issue which resulted in his being grossly obese, and fortunately this isn't a big problem for me, although it is something I fight against with good diet and exercise. Nevertheless, I am going to have that looked at.

I do not think I have anxiety problems, I think it is my body reacting to the alcohol, and particularly when I combine with food, but certainly not exclusively. I will note that all alcohol products have this effect on me, but in particular and especially wine and then beer. Its a bummer, but like lots of you, I am somewhat relieved I am not alone because up to date, except for this I had thought I was!

Hi, 18 year old freshman in college. Back in high school I did 4 years of Cross Country and Track, my mile was 5mins and 5k was 18mins to give you an idea of the kind of shape I was in. If I drink anything, below 8 drinks, I'll be fine. However, if I happen to have over 9-12 drinks in a night (yes I know I probably shouldn't drink that much), then i get EXTREMELY fast heart rate, between 160-200bpm... when I wake up the next morning. I associated it as a hangover symptom, not alcohol symptom, because it only occurred the next day and did not prevent sleep.

I didnt think too much of this until recently; I took 20mg adderall and then 30mg adderall about 6 hours later to write a paper all night. I've only used adderall 4 times total. Well this time, around 4-5 hours after taking the 30mg pill, I went on a 30 minute run. (Note i'm not quite as fit as I was in high school, only running 2x a week) I got scared during the run; I wasn't running particularly fast for a threshold pace and I was counting 48-58bpm per 15 seconds! Then, when I got back to the dorm, for the next 3-4 hours, my heart rate rested around 120-140, but it was POUNDING. Scariest part - when I'd stand up, my HR would skyrocket to roughly 200bpm.

I didn't think much about the alcohol (I drink 10+shots less than once a month, so it doesn't occur often) at first, but nwo I'm thinking maybe there's an underlying condition causing me to "overdose" on only 50mg of adderall, as well as this alcohol?

Needless to say, I wont be taking anymore adderall unless I get checked out by a doc. Alcohol will have to stay though, heh. Have any of you taken adderall or another stimulant and experienced chest pain/tightness, irregular heartbeats, or rapid heartbeats, at a dose which isn't too large?

Guest wrote:

Elliem wrote:

I don't want this to be a rambling post, but here goes:
As with all previous posts, I've had rapid heartbeats after alcohol consumption and I first noticed this at age 43. Thought it was the caffeine in my rum and coke, then experimented with non caffeine mixed drinks. I'm not a heavy drinker - maybe out once or twice a week. I'll go to sleep and wake up with a heartbeat that's too scary to even try to monitor as though I've had this major 'running for my life' nightmare. And it's always at 3AM - no matter what I've had to drink - wine or liquor and no matter what time I go to sleep. And it can take from a half hour to a few hours to calm down enough to get back to sleep.
Have been to the doctor, also, who looks at me like I'm nuts because she hears a strong, healthy heartbeat with her stethoscope and EKG readings - I did the ER visit once also, and was told that anxiety attacks were probably the culprit. Pissed me off because when I told the ER doctor that it even feels like my heart is fluttering like a vibration when this happens - he looks at my husband as says "have you felt her pulse when this happens?" as though I was not credible enough to be believed.

Researching this a couple of years ago, the only info I found was a forum that explained that I may be missing an ezyme called ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE. (Can I get this in pill form??) During digestion, our bodies give off alcohol as a by product and this enzyme helps us metabolize this alcohol. If we lack it, we can't process it - thus rapid heartbeat, etc., when we overload the system by actually drinking alcohol.
Now, at 51, I'm healthy, in great shape, but even one glass of wine will set me off. Can't meet friends for "just one drink" after work because I don't want to handle the consequences later in the night.

Was talking with my nurse sister-in-law and a brother-in-law last night and the talk turned to the Thyroid issues of another relative. Specifically T3 and T4 production. Seems like you have to have production of both - like agonist and antagonist - so if you're not producing enough of one, the other wreaks havoc. Any one out there have any knowledge on the thyroid subject? And is the alcohol dehydrogenase thing related to it?

In response to your thyroid question. I have had the alcohol-fast rate heartbeat thing for a few years. I have even posted on here before. I pretty much just gave up on it ever being resolved (I am only 24, and was pretty bummed about not being able to enjoy a drink or two now and then). However, I went in for a physical and had routine blood work done (I hadn't had any done in about 3 years). My T4 level came back HIGH. Regular levels are .450-4.50, mine was at 7.409. This means my thyroid is under active (I know weird, high # equals slow thyroid, one of those medical opposites). Long story short after being on Synthroid for about 10 days, I just went out for the first time and had several vodka sodas. I don't know if it is coincidence, my thyroid, or the fact I drank a low sugar alcohol but for the first time in years I didn't wake up with the heart poundies (as I call it). Bottom line, get your thyroid checked. I am a 24 year old female, an avid runner and not overweight, but somehow I had the "Oprah disease" aka the fat and tired thyroid disease. It might be worth your time and cure your heart poundies!

Ok I am re-quoting myself. I wrote the post above about my thyroid and taking Synthroid and I just wanted to let you know my fast heart rate due to drinking has all but disappeared. I still wake up occasionally with a mild case of it but NOTHING like I used to experience (knock on wood). So if it is possible, have some blood work done via a routine physical but ask specifically for a thyroid test, regardless if you are male and female. It may just solve your problem!

Alcohol to your body is technically a POISON.

The human body can react all sorts of ways to a poison (that's why you get drunk.) you should not get all worried about it.

If you are stop using drugs and yes folks Alcohol is an extremely potent DRUG.

Hi, i am 23 years old and have been experiencing this problem for about 2 years now. I was up pretty much every single time i drink in the middle of the night and my heart is pulsating at a rythum that scares me to the point where you think its going to stop. I have tried drinking different drinks and also sticking to one particular type of drink but it still happens never the less.
I was 20 when this problem started and probualy having the time of my life with my mates after coming out of a long term relationship. I was definatly not over doing it in any way, i was just enjoying myself just like everybody else. One day i was out having a drink with my friend and my heart just started pounding for no reason, i went pale in the face and felt like i was going to pass out. I went to the doctors and they told me i had anxiety and panic attacks and there was no cure for this. After this i went through a really difficult time in my life, i lost all my friends, lost touch with my family and genually became a complete wreck, i didnt even dare leave the house.
Over the last three years i have been trying to overcome my problems even though i still carnt quite beleive that it has happened to me and i have found certain things can help.

Try not to have caffeine Tea, Coffee, Choclate, Most fizzy drinks(Sprite is ok i find)

Exercise a couple of times a week(i play badminton and try to walk places as oppose to driving.

Dont drink cider or red bull the worst for heart pulpertations by a mile.

Have a good diet, dont eat to the point where you carnt move, especially before you go bed.

If you smoke try and quit i loved Smokin but since i quit ive felt better and my heart never beats any where near as regually as it did.

Find someone that you can talk to about the problem even if it happens in the middle of the nite, you dont feel so alone and talking to them can take your mind of it.

I have come along way from what i was and i am pretty much back to normal now a days i hope that ive helped someone else with wot ive wrote cause its horrible and unless you have it you dont know wot its like.

Good luck

Interesting... I also have this problem. I am a 41 year old woman who has just seen this problem emerge as of a few weeks ago, despite the fact that I drank almost everynight for a couple of years with the only consequence being a hangover. I do not have anxiety. In fact when it was happening to me, I was calm and said this is not an anxiety attack. I knew it wasn't. The last time I had it, I decided to eat a piece of bread as I remember these symptoms being eerily similar to hypoglycemia. The bread helped. I am going to get my blood tested for thyroid problems as that seems to be a theme here.

I tried drinking just a couple of times since the really bad episode and even after just a few the heart racing thing happens right away. I can't drink at all, which is fine, I never used to drink at all but it might be nice to know if I have some underlying condition that is only symptomatic when I drink. I will let you know if it is a thyroid issue.

Wow, chiming in on the relief of finding this website!

I turned 40 in December, and 11 days before my birthday my husband rushed me to the ER at 4 a.m. because of blood pressure was 160-something over 100-something and my heart was racing. I had champagne the night before celebrating my son getting his drivers license. I have BP issues in my family and am on meds for that and I KNOW I am battling dehydration.

Had some champagne today at Easter brunch with the inlaws and I'll be doggone if I didn't come home feeling crappy. Rapid heart beat, {although the BP wasn't bad} tremors. My mother-in-law also gave me the Xanax, which I haven't tried and am hesitant.

It really does make you feel a bit better to know you aren't the only one. I did mention this to my doctor last week at my physical but she didn't seem to get it.

Oh! and I also do very well with the Gatorade, since I'm sure the potassium helped the BP.

Hello all- I too, am glad that I am not alone with this problem.

It all started a little over a year ago when I woke up in the middle of the night after a hard night of drinking, and had to go to the ER b/c I thought I was dying. It was a panic attack, the docs assured me, and gave me some Ativan to calm me down.

I believe the anxiety/panic attacks were brought on by the high level of stress I was experiencing (as I was completing my final semester of college), coupled with the fact that I had been drinking heavily for nearly a year straight (yes, I realize that is not good at all, but hey, it was college!).

Anyway, my panic attacks have pretty much subsided these days, but I will still wake up in the middle of the night with heart palpitations and extreme tightness in my chest if I've drank too much. I have found ways to help alleviate the symptoms (some nights I'm totally fine, but others I do still wake up if I don't do what I should before going to bed);

(1) STAY HYDRATED - DRINK LOTS OF WATER (while drinking AND before bed) - I don't just drink any water... I've found that Smart Water helps IMMENSELY (it's bottled water with electrolytes - so it's basically the same thing as Gatorade, just without the sugar and calories - it's been a life saver. I always keep a bottle or two next to the bed).

(2) Magnesium Taurate. I've found in my ongoing research of anxiety and heart palpitation problems, that a magnesium deficiency can be to blame in a lot of cases - especially those that are anxiety-related. I've found that taking Magnesium Taurate (usually 1 or 2 when I start drinking, then another 1 or 2 before bed, I've been taking the Cardiovascular Research brand) helps quite a bit. It also is a natural way to help promote even temperment and negate stress. It is a mineral, and a completely natural supplement with no side effects (just mentioning b/c I'm paranoid about taking any kind of pills).

(3) Avoid red wine and strong beer. These seem to have the highest amount of sulfites or whatever it is in alcohol that seem to set off people who are sensitive to their heart rates. I've had the best luck with sake, white wine, and the occasional vodka cocktail.

(4) Again, I can't stress enough - stay hydrated. I'm willing to bet that the majority of people experiencing the heart palpitations in the middle of the night after drinking would find their symptoms severly reduced just by staying well-hydrated throughout the night while they're drinking and before going to bed.

(5) What an earlier poster mentioned - breathing exercises and staying calm. As difficult as it may seem, the pounding heart does appear to be extremely common among people, and it will all be OK. I've found that getting up out of bed, and sitting upright somewhere while taking deep breaths to be very helpful. A lot of it is in your head - the less you focus on the pounding heart, the quicker it seems to dissipate.

(6) Cut back (or completely cut) out cigarettes. I'm pretty much only a social smoker, and have realized that the pounding heart is absolutely 100 percent worse on nights when I've smoked a bunch of cigarettes. Avoiding or cutting back on cigarettes will help.

Hope this message helps!!

Hello all- I too, am glad that I am not alone with this problem.

It all started a little over a year ago when I woke up in the middle of the night after a hard night of drinking, and had to go to the ER b/c I thought I was dying. It was a panic attack, the docs assured me, and gave me some Ativan to calm me down.

I believe the anxiety/panic attacks were brought on by the high level of stress I was experiencing (as I was completing my final semester of college), coupled with the fact that I had been drinking heavily for nearly a year straight (yes, I realize that is not good at all, but hey, it was college!).

Anyway, my panic attacks have pretty much subsided these days, but I will still wake up in the middle of the night with heart palpitations and extreme tightness in my chest if I've drank too much. I have found ways to help alleviate the symptoms (some nights I'm totally fine, but others I do still wake up if I don't do what I should before going to bed);

(1) STAY HYDRATED - DRINK LOTS OF WATER (while drinking AND before bed) - I don't just drink any water... I've found that Smart Water helps IMMENSELY (it's bottled water with electrolytes - so it's basically the same thing as Gatorade, just without the sugar and calories - it's been a life saver. I always keep a bottle or two next to the bed).

(2) Magnesium Taurate. I've found in my ongoing research of anxiety and heart palpitation problems, that a magnesium deficiency can be to blame in a lot of cases - especially those that are anxiety-related. I've found that taking Magnesium Taurate (usually 1 or 2 when I start drinking, then another 1 or 2 before bed, I've been taking the Cardiovascular Research brand) helps quite a bit. It also is a natural way to help promote even temperment and negate stress. It is a mineral, and a completely natural supplement with no side effects (just mentioning b/c I'm paranoid about taking any kind of pills).

(3) Avoid red wine and strong beer. These seem to have the highest amount of sulfites or whatever it is in alcohol that seem to set off people who are sensitive to their heart rates. I've had the best luck with sake, white wine, and the occasional vodka cocktail.

(4) Again, I can't stress enough - stay hydrated. I'm willing to bet that the majority of people experiencing the heart palpitations in the middle of the night after drinking would find their symptoms severly reduced just by staying well-hydrated throughout the night while they're drinking and before going to bed.

(5) What an earlier poster mentioned - breathing exercises and staying calm. As difficult as it may seem, the pounding heart does appear to be extremely common among people, and it will all be OK. I've found that getting up out of bed, and sitting upright somewhere while taking deep breaths to be very helpful. A lot of it is in your head - the less you focus on the pounding heart, the quicker it seems to dissipate.

(6) Cut back (or completely cut) out cigarettes. I'm pretty much only a social smoker, and have realized that the pounding heart is absolutely 100 percent worse on nights when I've smoked a bunch of cigarettes. Avoiding or cutting back on cigarettes will help.


Hope this message helps someone!

I'm still waiting for many of you to check your blood pressure and heart rate with an automatic Blood Pressure machine available in pharmacies. Check your pressure and heart rate before and after alcohol and hourly until you go to steep and then again if you wake up with the symptoms and in the morning. Also let us know if you are oriental. Then post your results.
Doctor

ok here you go.

pre drinking 123/70 p69

after a drink( Not buzzed But I can tell I had a drink ) 129/80 p74

Ill be back if I get a fast heart beat

I am a 41 year old F. I, too have been waking up with a pounding heart after drinking. It happens nearly every time I drink, sometimes it only takes 1-2 drinks (sometimes I can get away with 1, maybe 2), 3 will definitely do it and it could have been HOURS before I went to bed, and be completely sober, but only happens after I try to sleep, and may even make it to sleep first. It also ONLY happens if I drink and has happend over 10 times in the past 3 years.

My doctor asked me to check my pulse and if it is over 160 it could have be some sort of arrythmia, but I checked last night (in the middle of a 3 hour episode) and my pulse was very slightly higher than my normal 82. It hovered between 84 and 92. It's just that it pounds.

I do have insanely high cholesterol around 248 (due to genetics, not diet) which I've been trying to control and do take a baby aspirin every day, but blood pressure is not really an issue. I'm never able to check it during an episode.

I've read on several boards about this and it seems common with no real answers. It seems whenever someone goes to the ER they say anxiety, but I have to say I just don't think so. I can feel tired and relaxed without a care in the world and actully get to sleep with no real difficulty and be woken up an hour later with this. Honestly I think any time a middle aged woman goes to the ER with something they can't explain, they call it, "anxiety attack." Apparently you can't be 40 and not be crazy.