What should I do if I have a rapid heartbeat and insomnia?

Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
Updated on September 23, 2024
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Experiencing a rapid heart rate can cause panic, restlessness, and severely affect sleep. After an electrocardiogram examination, if the rapid heart rate is not caused by organic heart disease, medications to control the heart rate can be used under a doctor’s guidance, or choose sedative and calming traditional Chinese medicines or Western medicines to stabilize the nerves, slow the heart rate, and promote sleep. If the rapid heart rate is due to organic heart disease, treatment of the underlying disease is necessary under a doctor's guidance, along with the use of medications to control the heart rate, to ensure the quality of sleep.

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Written by Chen Lu Lu
Nutrition Science
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Does milk help with insomnia?

Drink a cup of warm milk an hour before bed. The warm temperature and the fullness, along with the calcium and tryptophan it contains, can help relieve mental stress and relax the body, potentially aiding sleep, though results may vary. Currently, there is no authoritative research confirming that it definitely improves sleep. Elderly people should not drink too much milk before sleeping to avoid bloating or frequent urination at night, which could worsen sleep problems. Insomnia patients might also try soaking their feet in warm water before bed, gently massaging their head, or listening to soothing music to relax. If the above methods still do not significantly improve your insomnia, it is recommended to consult a specialist doctor at a formal hospital.

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Written by Huo Ze Jun
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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What are the causes of insomnia?

Insomnia refers to difficulty in falling asleep or waking up early, which affects work the next day. There are many causes of insomnia, such as environmental factors, some medications, and some diseases, such as chronic diseases, which may cause insomnia in patients. It is also somewhat related to the patient's personality. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, the main reasons for insomnia include the following: The first is Yin deficiency and excessive fire. The heart is associated with fire and the kidneys with water. If the heart's fire is too strong and the kidney's water is insufficient, it can cause insomnia. Additionally, patients with damp-heat conditions can also experience insomnia because too much damp-heat can disturb the mind and lead to insomnia. Moreover, some patients have excessive liver and gallbladder fire and a quick temper, which can also lead to insomnia. Another group of patients has both heart and spleen deficiencies; if both the heart and spleen are deficient in blood, it can result in insufficient nourishment for the mind's blood, ultimately leading to insomnia. Thus, patients with both heart and spleen deficiencies can suffer from insomnia.

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Written by Pang Ji Cheng
Psychiatry and Psychology
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Does anxiety disorder cause insomnia?

Patients with anxiety disorders may experience symptoms of insomnia, primarily due to high sympathetic nervous excitement and hyperfunction of skeletal muscles. Therefore, patients may exhibit high alertness, difficulties falling asleep, frequent awakenings during sleep, or inability to fall back asleep after waking up. In such cases, clinically, anti-anxiety medications with sedative and hypnotic effects, such as benzodiazepine anti-anxiety drugs, or antidepressants with sedative effects, can be effectively used. Moreover, if anxiety disorder patients can self-adjust, such as through exercise, they may also improve their sleep conditions to some extent.

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Written by Pang Ji Cheng
Psychiatry and Psychology
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What to eat for insomnia

Insomnia is a relatively common clinical condition, so it is important to avoid spicy and greasy foods in the diet, and consume fresh vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins. Additionally, when insomnia becomes severe, benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic drugs or short-acting sedatives can be taken to help patients enter sleep quickly. Furthermore, during insomnia, it is also important to notice if the patient has any other psychiatric symptoms. If there are accompanying psychiatric symptoms, sedative-hypnotic, anti-anxiety, antidepressant, or antipsychotic drugs can be taken to improve the patient's sleep condition. (Note: The above drugs should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Qiu Xin Hui
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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How to treat insomnia due to insufficient Qi and blood?

When physical symptoms of qi and blood deficiency and signs of insomnia appear, patients are likely to exhibit symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness, spontaneous sweating, and pale complexion. At this time, it is necessary to promptly regulate the body. You can eat more foods or medicines that replenish qi and nourish the blood. It is recommended to use Astragalus, Codonopsis, Angelica Sinensis, and Goji berries to simmer a pigeon soup, and also add some calming herbs such as lotus seeds and lily. Among these, Astragalus and Codonopsis help replenish qi; Angelica Sinensis and Goji berries nourish the yin and enrich the blood; pigeon meat itself is rich in nutrients and has benefits such as warming yang, strengthening the kidneys, enhancing qi, and nourishing the blood. Combined together, these can effectively improve the symptoms of insomnia caused by qi and blood deficiency. (Note: Use of specific medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)