Night sweats can occur occasionally, especially in hot weather. However, night sweats accompanied by chest tightness or pain often signal heart issues. Patients with coronary artery disease may experience angina, a pain caused by reduced blood flow, during sleep. This pain feels heavy, constricting, or burning, and can spread to the arms or jaw. Lying flat alters circulation patterns, potentially stressing the heart.

Waking up gasping for air is a concerning nighttime sign of heart problems. This can indicate heart failure, where fluid accumulates in the lungs, making breathing difficult when lying down. Obstructive sleep apnea, a condition where the airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, is linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and arrhythmias. Individuals who frequently wake up choking, snore loudly, or feel exhausted despite a full night's sleep should seek medical evaluation.

Experiencing a sudden rapid heartbeat or skipped beats while resting in bed can be alarming. While stress and caffeine sometimes cause palpitations, frequent nighttime episodes often indicate atrial fibrillation or other forms of arrhythmias. These conditions may not be as noticeable during the day.

A persistent cough or wheezing, especially when lying down, can be a sign of heart failure. Unlike a common cold, this cough stems from fluid accumulation in the lungs. When reclining, fluid shifts, irritating the airways and leading to coughing. Early recognition of these warning signs and timely medical consultation can help detect heart problems early and prevent complications.

Sleep disturbances are an early symptom of heart failure. Difficulty falling asleep and frequent waking during the night often result from decreased heart function.

To protect heart health, individuals should maintain an active lifestyle, manage stress, get enough sleep, and adopt a healthy diet rich in potassium, low in salt, and sufficient in magnesium. Specific habits to maintain include regular exercise, quitting smoking, controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, and getting recommended vaccinations.

By Le Nguyen (According to Times of India)