Why Do I Suddenly Get Heart Palpitations at Night That Keep Me Awake During Perimenopause?

You’re lying in bed, exhausted, finally ready for sleep. Then it happens. A sudden flutter, a pause, and then a THUMP in your chest that feels way too loud in the quiet of the night.

If you're in perimenopause, experiencing unsettling perimenopause heart palpitations at night is often tied to your hormones. Wildly fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels can disrupt your autonomic nervous system—the system that controls your heart rate. This connection between estrogen and heart rate can make your heart feel like it's skipping, racing, or pounding, especially when you’re lying still without distractions.

So, Are These Hormonal Heart Flutters a Problem?

First, let’s get this out of the way, because it’s the most important thing you’ll read here: if you are experiencing new or worsening heart palpitations, you need to talk to your doctor. Full stop. They can run the right tests to make sure nothing more serious is going on with your heart health.

Okay. Now that we’ve covered that, let's talk about what's likely happening. For so many of us in this phase of life, these sensations are incredibly common. Studies show that between 20% and 42% of women report having palpitations during the menopause transition. You’re not alone in this. Not even close. The problem is, the distress they cause is real and has been clinically linked to more severe insomnia and depressive symptoms, which is why a dedicated sleep support supplement like GloRest can be part of a comprehensive approach. It’s a vicious cycle—the palpitations wake you up, the anxiety sleep disturbance from them keeps you up, and the lack of sleep makes everything feel worse the next day.

Why Do They Feel So Much Worse at Night?

It’s a fair question. Why does it always seem to kick off the moment your head hits the pillow? Mostly, it’s because you finally stopped moving. During the day, you’re busy—working, running errands, thinking about a million other things. Your mind is occupied. At night, it’s just you and the silence, which makes you much more aware of your own heartbeat. The slightest flutter feels like a drum solo.

Interestingly, the sensation itself might not even mean your heart is beating abnormally. A pilot study on midlife women found that the feeling of palpitations can happen even when the heart is in a completely normal rhythm. It seems our perception and sensitivity to our own heartbeat just gets dialed way up during perimenopause. Even your sleeping position can play a role. If you sleep hunched on your side, it can increase the pressure inside your chest, which for some people, can trigger that fluttery feeling.

What This Means for You

The biggest takeaway is that this experience is real, it’s common, and it’s not something you’re imagining. And honestly? Just knowing that can take away some of its power.

When you feel that flutter, the instinct is to panic. What’s wrong? Is this serious? That spike of adrenaline and anxiety only makes your heart beat faster, feeding the cycle. Learning to manage this response, sometimes with support like GloSerene, is crucial. But when you understand the connection to your hormonal health, you can reframe it. Instead of panic, you can try to meet it with a bit of understanding. Ah, there are my hormones again, messing with my nervous system.

This doesn’t replace a doctor’s visit—that’s still your first and most important step. But it can help you manage the anxiety in the moment. Taking a few slow, deep breaths, shifting your position in bed, or focusing on something calming can help your nervous system settle down. It’s about learning to work with your body as it moves through this messy, unpredictable, and totally normal transition.

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Written by Glomend Team | Last Updated: 2026-03-25