u/DueBet4

So for the last few weeks I keep waking in the middle of the night (usually needing to pee...that's unfortunately not the odd part :P) and my heart is pounding hard but heart rate is normal. Like I can feel my heart throbbing in my chest and throat. Last night I wondered if it's an increase in blood pressure but by the time I came to the realisation and took my BP the effects were fading. BP was slightly higher than normal but I had just rushed to get it all set up so...

Checking my Fitbit this morning I can see last night's episode coincided with waking from REM, unsure about previous episodes. I've kept my BP monitor out in case it happens tonight and I can check again. My BP is generally low average.

Anyone have any ideas on what's going on?

For extra context: I have anxiety which has been heightened lately but it's been improving slowly. I've recently been diagnosed with anxiety induced IBS so I will be starting amitriptyline soon (waiting until I have some time off work to start this so I can gauge side effects) atm I just take propranolol.

I've recently had an ECG which was normal.

I have upstairs neighbours that stomp and bang around at ungodly times (they've been spoken to etc etc nothing can be done about that)

I've tried lots of different ear plugs and they never block out all the thudding sounds so I'm often frightened awake. I sleep with earplugs and sleep headphones playing white noise so I'm now wondering ARE there ear plugs that block that kind of noise or is this impossible because of the way it...resonates? (Unsure if it's less about the noise being loud and more about the nature of the sound)

Any recommendations for other ear plugs? I'm a side sleeper and prefer silicone with the flat cap thing (I'm scared of getting ear plugs stuck haha!)