diff --git a/metrics/ewma.go b/metrics/ewma.go
index ed95cba19b4f..ffe4fe83a54d 100644
--- a/metrics/ewma.go
+++ b/metrics/ewma.go
@@ -77,16 +77,14 @@ func (NilEWMA) Update(n int64) {}
 type StandardEWMA struct {
 	uncounted atomic.Int64
 	alpha     float64
-	rate      float64
-	init      bool
+	rate      atomic.Uint64
+	init      atomic.Bool
 	mutex     sync.Mutex
 }
 
 // Rate returns the moving average rate of events per second.
 func (a *StandardEWMA) Rate() float64 {
-	a.mutex.Lock()
-	defer a.mutex.Unlock()
-	return a.rate * float64(time.Second)
+	return math.Float64frombits(a.rate.Load()) * float64(time.Second)
 }
 
 // Snapshot returns a read-only copy of the EWMA.
@@ -97,17 +95,36 @@ func (a *StandardEWMA) Snapshot() EWMA {
 // Tick ticks the clock to update the moving average.  It assumes it is called
 // every five seconds.
 func (a *StandardEWMA) Tick() {
-	count := a.uncounted.Load()
-	a.uncounted.Add(-count)
-	instantRate := float64(count) / float64(5*time.Second)
+	// Optimization to avoid mutex locking in the hot-path.
+	if a.init.Load() {
+		a.updateRate(a.fetchInstantRate())
+		return
+	}
+	// Slow-path: this is only needed on the first Tick() and preserves transactional updating
+	// of init and rate in the else block. The first conditional is needed below because
+	// a different thread could have set a.init = 1 between the time of the first atomic load and when
+	// the lock was acquired.
 	a.mutex.Lock()
-	defer a.mutex.Unlock()
-	if a.init {
-		a.rate += a.alpha * (instantRate - a.rate)
+	if a.init.Load() {
+		// The fetchInstantRate() uses atomic loading, which is unnecessary in this critical section
+		// but again, this section is only invoked on the first successful Tick() operation.
+		a.updateRate(a.fetchInstantRate())
 	} else {
-		a.init = true
-		a.rate = instantRate
+		a.init.Store(true)
+		a.rate.Store(math.Float64bits(a.fetchInstantRate()))
 	}
+	a.mutex.Unlock()
+}
+
+func (a *StandardEWMA) fetchInstantRate() float64 {
+	count := a.uncounted.Swap(0)
+	return float64(count) / float64(5*time.Second)
+}
+
+func (a *StandardEWMA) updateRate(instantRate float64) {
+	currentRate := math.Float64frombits(a.rate.Load())
+	currentRate += a.alpha * (instantRate - currentRate)
+	a.rate.Store(math.Float64bits(currentRate))
 }
 
 // Update adds n uncounted events.
diff --git a/metrics/ewma_test.go b/metrics/ewma_test.go
index 5b244191616e..73e77f852f76 100644
--- a/metrics/ewma_test.go
+++ b/metrics/ewma_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,18 @@ func BenchmarkEWMA(b *testing.B) {
 	}
 }
 
+func BenchmarkEWMAParallel(b *testing.B) {
+	a := NewEWMA1()
+	b.ResetTimer()
+
+	b.RunParallel(func(pb *testing.PB) {
+		for pb.Next() {
+			a.Update(1)
+			a.Tick()
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 func TestEWMA1(t *testing.T) {
 	a := NewEWMA1()
 	a.Update(3)
diff --git a/metrics/meter.go b/metrics/meter.go
index 8a89dc4275f1..25e08d3629ce 100644
--- a/metrics/meter.go
+++ b/metrics/meter.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package metrics
 
 import (
+	"math"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
@@ -30,17 +31,6 @@ func GetOrRegisterMeter(name string, r Registry) Meter {
 	return r.GetOrRegister(name, NewMeter).(Meter)
 }
 
-// GetOrRegisterMeterForced returns an existing Meter or constructs and registers a
-// new StandardMeter no matter the global switch is enabled or not.
-// Be sure to unregister the meter from the registry once it is of no use to
-// allow for garbage collection.
-func GetOrRegisterMeterForced(name string, r Registry) Meter {
-	if nil == r {
-		r = DefaultRegistry
-	}
-	return r.GetOrRegister(name, NewMeterForced).(Meter)
-}
-
 // NewMeter constructs a new StandardMeter and launches a goroutine.
 // Be sure to call Stop() once the meter is of no use to allow for garbage collection.
 func NewMeter() Meter {
@@ -68,83 +58,49 @@ func NewInactiveMeter() Meter {
 	return m
 }
 
-// NewMeterForced constructs a new StandardMeter and launches a goroutine no matter
-// the global switch is enabled or not.
-// Be sure to call Stop() once the meter is of no use to allow for garbage collection.
-func NewMeterForced() Meter {
-	m := newStandardMeter()
-	arbiter.Lock()
-	defer arbiter.Unlock()
-	arbiter.meters[m] = struct{}{}
-	if !arbiter.started {
-		arbiter.started = true
-		go arbiter.tick()
-	}
-	return m
-}
-
 // NewRegisteredMeter constructs and registers a new StandardMeter
 // and launches a goroutine.
 // Be sure to unregister the meter from the registry once it is of no use to
 // allow for garbage collection.
 func NewRegisteredMeter(name string, r Registry) Meter {
-	c := NewMeter()
-	if nil == r {
-		r = DefaultRegistry
-	}
-	r.Register(name, c)
-	return c
-}
-
-// NewRegisteredMeterForced constructs and registers a new StandardMeter
-// and launches a goroutine no matter the global switch is enabled or not.
-// Be sure to unregister the meter from the registry once it is of no use to
-// allow for garbage collection.
-func NewRegisteredMeterForced(name string, r Registry) Meter {
-	c := NewMeterForced()
-	if nil == r {
-		r = DefaultRegistry
-	}
-	r.Register(name, c)
-	return c
+	return GetOrRegisterMeter(name, r)
 }
 
-// MeterSnapshot is a read-only copy of another Meter.
-type MeterSnapshot struct {
-	temp                           atomic.Int64
+// meterSnapshot is a read-only copy of the meter's internal values.
+type meterSnapshot struct {
 	count                          int64
 	rate1, rate5, rate15, rateMean float64
 }
 
 // Count returns the count of events at the time the snapshot was taken.
-func (m *MeterSnapshot) Count() int64 { return m.count }
+func (m *meterSnapshot) Count() int64 { return m.count }
 
 // Mark panics.
-func (*MeterSnapshot) Mark(n int64) {
-	panic("Mark called on a MeterSnapshot")
+func (*meterSnapshot) Mark(n int64) {
+	panic("Mark called on a meterSnapshot")
 }
 
 // Rate1 returns the one-minute moving average rate of events per second at the
 // time the snapshot was taken.
-func (m *MeterSnapshot) Rate1() float64 { return m.rate1 }
+func (m *meterSnapshot) Rate1() float64 { return m.rate1 }
 
 // Rate5 returns the five-minute moving average rate of events per second at
 // the time the snapshot was taken.
-func (m *MeterSnapshot) Rate5() float64 { return m.rate5 }
+func (m *meterSnapshot) Rate5() float64 { return m.rate5 }
 
 // Rate15 returns the fifteen-minute moving average rate of events per second
 // at the time the snapshot was taken.
-func (m *MeterSnapshot) Rate15() float64 { return m.rate15 }
+func (m *meterSnapshot) Rate15() float64 { return m.rate15 }
 
 // RateMean returns the meter's mean rate of events per second at the time the
 // snapshot was taken.
-func (m *MeterSnapshot) RateMean() float64 { return m.rateMean }
+func (m *meterSnapshot) RateMean() float64 { return m.rateMean }
 
 // Snapshot returns the snapshot.
-func (m *MeterSnapshot) Snapshot() Meter { return m }
+func (m *meterSnapshot) Snapshot() Meter { return m }
 
 // Stop is a no-op.
-func (m *MeterSnapshot) Stop() {}
+func (m *meterSnapshot) Stop() {}
 
 // NilMeter is a no-op Meter.
 type NilMeter struct{}
@@ -175,8 +131,10 @@ func (NilMeter) Stop() {}
 
 // StandardMeter is the standard implementation of a Meter.
 type StandardMeter struct {
-	lock        sync.RWMutex
-	snapshot    *MeterSnapshot
+	count    atomic.Int64
+	temp     atomic.Int64
+	rateMean atomic.Uint64
+
 	a1, a5, a15 EWMA
 	startTime   time.Time
 	stopped     atomic.Bool
@@ -184,7 +142,6 @@ type StandardMeter struct {
 
 func newStandardMeter() *StandardMeter {
 	return &StandardMeter{
-		snapshot:  &MeterSnapshot{},
 		a1:        NewEWMA1(),
 		a5:        NewEWMA5(),
 		a15:       NewEWMA15(),
@@ -194,8 +151,7 @@ func newStandardMeter() *StandardMeter {
 
 // Stop stops the meter, Mark() will be a no-op if you use it after being stopped.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Stop() {
-	stopped := m.stopped.Swap(true)
-	if !stopped {
+	if stopped := m.stopped.Swap(true); !stopped {
 		arbiter.Lock()
 		delete(arbiter.meters, m)
 		arbiter.Unlock()
@@ -203,88 +159,59 @@ func (m *StandardMeter) Stop() {
 }
 
 // Count returns the number of events recorded.
-// It updates the meter to be as accurate as possible
 func (m *StandardMeter) Count() int64 {
-	m.lock.Lock()
-	defer m.lock.Unlock()
-	m.updateMeter()
-	return m.snapshot.count
+	return m.count.Load() + m.temp.Load()
 }
 
 // Mark records the occurrence of n events.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Mark(n int64) {
-	m.snapshot.temp.Add(n)
+	m.temp.Add(n)
 }
 
 // Rate1 returns the one-minute moving average rate of events per second.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Rate1() float64 {
-	m.lock.RLock()
-	defer m.lock.RUnlock()
-	return m.snapshot.rate1
+	return m.a1.Rate()
 }
 
 // Rate5 returns the five-minute moving average rate of events per second.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Rate5() float64 {
-	m.lock.RLock()
-	defer m.lock.RUnlock()
-	return m.snapshot.rate5
+	return m.a5.Rate()
 }
 
 // Rate15 returns the fifteen-minute moving average rate of events per second.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Rate15() float64 {
-	m.lock.RLock()
-	defer m.lock.RUnlock()
-	return m.snapshot.rate15
+	return m.a15.Rate()
 }
 
 // RateMean returns the meter's mean rate of events per second.
 func (m *StandardMeter) RateMean() float64 {
-	m.lock.RLock()
-	defer m.lock.RUnlock()
-	return m.snapshot.rateMean
+	return math.Float64frombits(m.rateMean.Load())
 }
 
 // Snapshot returns a read-only copy of the meter.
 func (m *StandardMeter) Snapshot() Meter {
-	m.lock.RLock()
-	snapshot := MeterSnapshot{
-		count:    m.snapshot.count,
-		rate1:    m.snapshot.rate1,
-		rate5:    m.snapshot.rate5,
-		rate15:   m.snapshot.rate15,
-		rateMean: m.snapshot.rateMean,
+	return &meterSnapshot{
+		count:    m.count.Load(),
+		rate1:    m.Rate1(),
+		rate5:    m.Rate5(),
+		rate15:   m.Rate15(),
+		rateMean: m.RateMean(),
 	}
-	snapshot.temp.Store(m.snapshot.temp.Load())
-	m.lock.RUnlock()
-	return &snapshot
-}
-
-func (m *StandardMeter) updateSnapshot() {
-	// should run with write lock held on m.lock
-	snapshot := m.snapshot
-	snapshot.rate1 = m.a1.Rate()
-	snapshot.rate5 = m.a5.Rate()
-	snapshot.rate15 = m.a15.Rate()
-	snapshot.rateMean = float64(snapshot.count) / time.Since(m.startTime).Seconds()
 }
 
-func (m *StandardMeter) updateMeter() {
-	// should only run with write lock held on m.lock
-	n := m.snapshot.temp.Swap(0)
-	m.snapshot.count += n
+func (m *StandardMeter) tick() {
+	// Take the uncounted values, add to count
+	n := m.temp.Swap(0)
+	count := m.count.Add(n)
+	m.rateMean.Store(math.Float64bits(float64(count) / time.Since(m.startTime).Seconds()))
+	// Update the EWMA's internal state
 	m.a1.Update(n)
 	m.a5.Update(n)
 	m.a15.Update(n)
-}
-
-func (m *StandardMeter) tick() {
-	m.lock.Lock()
-	defer m.lock.Unlock()
-	m.updateMeter()
+	// And trigger them to calculate the rates
 	m.a1.Tick()
 	m.a5.Tick()
 	m.a15.Tick()
-	m.updateSnapshot()
 }
 
 // meterArbiter ticks meters every 5s from a single goroutine.
diff --git a/metrics/timer.go b/metrics/timer.go
index 2e1a9be47295..ac88e24ad1d9 100644
--- a/metrics/timer.go
+++ b/metrics/timer.go
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ func (t *StandardTimer) Snapshot() Timer {
 	defer t.mutex.Unlock()
 	return &TimerSnapshot{
 		histogram: t.histogram.Snapshot().(*HistogramSnapshot),
-		meter:     t.meter.Snapshot().(*MeterSnapshot),
+		meter:     t.meter.Snapshot().(*meterSnapshot),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func (t *StandardTimer) Variance() float64 {
 // TimerSnapshot is a read-only copy of another Timer.
 type TimerSnapshot struct {
 	histogram *HistogramSnapshot
-	meter     *MeterSnapshot
+	meter     *meterSnapshot
 }
 
 // Count returns the number of events recorded at the time the snapshot was