How To Stop Palpitations From Causing Anxiety
Nearly everyone faces an anxiety-provoking situation at some point. Maybe youre about to meet your future mother-in-law, or you have a performance evaluation at work. Whatever it is, there are some ways to help calm that fight-or-flight response and slow your heart rate:
- Start with breathing: When your heart speeds up, your breathing will, too. But you can hijack this process by taking control of your breath. Take slow, deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. Do this at least 10 times, preferably for several minutes.
- Focus your mind: When your heart is racing, your mind might follow. Try focusing on an image, phrase or sound that makes you feel peaceful. Keep taking your slow, deep breaths as you meditate on this one thing. Tip: Do this even when youre not stressed to help with everyday well-being.
- Take a walk: If you can, go for a short walk. Down the hall is good, but outdoors in nature is even better. Dont make it too fast, or your heart wont have a chance to slow down.
- Hydrate: Dehydration can make palpitations worse. Have a glass of water or if youve been exercising heavily, try a sports drink with electrolytes. Avoid caffeinated drinks, which can trigger more anxiety and palpitations.
Tachycardia And Heart Attack Fears
Another issue that many people struggle with is in how they respond to tachycardia. It’s not uncommon for those with panic attacks to know that their heart is fine in general, but when they experience tachycardia they feel as though they’re having a heart attack, or that one is coming.
That’s because in addition to a rapid heartbeat, anxiety attacks are associated with catastrophic thinking, in which they may conclude that something terrible is about to happen . Hyperventilation also causes other symptoms that mimic heart attacks, like chest pains and leg weakness.
You do need to recognize the way you react to tachycardia, because often your anxiety can grow more intense if you interpret it as an emergency. Anxiety tachycardia is not a heart attack, and though they can feel the same it is important to recognize the difference.
How You Can Lower Heart Rate From Anxiety
When you’re having a panic attack, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America says it’s common to experience chest pain and palpitations as a response to your heart rate increasing. In fact, a panic attack is often mistaken for a heart attack.
In people with diagnosed anxiety, Isaacson says that the first step is to treat the underlying anxiety, which can be done through cognitive behavioral therapy , medications such as antidepressants, or a combination of the two.
In addition to CBT, several other methods may help manage heart rate and palpitations. Not only can these interventions help lower your heart rate at the moment, but they can also teach you how to manage your anxiety over time, potentially reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Also Check: How Does Schizophrenia Affect Families
Treatment Of Fast Heart Rate
Treat the Underlying Cause: Most important is to ensure there is no underlying systemic problem that is causing the fast heart rate. If there is anemia, for example, that will need to be treated. Infection and dehydration would need to be treated. Hormonal imbalances would require treating. Medications will be reviewed and any potential offending agents will need to be stopped if possible.
Medications: It is important not just to treat a number the reason underlying must be sought out. If the fast heart rate is thought to be from a cardiac cause then the appropriate treatment should be given. If there is significant muscle dysfunction then treatment aimed at strengthening the heart is given. If there are problems with the electrical system of the heart then medicines to slow the rate may be given such a beta blockers or calcium channel blockers. In some cases stronger medicines that prevent the occurrence of the arrhythmia in the first place may be prescribed, known as anti-arrhythmic medications. Specialists known as electrophysiologists typically prescribe anti-arrhythmic medications.
Is It Anxiety Or Heart Problems
Although anxiety and anxiety disorders are known to raise your heart rate, an elevated resting heart rate can sometimes signal heart problems, Dr. Doshi says. “It can be really just something as simple as stress or adrenaline release, which can occur from anxiety but can also reflect a short circuit from the heart,” he explains.
Panic attacks and heart attacks can share very similar symptoms, including chest pain, rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath, according to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, but are unsure of what they may mean, seek medical attention immediately.
How do you otherwise know when you should seek treatment for anxiety and an elevated heart rate? First, be sure to contact your doctor with your concerns because your doctor can help you determine whether what you’re experiencing is anxiety-related or if other heart-related factors are at play.
“If it is simply related to anxiety, then I recommend seeing someone to treat the anxiety,” Dr. Doshi says, adding that “one needs to make sure that this is related to anxiety because, oftentimes, people can have an abnormal heartbeat, which is often blamed on anxiety.”
Don’t Miss: Celine Dion Anorexia
Clues That Indicate Abnormal Heart Rhythms
In my clinic, I’m often faced with two possibilities:
- Did anxiety cause the rapid heart rate?
- Did the rapid heart rate cause anxiety?
Here are some clues:
1. Symptom pattern This is the most straightforward clue. If anxiety makes your heart race, then something causes stressful feelings that are followed by an elevated heart rate. But if your heart is causing the anxiety, then heart palpitations or a racing heart comes first, followed by anxiety. Sometimes the racing heart causes lightheadedness or chest discomfort, and anxiety escalates.
2. Passing out or seizure This raises my concern about an abnormal heart rhythm. Anxiety disorders or panic attacks rarely cause you to pass out. You might pass out when having blood drawn or experiencing something unsettling. But if you have no warning signs before passing out, the risk of a heart problem increases. Many people feel lightheaded or dizzy if they stand up quickly but people rarely pass out while seated, standing, or during an activity. If you’ve ever passed out while exercising or experienced a seizure, you should see a heart specialist.
3. Hyperventilating When you’re anxious or panicking, you may hyperventilate. This can cause numbness and tingling in the tips of your fingers on both hands, and around your mouth. Usually, anxiety causes this hyperventilation. But if you also feel lightheaded or faint, your blood pressure may be falling, indicating an abnormal heart rhythm.
Q: How Are Anxiety Disorders Treated
A: Treatment involves therapy, which can help you identify what’s causing your anxiety and learn how to work through it, or a combination of therapy and medication. Together, medication and therapy have often been proven to have the best and most effective response in serious anxiety-based disorders.
As a treating psychiatrist, my preference is to try the least invasive means possible first as we would with any disorder. Lets figure out what’s going on, what’s causing the anxiety and see if we can fix that. In addition to therapy, we could ensure youre getting enough rest and consider lifestyle and dietary changes, like exercise, reducing caffeine intake and eating a healthy diet to avoid major swings in your blood sugar. If these strategies fail, then yes, let’s try medication.
An anxiety disorder is a health problem and we approach it the same way that we do many other health problems. People with diabetes may try changing their diet or exercising before starting a medication. It’s the same philosophy. Medication does help but its not the only solution.
Also Check: What Does A Ptsd Flashback Look Like
Does Anxiety Cause Heart Palpitations
Anxious feelings engage your bodys fight-or-flight response. Fight-or-flight triggers a series of events in your body, including the release of certain hormones. Experts believe this response was helpful in ancient civilizations when humans had to fight or run from threats to survive.
Today, your fight-or-flight response works the same as it always has. It just doesnt know the difference between a grizzly bear attack or an upcoming work presentation. So those same hormones like adrenaline kick in to protect you.
The fight-or-flight response speeds up your heart rate, so your body gets more blood flow, explains Dr. Bibawy. The increased blood flow gives you a burst of energy to fight or run from danger. Thats why many people notice palpitations when theyre scared, nervous or anxious and its completely normal. It doesnt mean theres something wrong with your heart.
Know The Correlation Between The Two Conditions
According to the American Heart Association), many mental health issues can affect your heart health. When your body is under stress, it produces higher levels of glucose, adrenaline, and cortisol. Repetitive or prolonged distress overworks your adrenal glands, heart, and arteries. Unhealthy coping mechanisms, like smoking cigarettes or eating fatty foods, can contribute to the negative cycle. If left unchecked, an unhealthy mental state becomes another risk factor for heart attack.
Additionally, up to a third of all heart attack survivors experience depression. Anxiety and chest pain can trigger more panic, resulting in a potentially destructive cycle. Healthy mental and physical habits reduce the chances of anxiety and heart attacks.
To learn more about living a heart-healthy lifestyle and what to do when anxiety feels like a heart attack, contact the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute today.
Also Check: Is Pristiq Good For Anxiety
Consequences Of A Fast Heart Rate
Often a fast heart rate will have no significant effect on the heart, although there may be associated symptoms. In some cases however the symptoms may be enough as to cause concern and quality of life limiting symptoms. In a few cases, the heart rate may be continually elevated over a long period of time weeks-months often at heart rates above 120-130 beats per minutes and lead to a weakening of the heart muscle known as tachycardia mediated cardiomyopathy. Regardless, it is important to work up and identify any underlying causes of fast heat rate and give the appropriate treatment.
Monitor Your Heart To Detect Anxiety Or Atrial Fibrillation
The best way to truly understand whether anxiety causes a fast heart rate, or if a fast heart rate causes anxiety, is to monitor your heart.
A heart monitor records your heart rhythm day and night. Some automatically record all heart rhythms others require you to push a button when you feel heart symptoms. When you dont have symptoms, heart monitors may not provide the information needed for a diagnosis. For that reason, I have patients use them for two to four weeks to increase my chances of capturing the event.
Over the past two years, more people are using their smartphones to keep track of their activity and heart rate, but each device has limitations. What’s important, however, is your daily trend.
Your heart rate varies throughout the day by a few beats per minute up to 10 bpm, even when doing very little activity or experiencing infrequent stress. When exercising, the variation may be more pronounced and change more quickly, which allows us to quickly adapt to different situations and challenges. When you look at the daily trend, you will quickly find your normal. This normal will have the lowest heart rates at night, and then change predictably during the day while at work and rest, and during exercise.
You May Like: Pristiq Long Term Side Effects
Do Panic Attacks Harm Your Heart
Finally, it can also help to know that the rapid heart rate of a panic attack doesn’t cause any damage.
“From the point of view of the heart, that’s really no different than if you were to go jogging for 20 minutes,” says Dr. Merchant. “Your heart rate would be 160, 170, 180 for the same amount of time. Most of the time, your heart’s quite accustomed to beating fast for short periods of time, and there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of any long-term damage or anything like that.”
How Prednisone Affects Heart Rate
Prednisone is a corticosteroid used to treat a number of inflammatory conditions, including severe allergic reaction, certain forms of arthritis, endocrine disorders, and immune system disorders. It is also used to treat certain types of cancer.
However, prednisone comes with many side effects, one of which is a change in heart rate. This medication can cause irregular potassium, calcium, and phosphate levels, which can cause heartbeat irregularities.
Prednisone is used to treat a wide variety of conditions.
You May Like: Feretrophobia
The Solution For Irregular Heartbeat
The irregular heartbeat/skipped beat is usually fairly instant. The rapid heartbeat that tends to follow can last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on how you react to it. Panic attacks are often the biggest issue to worry about. If your skipped beat causes a panic attack, it may take you quite a while to feel fully “calm” again.
Because these rhythms can have different causes, there’s no one size fits all way of treating it. If it’s caused by adrenaline, you simply have to wait for your adrenaline levels to die down and your heartbeat will go back to normal. Once they’re in your body they’ll only stop when they’re used up.
If they’re caused by hyperventilation, the key is to simply make sure they don’t get any worse. As hard as you can, try not to compensate for your skipped beat by trying to breathe in too quickly or too much to “test” your heart. A very common reaction is taking huge breaths to make sure that your body gets enough air. But these breaths may make hyperventilation worse and cause more anxiety that leads to further symptoms.
In general, when it comes to a rapid heartbeat, the most important thing to do is simply give yourself time to relax. Walking may help a bit to calm you down, but there are otherwise very few things to do to stop the feeling of an irregular heartbeat once it starts. However, if you take steps to treat your underlying anxiety more generally, youll be less likely to experience irregular heartbeats in the first place.
How To Stop Anxiety Tachycardia
Stopping this type of rapid heartbeat is sort of a waiting game. Once your body is flooded with adrenaline your heartbeat won’t slow until it gets back to its normal balance. Even if your heartbeat was under your control , you wouldnt want it to slow right away as it is needed to pass blood through the body. You will need to wait it out.
The best thing you can do for yourself is learn to control your anxiety and stop your anxiety from becoming unmanageable. There are relaxation strategies that can help you stay calmer at the moment, and several tips and techniques to overcome your anxiety forever.
For example, deep breathing is a good way to calm the body when you are struggling with anxiety. By slowing down your breathing, you are able to control your hyperventilation and your anxiety at the same time.
Cognitive behavioral therapy and medication can also be useful, as can many self-help techniques. Anxiety is treatable and manageable, so taking these steps is a good way to regain some control over the way your heart feels.
Was this article helpful?
Read Also: What Is The Phobia Of Clowns Called
Getting Care For Anxiety Or Palpitations
Nearly everyone experiences anxiety and a racing heart on occasion its part of being human. But dont ignore frequent anxiety or palpitations. Your doctor can help you discover the causes and provide treatment if needed.
Most of the time, palpitations are just a sign that your heart is temporarily working a little harder. But sometimes, palpitations can be a sign of a heart condition like an arrhythmia.
If youre having palpitations, mention it to your doctor, says Dr. Bibawy. A cardiologist can find out whats causing the palpitations or rule out health conditions. And if your palpitations ever cause dizziness or fainting, see a doctor right away.
I Suffer From Anxiety And My Pulse Rate Is Just Over 100 Is This Normal And Does Anyone
- Asked
- 21 Apr 2013 by beechcroft
- 1 July 2021
- Topics
Tee6759
Dear Beechcroft, It is usually going to be fast when you are anxious or even thinking about something that might upset or excite you. Its your body’s natural reaction to fear. You dont state anything regarding meds that you take. Is your anxiety the only thing you are being treated for? That info will enable us to answer you more accurately. If it gets too bad, you should contact your doctor or go to the ER. I hope that you are able to calm down and get your heart rate down. If not, I suggest you go to the ER. Realize that I am not a medical professional. These are strictly my own personal views and advice. I wish you luck. Please come back and let us know how you are doing.In peace,
endlessPred
Hello. 100 is not as good when at rest and laying down. After resting, check again. It may well be below that. A medication you may have can put your pulse up such as antihistamines for a cold.This can be an early sign of disease as well. Assuming you do not have a fever, it could be thyroid or other metabolic issues, high cholesterol blocking, and so forth. Have you had a physical recently?
There is a chart regarding allowable pulse rates for people at rest. Basically, you take 220 and subtract your age. If your pulse is over that amount, or close, you seek an ER. That is why the ER was not interested. You are fine. If you are over 60, or so, then be sure to seek a doctor or ER if it continues to climb.
+1plusku
Read Also: What Is The Meaning Of Phobia