

So, it’s wise to talk to your doctor about this symptom when you start to notice it. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, and your risk increases after menopause. While these flutters are usually not serious, when it comes to heart issues, you don’t want to mess around. Heart palpitations can have many causes beyond menopause, such as thyroid imbalances, anemia, diabetes, some infections, low blood pressure, and heart problems.
FLUTTER IN CHEST WHILE SITTING HOW TO
There are other techniques like the valsalva maneuver, but you should talk to your doctor first to find out if they are appropriate for you and how to properly perform them. Cough forcefully stimulate the vagus nerve.This can stimulate the vagus nerve, which connects your brain to your heart and regulates heart rhythms. Breathe slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth.When your heart is a flutter, here are three strategies to get it back in rhythm more quickly. Most episodes last a few seconds or minutes, but it often feels longer. If you're having trouble quitting, a health coach might help. Smoking increases your risk of experiencing heart arrythmias.

There are dozens of reasons to quit and here’s another one. It will also help you to recognize any warning signs that need immediate attention (see below). What were you doing when it happened-exercising, on medications, working, or sleeping? This is valuable information to help your doctor narrow down possible causes. When your heart starts to race or skip, take note (write it down so you don’t forget) if you feel lightheaded, out of breath, or have pain. If you’re taking any of these or any prescription meds and experiencing irregular heartbeats, check with your doctor to find out if they may be related. Over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines, decongestants, allergy remedies, and diet pills, often contain ingredients that are stimulants, which may affect your heart. Chocolate, energy drinks, and soda are other sources. Non-herbal teas, including green tea, contain the stimulant. Remember, coffee isn’t the only source of caffeine. It’s stimulant that may contribute to heart palpitations. It is also helpful information to share with your doctor. Sometimes an episode can feel worse than it really is and seeing that your heart rate isn’t as elevated as it feels can be reassuring. The easiest way to check your heart rate is with a fitness tracker like a FitBit or Apple watch or a chest strap monitor like Polar. Menopause heart palpitations may increase heart rate by eight to 16 beats per minute a larger increase may indicate a more serious issue. This will help you calculate how much faster your heart is beating during palpitations. Find out what your normal pulse rate during exercise and at rest. Here are some more steps to take at home. So, making changes to reduce stress, sleep better, and treat depression may help. How to slow the palpitationsĮarly research shows that stress, insomnia, and depression may be contributing factors. Unfortunately, little is known about menopause-related heart irregularities, but research like the Menopause Strategies–Finding Lasting Answers for Symptoms and Health (MsFLASH) multi-center study is beginning to offer some clues.

More commonly the palpitations are a normal rhythm, just fast, and are associated with mild anxiety, a hot flash, or just all by themselves. Lower levels of estrogen can also lead to an overstimulation of the heart. When levels decline that protection declines, too, and reduced blood flow can cause arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm). Before menopause, estrogen may have heart-protective qualities including keeping arteries flexible. What causes heart palpitations in menopause?Īs with most things menopausal, estrogen is believed to play a role in heart palpitations. Some women experience them along with a hot flash, but many get them separately when they’re sleeping, when they’re sitting on the couch or in their car, or when they’re up and moving. Heart palpitations and irregular heartbeats called arrhythmia can be symptoms of perimenopause or menopause, but they aren’t talked about much so when they strike it can be terrifying.Īccording to research in the Journal of Women’s Health, nearly 50 percent of women, ages 42 to 62, who were in the study, reported heart palpitations during a two-week period. It may feel like your heart is fluttering, racing, even skipping a beat-and it’s not because someone sexy walked by.
