What Causes Heart Palpitations?

What Causes Heart Palpitations? Everyone at some point in their lives experiences an awareness of their own heart beating. But it's when it gets to the point where you are noticing skipped beats or infrequent patterns in your heartbeat on a daily basis that it can indicate a problem. Heart palpitations may be due to an underlying heart problem, a thyroid or kidney problem or even a deficiency in your diet. But very often they can simply be a result of your own brain working against you. If you suffer from anxiety and think this may be the contributing factor, then this article will help you conquer this debilitating condition. Heart Problems and Anxiety A couple of years ago I experienced heart palpitations, which went on for some time. I was constantly aware of my own heart beats to the extent that it almost came to dominate my every thought. The best way to describe them was like a horse jumping over a fence: my heart would momentarily skip a beat, and then BOOM! a large beat would make up for the skipped one. It's a very frightening experience if you've never had them before and can lead to dark, morbid thoughts, even a fear of death. I sought professional advice from my doctor and eventually had an ECG to check my heart patterns, all of which thankfully came back negative. I finally came to the realization that these anomalies of my heartbeats were being caused by my own anxieties and were most likely being compounded by external factors as well as my own negative reactions to them. These attacks very greatly between individuals and can last for only a few seconds to a few hours. They can also occur every day or sometimes just a few times a week. But it was this link between anxiety and heart palpitations that intrigued me the most and once I understood that there were no underlying health problems, I set about conquering this condition. If you too have found that there are no underlying health problems, then by following this list, you too can rid yourself of heart palpitations. What causes heart palpitations and how to stop them 1. Diet Reduce your caffeine intake - it could be that your heart rhythms are being affected adversely by an excess of caffeine. Different people have varying sensitivity to caffeine. If this is the case, then limit you intake of coffee, tea and fizzy drinks containing caffeine. Reduce your tobacco intake - tobacco dramatically alters both your mood as well as your oxygen intake. Ideally, cut out tobacco altogether. See your doctor for advice on quitting. Balance your electrolytes - Heart palpitations can be dramatically affected by a lack of calcium, potassium and magnesium. Compile a diet sheet for the week that includes a list of foods rich in these electrolytes. Simply Google them and choose which of these foods appeal to you and try and work them into your diet. Your doctor will also be able to ascertain if you are deficient in any of these elements with a simple blood test. They should also be able to assist with appropriate dietary advice. Foods such as bananas, apples, milk, wheat-rich bread, beans, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and lean meats will always be high on this list. Avoid sugary, fatty foods where possible - These will simply give you 'spikes' of energy, raising your heart rate dramatically, and then crashing back down. Your heart does not need that right now! 2. Medication Are you currently taking any mediation for an unrelated condition, which may be having an adverse effect on your heart rate? These can include beta blockers, blood pressure medication, anti-depressants and a whole raft of seemingly innocent medications. If you suspect that this may be the case, then speak to your doctor about it. 3. Stay hydrated Make sure you are always drinking enough water throughout the day. Water helps to use the electrolytes in your body, which is great news for the electrical needs of your heart. Even slight dehydration is enough to bring on heart palpitations. As a general rule, you should never be thirsty! 4. The cold water trick Whilst experiencing palpitations, try having a very cold shower or simply throw cold water on your face and neck. It's believed that this occurs due to the sharp intakes of breath which can shock the nervous system and stop your palpitations in their tracks. A similar effect can be achieved by simply coughing! It definitely eased and even arrested my own palpitations 5. Exercise It may sound counter-intuitive, but exercise really can work wonders for your heart palpitations. Your heart is a muscle and appreciates being worked. Also, following exercise, both your heart rate and blood pressure will decrease. It can also be a great distraction away from dwelling on your symptoms. If you are unused to vigorous exercise, then start with brisk walks. Always take advice from your doctor if you are worried about taking up strenuous exercise. 5. Relax Easier said than done, I know! Telling someone to relax whilst experiencing an attack is like asking someone to be calm when faced by a tiger! I could tell you how it's important to breathe slowly through your nose, using abdomen and to lie down and close your eyes. But those pesky, morbid thoughts just seem to have a habit of creeping back in. To have a real and long-lasting you need to follow a tried and tested treatment program, as I did. Personally, I used two treatment programs, and I'm pleased to report that they cured me not only of my heart palpitations, but also of all of my anxieties too. Visit my site to better understand the causes of anxiety and the best treatment programs for heart palpitations, as well as a whole host of other disorders and phobias. Stop your heart palpitations today So my advice is to first seek medical help to rule out any underlying medical conditions. If you suspect stress or anxiety is a large contributing factor then following the list above will help. And finally, follow a recommended self-help treatment course. They really do work wonders when you follow their techniques the whole way through. Remember: Heart palpitations can be scary, but in the vast majority of cases they are not dangerous or life-threatening. They are most often simply a reaction to stress. And everyone gets them at some point in their lives. Beth O'Connor is an ex-sufferer providing information on the symptoms, causes and treatment of stress, anxiety and panic attacks. Please visit my No More Panic website to discover the best treatments currently on the market.