How to slow down your heartbeat without medication?

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The cardiologist answers.

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How to slow down your heartbeat (heart rate) without using medication?

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Patients with complaints that "the heart is about to jump out of the chest" are not uncommon for me at the reception. Most often it is sinus tachycardia. It occurs in each of us when we play sports or quarrel with a loved one. "Sinus" means that the rhythm is normal, healthy. But what if you are sitting quietly on the couch and your heart has decided that you are running a marathon?

How to find out the cause of a rapid heartbeat

You should see your doctor first. I recommend starting with a cardiologist because a fast heart rate can be a symptom of a serious medical condition. For example, sinus tachycardia may turn out to be an arrhythmia. The doctor will listen to you, your heart and take an EKG. If necessary, he can hang a portable ECG monitor (Holter) on you for a day, which will allow you to "catch" the desired episode.

If the cardiologist does not find any abnormalities, the case may be in anemia and / or iron deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, chronic or acute inflammation.

But more often the reason is in the way of life. The pulse is influenced by coffee, energy drinks, alcohol, smoking, lack of sleep, chronic stress, neurosis and obesity.

They also encounter sinus tachycardia due to detraining - changes in the body due to the termination or decrease in the volume of physical activity. The heart requires a daily load.

What to do if you are healthy, but your heart rate is still worrisome

You went to a cardiologist, ruled out dangerous diseases, but a frequent pulse haunts you. Here's how you can help yourself.

1. Add more physical activity to your daily routine. For example, brisk walking. Exercise for 30–60 minutes daily and in such a way that after 5–10 minutes of exercise you sweat a little, your pulse rises, and your breathing becomes disordered.
2. It will be ideal if you add relaxing exercises to your usual aerobic activity: breathing, yoga or stretching 2-3 times a week.
3. Don't drink more than 1-2 cups of coffee a day and cut out energy drinks.
4. Normalize sleep. Sometimes it is enough to say goodbye to gadgets at least an hour before bedtime and dim the lights in the bedroom. Don't drink anything before bed, including water, and cut out fatty foods in 4 hours. Also, get up and go to bed at the same time.
5. Give up smoking and alcohol.
6. See a therapist to find out if you have anxiety, panic disorder, depression, or neurosis.

And if you need to lower your heart rate "right now", then breathing techniques can help you:

• Slow deep breathing: inhale and exhale for 4 counts.
• Inhale and exhale slowly (as far as you can) through pursed lips.