Anxiety can cause a person to feel like their heart has skipped a beat or is racing uncontrollably. This sensation is known as a heart palpitation, a noticeable change in the heart’s rhythm or rate. While this experience can be alarming, palpitations caused solely by anxiety are generally not harmful. Recognizing the connection between anxiety and these physical symptoms is the first step toward managing the unsettling feeling.
Understanding Heart Palpitations and Anxiety
Palpitations are often described as a fluttering, pounding, or rapid heartbeat felt in the chest, throat, or neck. When anxiety is the cause, the physical event is usually a benign irregularity known as a premature contraction. These may be premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) or premature atrial contractions (PACs).
Premature contractions are extra heartbeats that occur earlier than expected in the heart’s cycle. The feeling of a “skipped beat” is not the pause itself, but the unusually forceful beat that follows, as the heart compensates for the early contraction. These irregularities are a common physical response to stress and typically resolve once the anxiety subsides.
The Fight-or-Flight Response and Cardiac Rhythm
Anxiety triggers the fight-or-flight response, managed by the sympathetic nervous system. This system prepares the body for perceived danger by releasing stress hormones, primarily adrenaline (epinephrine) and norepinephrine, from the adrenal glands. These hormones circulate rapidly and directly affect the heart’s electrical system.
Adrenaline binds to receptors on the heart muscle, increasing the heart rate (tachycardia) and causing stronger contractions. This hormonal surge makes the heart’s electrical cells more sensitive, increasing the likelihood of temporary, premature beats. The heart’s natural electrical rhythm is temporarily heightened and sometimes disrupted by these chemical signals released under stress.
Distinguishing Anxiety Symptoms from Serious Cardiac Issues
While most anxiety-induced palpitations are harmless, medical evaluation is important, as other conditions can also cause these symptoms. Palpitations accompanied by “red flag” symptoms should be reviewed by a healthcare provider immediately. These warning signs include chest pain or discomfort, significant shortness of breath, or feeling dizzy and lightheaded.
Fainting or loss of consciousness (syncope) is a serious symptom requiring emergency attention. A cardiac evaluation is also warranted if palpitations occur during physical exertion, persist regardless of stress levels, or if anxiety follows the palpitation rather than preceding it. A physician can perform tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or use a heart monitor to rule out underlying heart rhythm disorders, such as atrial fibrillation.
Strategies for Reducing Anxiety-Related Palpitations
Reducing the frequency and severity of anxiety-related palpitations often involves lifestyle modifications. This includes limiting or avoiding substances known to trigger heart sensitivity, such as caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. These stimulants amplify the heart’s electrical excitability, making it more prone to premature contractions.
Activating the body’s natural calming system, the parasympathetic nervous system, can counteract the fight-or-flight response. Techniques like deep, diaphragmatic breathing and mindfulness meditation help slow the heart rate and promote relaxation. For chronic or severe anxiety that frequently leads to physical symptoms, professional mental health treatment, including therapy or medication, is an important part of long-term management.