For many people a fast heart beat is a waking nightmare. A constant reminder that something isn’t right.
I think of a fast heart beat (tachycardia) in less intense terms. I consider it a sign of stress and not death. Tachycardia (100 heart beats per minute or more) simply isn’t the killer you think it is.
This is an important topic to address because it’s a symptom that has likely affected you.
You see, when you get tachycardic, you imagine all sorts of horrific scenarios, many of which probably involve a sickness of some kind.
It’s one of the reasons why tachycardia scares so well, it makes you feel like your life could end at any moment. But tachycardia doesn’t always mean danger or damage.
How It Works
When you feel anxious you might assume that anxiety is the source of your symptoms. But, in fact, the culprit is stress.
Stress is designed for short bursts of energy, attention, and focus to help you avert injury or death. The trouble is that when your stress response is set off it can sometimes remain activated for long periods of time.
One reason for this could be that you’re sensitive to stress, which fires off strong emotional reactions that make it hard for you to recover from bouts of anxiety.
The result of being stress sensitive is that your body’s production of stress hormone (i.e., adrenaline and cortisol) can be elevated and have a major impact on your body.
Stress can increase the demand for blood (cardiac output), which makes the heart work harder, pump faster, and increase your heart rate as a result.
What does this look like in everyday life? Well, say that you’re sitting at your desk and get a quick twinge of chest pain and notice your pulse racing. It may not even be a lot, but just enough to make you worry about what it could mean. This is when you start questioning the health of your heart.
Your stress turns into worry, which causes anxiety. Now, your limbic system (emotional brain) kicks in and excites the nerves of your heart, so your heart speeds up even more. That’s “emotion based” tachycardia.
A strong emotional reaction can indeed cause tachycardia. It’s normal, and absent disease, isn’t dangerous.
Chances are that if you’ve had tachycardia you’ve sought medical attention for it. Maybe you did an EKG, blood tests, stress test, holter monitor, etc. Still, you stay scared. But you don’t have to be.
A Different View of Tachycardia
Think of it this way. Anxiety is an indicator of stress. Tachycardia is part of that stress signal. Where do you think all your worry, fear, and stress goes? It certainly doesn’t evaporate into the ether. Instead, those negative emotions are manifested in your body.
But that in no way means that your rapid heart beat is set to kill you. It just means that you’re affected by your emotional experiences. Stress and anxiety are charged, live wire, reactions to months or even years of internal strife. Your heart is reacting to that discord.
The other piece is that your past experience already tells you that a fast heart beat isn’t the killer you think it is. How many times have you experienced a rapid heart rate? And of those times how many ended in injury or death? None right?
So really what you’re dealing with is the anticipation of something awful happening and not with what is likely to happen.
That doesn’t mean that your fearful assumptions aren’t powerful. They can be strong.
This, however, doesn’t change the fact that stress triggers tachycardia in the same way, every time. It’s an old dog with no new tricks. The challenge is to learn how to sit with that reality and accept it when it’s happening.
That will take practice and a certain level of courage, but what’s the alternative?
If you haven’t gone to your doctor then go get screened. Twice if it makes you feel better. After that though, you need to get your mind focused on stress reduction and not anxiety symptoms.
Symptoms are a sign of something bigger that needs to be dealt with, they aren’t the source of your pain. And, most importantly, they can’t kill you.
Disclaimer
Although tachycardia can be caused by an emotional response to stress, your tachycardia should be evaluated medically.
Tachycardia can be related to serious medical conditions.
Im 30 n for about 9 months have been dealing with constant worry mainly about my health my heart to.be specific. Went to a cardiologist echo was fine ekg fine. Went to the er did bloodwork chest x ray and ekg all fine recently my heart beat stays 100-110 tried buspar seemed to make heart rate worse. I’m.constantly thinking about my heart even though everything checked out I don’t know what to do really all sugestions welcome
I totally understand how you feel! I honestly feel the same way. I went to the ER with a heart rate of 162 and they did all the tests and everything came out normal. Being the anxious woman that I am.. i still worryy everyday to the point where now i have depression because im constantly worried. Also check my pulse every 5 seconds.. when its too slow its scary and when its too fast its scary. It is truly a nightmare.
I’m exactly the same , my heart rate is so high all the time anything from 140+ usually it has been known to go up to 200 bpm.. I’ve been to the hospital a number of times , the most recent journey resulting in getting thourougly checked , everything came back ok, anxiety is the cause ! I had lots and lots of blood, chest X-ray, ecg , echo, 24 hour heart monitor reading. It’s so difficult coming to terms with the fact that it’s not dangerous, something that is causing you constant pain and discomfort and it’s just normal. I constantly check my pulse but I noticed that usually makes me feel worse. When on the 24 hour monitor my heart rate stayed a good level and I think it’s because I could constantly see what was going on.. and when it got a bit high I could make it go back down again whilst watching exactly what it was doing. I was on bisoprolol (beta blockers ) which did slow my heart rate down a lot but made me feel so tired and ill I’m so glad I got taken off them I was absolutely petrified wondering how I would cope but actually I’m doing just fine! I’ve since been drinking lots of camomile tea , doing deep breathing exercises and doing exercise in general it all helps 🙂 your heart can with stand a lot more than we think, it could stay at a crazy fast rate for hours and hours and be just fine. It’s easier said then done but don’t worry, your fine. You’ll find your own coping strategy just have to focus and be positive 🙂 good luck everyone xx
Check your iron levels. I had racing heart, slow heart rate, low blood pressure and high blood pressure. I got vertigo or blips. I got after years of what I was convinced was anxiety by Dr s, my iron checked as the pharmacist told me….low low iron. I took Feremax and amazing, within one month I could feel a difference. TWo and three months is a miracle.
My heart rate goes up easily sometimes,I take it and it is 70 then take it 5 minutes later it is 90,don’t know why it goes up that much so easily in such a short period of time.
I’m 40 at present I’m suffering from tachycardia once in a year continusly for before 2years I have no problem.. But now I have it for once
In all honesty to anyone reading this, I can state without any doubt that having a really, really fast heartbeat can be the MOST terrifying experience a human can experience. The reason why i say this is that many people’s hearts go fast and mine has before as well but I was running, lifting heavy weights, working out, riding a bicycle at a strenuous pace as i was racing actual bike racers when I was a kid and catching up with them and passing them up later on in life. When you are doing something to “Warrant or Demand” upon the heart to pump fast it is supposed to go fast and very fast if you are running your tail off. Bottom line is that our enemy is from within. The mind has been fooled so many times for many that it goes on auto pilot and we set ourselves up for it to happen which only leads to more failures and what if’s. If you are sitting watching tv and laughing or having a good time your heart is not supposed to just go fast for NO reason. Well, this is the part that gets everyone as it got me to my knees so many times before due to the fact that I believe every single time that this is the “Big One” or “This is it, I am done for”. I have had so many panic attacks and so many heartbeats even while sleeping, after eating that it caused me concern but I have had not had 1 heart attack and no I don’t get crushing chest pains either. The truth about all this is that our thoughts release sometimes fast and sometimes gradually where it builds up and the adrenaline and cortisol in the bloodstream makes us go from 64 bpm to 87 then to 98 then to 140 then to 184 and for some it goes to 200 and above. If you have been checked out in every way possible like I have and the doctor tells you that you are in good health then and only then should you move on with your life and accept these nasty feelings but DO NOT put up with them and sit there in fear, you MUST see it for what it is and acknowledge it for what it is. Say something like this is only a panic response that my body is producing for whatever reason and I have gone through so many of these and to this day not 1 of them have killed or hurt me in any way shape or form and this awful feeling will pass whether I want it to or not. If you can accept the feeling and NOT add second fear of “Oh no not again” type of thought then you are well on your way to recovery in my honest opinion. Best of luck to everybody and Happy Holidays and of course may everyone reading this have a great, happy and safe 2017!!
I have been living in fear every day for nearly 3 months. I was at work one day when I suddenly had a strong flutter feeling in my chest, got dizzy with a pressure in my head. I was taken to the ER, had bloodwork, EKG, x Ray…everything checked out fine. It’s happened again and again, every time I go to the ER or doctor and besides a fast heart rate, everything is fine. I had a scan of my neck and found nodules on my thyroid. Went and had a biopsy and it turns out I have thyroid cancer. I have to have my thyroid removed. But that’s no even what’s really concerning me. It’s the rapid heart beat. It seems to be the worse first thing in the morning. It usually stays around 100 but in the morning it goes between 125-150 while I’m laying down doing nothing. I’ve had probably 20 EKGs, worn a holster monitor and had an ultrasound of my heart. Fast heart rate is all they can find. I suffer from anxiety. My mom died 3 months ago. She lived with me, we were best friends, I cared for her until her last breath. My doctors seem to think it’s all related to anxiety and stress over the death of my mom but of course I feel like I’m going to die. It’s taken over my life. I seem to feel better when I’m out of my house doing things to keep my mind occupied. The problem is that I feel so bad and anxious it’s hard to leave the house. I’m just so done with it. I have a 6 year old and a 9 month old. It seems like I haven’t felt right since the birth of my daughter. My hormones could be out of balance. Idk any advice to get through this?
Thanks a ton for being the lecturer on this subject. I actually enjoyed your
article a lot and most of all cherished the way you handled the issues I
thought to be controversial. You’re always very kind towards readers really like me and
help me in my everyday living. Thank you.
I have a lung bullae and wonder if after surgery my tachycardia gets better or if bullae has nothing to do with fast heart. Have terrible anxiety. Secondary I believe to heat. Have all symptoms and experience all the above ppl have described. It’s a living hell I pray for healing for us all who suffer
Hi I’m 16 years old and I’ve been suffering from racing heart and anxiety for over a week. This can bring an array of symptoms, such as dizziness, jitters, depression, and vision blur. I’ve been told by many that it is nothing serious and it should disappear within a couple days.
I have seen a significant improvement over several days; I’ve been experiencing less anxiety and heart palpitations. Exercise really helps.
My advice to those who are going through tough times with anxiety, don’t lose hope! Nothing lasts forever! The most important way to cope with a stressful situation is to know that things will get better.
I hope this helps.
Hi I feel my heart beat is fast ….That time I feel scared no idea what should I do now m only 22 years old….Plz give me suggestions for better my health..
It’s comforting to read what everyone else is experiencing. I’m writing this from a kaiser bed, waiting for tests to be done – blood, etc. My heart rate for no reason is sky rocketing even under light activity, and it just stays there around 135-140. Difficult to relax enough for it to come down, and constantly thinking I’m going to have some attack and die. Hoping the tests come out good today, but there’s relief in knowing other people are experiment this too.
Hi. I’m 42 yrs old. Started feeling weird last night. Went to ER and had high blood pressure and fast heart beat. Upon arrival BP 175/100 and HR @ 127. I had discomfort in my chest and felt faint. I was give Lopressor beta blocker in addition to the 2 other BP meds that I was already on. EKG, blood work and chest X-rays were normal. Just feeling a little nervous. Need to make sure there are no unlying issues. Hope everyone gets better.
I too have this issue and was told it was anxiety and stress. I finally went and saw an electrophysiologist and he did a tilt table test. Right then and there he knew I had POTS. Now that I’ve begun treatment, I undergo tachycardia episodes less frequently. It never hurts to check! Listen to your body!!
I wrote this comment after having an anxiety attack. I honestly feel like i am in constant fear of what will happen next. I went to the ER the last time and they told me to take propranolol. The things I read about it made not take it at all.. i am very confused whether I should start taking it or just suffer quietly everytime
Thank you Paul, I was happy to read this article as it answered some of my questions and worry about an increased heart rate that I sometimes suffer from. Knowing that it is not harmful, in the main, should calm my anxiety symptoms. Interesting that stress from the past can contribute to current day reactions to what is going on in our heads, and manifests itself in a chest pain for instance that leads to a fast heart rate because of panic. In my case anyway. Hope I have made sense.
I have a heart rate of 103 and i am so worried. This article helped a lot. Maybe i am so stressed because i have gallstones and it triggers my fast heart rate.
Truly, reading your symptoms in the internet is not helpful it will make you worry. So it is best to consult your doctor.
Misery loves company!..It helps knowing your not alone in this struggle.I’m 38, and have been dealing with palpatations and anxiety since 20ys old..I had(what I call) an anxiety minimum from 22-30, but it all came back (with vengeance) one afternoon at the dentist.A holter machine, EKG, Echo and numerous ER visits later, I’m still dealing with it, BUT I don’t let it(most the time anyway)control me, emotionally anymore…Get yourself checked out for peace of mind, and know that we all get into that “I just can’t live like this mode” but you will!..I’ve even been to that (really dark place) where I get so stressed and anxiety ridden that I accept that death is imminent..It’ll always be a struggle but Ive come to terms with it, and that definitely makes the day to day a little easier..Im absolutely willing to talk with anyone who may need some pointers on how to cope if need be..Good luck!
Thank you everyone like you I thought I was at deaths door . After reading all your comments I feel treasured. Katie
Hi. I was absolutely fine until February this year, I started with high blood pressure and a fast heart rate I could feel my heart pounding in my neck. I spend a lot of time alone, my husband works away. One night I started to shake internally, my heart was racing normally my heart rate was around 75 but it went to 116 and I could feel myself getting more and more worried I got in such a state I started to cry uncontrollably. My daughters came to the house and my youngest told me basically to get a grip that I was anxious. She believed I was under a lot of stress after our boss aged 32 passed away the previous December. My eldest daughter is a nurse and insisted I went to hospital to get checked over. I continued like this and after several tests and trips to the GP nothing was found and I am told it’s anxiety. I was given amitriptyline to take and I still get it. I can lay in my bed and one night my pulse can be 74 another it’s 98, this varies from one night to the next and fluctuates. It’s hard to cope with the shaking, my husband is not one bit sympathetic. He says to stop letting things bother me, I am a mother and nana of course if things happen to my family it effects me. I can see what he means to try and think positive about things, I am doing my best but you can’t control it, or at least I don’t seem to be able to. It is an awful feeling and of course I have thought all sorts and my mind runs away with the things it could be. It’s nice to get this of my chest.
Lesley
everybody who is facing a rapid heartbeat and lack of balance and concentration please go for a check up of vitamin D.Deficiency of vitamin D could be the reason behind the problem. And one more thing it is quite normal to focus on heart rate because if the heart rate is fast then it is not your fault it looks like you are focusing intentionally but it’s not 100℅true.
My heart beat is 94perminute if there is any problem
After reading all these comments, I thought I’d share something that may help some of you. I also had a high heart rate and was admitted to 2 hospitals for a total of a week about 9 months ago. They found nothing wrong with me after running all the usual tests. The first hospital thought it was Anxiety. Then the second hospital diagnosed me with Dysautonomia. I later found a specialist named Dr. Ramesh Adiraju, a Cardiologist in Bristol, PA (near Philadelphia), who did an autonomic nervous system test on me and found the issue. After about 9 months, I’m almost back to leading a normal life under his care. High heart rates, if not due to an arrhythmia or other heart issues, may be due to nervous system issues. He’s a rare specialist and if you can’t see him, try finding an Electrophysiologist (Cardiology Specialty), although they will most likely be unfamiliar with the test he gives. But, I must say that although my nervous system issues appear to be resolved, the whole episode has given me so much anxiety that the thought of it can cause me to have symptoms. The power of the mind is amazing, but you can use that to your advantage. Believing that you will be fine helps immensely.
Thank you all. I’ve been dealing with these same issues for almost a year now. It’s good to know that I’m not in this battle alone. A racing heart can scare the mess out of someone. When this happens, I just try to remain calm and tell myself that this too shall pass.
I am 48 yes old for the last month and half I have had spells it starts with pain in the back of head then light headed. I stagger while trying to walk and on 2 occasions hit the floor 110 heart rate feel really hot sweating. What’s going on here? Had all kinds of tests nothing… help
Anyone else have a high heart rate due to insomina?
Hi I am 26 year old ,how I explain the things which I facing know .sometime I feel so fear from any object like fan like bike,car, etc. I think I am in hell just pray the goog let me out all of these . I don’t know why this happnening but thrust me it put me in worry
Hi all. It gives me great comfort to know that I am not alone in this. It started in March of 2017 for me. Sitting there, watching basketball game with no stress in sight (atleast that’s what we think). My heart started racing 125bpm. I tried to calm down, did deep breathing…nothing helped. Eventually called ambulance cause it shot up to 178. The ER doctor did all kinds of tests, ekg, blood work, looked for clots, etc, but they couldn’t find anything. They said it maybe supraventricual sinus tachicarcia. Fast forward to June 2017, I fainted while on a plane. When I got back home, my palpations began again. I had a brain MRI, CT scan with contrast, more blood work, more ekgs, echo but everything is coming out normal. I’m currently on a 21 day event(heart) monitor. I’ve had three episodes of racing heart. I get light headed and he feeling is very scary. I went to doctor again and they did another ekg, ofcourse normal. The doctor told me that the good news is my heart Rythm is normal even though it’s fast. I still have to see cardiologist, but even they aren’t concerned as they are getting the even monitor information and stated that unless they see something serious on it, they will not call md in until the 21 days are over. Honestly I don’t care about my life as when your time comes it comes, but I do worry about my two little girls. They need a mom. I did a morning walk/jog this morning, came home and took a bath. Then o meditated for 20 limits. Unfortunately, right after that I had another event and my heart rate jumped to 158. It went down eventually after 10 minutes, but boy, does it scare the heck out of you. I think why it’s hard for me to accept that this is anxiety is because I have been such a fighter and hard worker all my life. I’ve been working out for 20 years, run for 45 minutes on treadmill at speeds of 6.5 mph. I’ve don’t intense hikes, weight training. Simultaneously, I’ve head a management position for 13 years all while being mom to two young girls 11y and 8y. So why now? I keep being told that all the emotional and stress that’s been in my body all these years is catching up to me…..
I am having same problem my hearts races very fast feels very scary and feels dizziness from stomach to heart and feels very uncomfortable please suggest me how to get rid of it
Wow it is so nice to find this website. Anxiety is horrible. I have been dealing with fast heart rate off and on for decades. It is scary. Mostly for medical things- so now doc wants to try me on propranolol but I hesitate- because I do relax sometimes and don’t know if I really need it. Just don’t know what’s best. Best to all of you.
I wrote a reply a week ago, but don’t see it so I will try again. I have had anxiety since I turned 30 and I am now 67. It has come and gone over the years. My latest event was a racing heart beat about 4 mos. ago. It was 73 at rest and after climbing flight of stairs race to 130. It would come back down quickly, but as with most people with anxiety I started checking my heart rate 15x a day…. for months. The more I checked and stressed it just wouldn’t calm down. I did have an ekg and a stress echo. During echo With increased exercise my heart rate did race to 180 and I did have a few seconds of tackycardia. My cardiologist said echo was great, and even with tachycardia event everything was great.
Someone wrote tachycardia won’t kill us and since then I haven’t even checked my heart rate. Anxiety down and feeling much better.
I want to make a suggestion that I have learned over these 37 years. Keep a health diary. Write down every little health fear your having…. such as… pain in sternum, pain under left breast, indigestion, sore armpits, etc.
and date it…. usually you have symptoms checked out and find out you are fine…. as the years go by.. one day your sternum hurts and it rings a bell. You look thru your journal and say, I’ve had that before and I am fine. It will calm you and help you realize you are not dying.
I enjoy this site and reading all of your stories is comforting to me…. thank you
Hi m 22 I a have a issue that m always faced with a anxiety problem…when ever I heard something bad or even i dont ….my heart starts palpating and its pain …I meet with a cardiologist he said m fine…but still m facing this problem its effecting me a lot…
I am speechless…Good article
It is really nice to know that I’m not alone with these symptoms! I’m 21 years old and I have been suffering with a panic disorder for over a month now, it is the worst feeling ever! It stops me from doing a lot of things like walking up stairs fast or running or being out with my friends or doing anything that makes my heart rate faster as I’m so scared it will cause pain or a panic attack or worse! This page has helped me realise that it’s not dangerous to have a rapid heart beat as I get it constantly everyday! Even though I have visited the doctors on numerous occasions and everything is normal and healthy especially my heart, I’m a quite fit and healthy woman but when my heart races I get terrified witch sometimes leads to a panic attack! I’m going to keep this page in mind the next time my heart starts beating fast! I hope that I eventually manage these attacks and get back to my normal self!
Read the article and felt a small sense of peace. Looked at the disclaimer down the bottom and saw “Tachycardia can be related to serious medical conditions” – Completely undid everything you were trying to do in the article.
I’m not afraid of dying. I’m afraid of never being able to live my life. THAT is the problem with tachycardia.
Im 34 and i have been to the hospital 3 times in a month cause my chest was killing me , all times the test came back normal , went to my doc yetserday crying cause i fear the worst he said i have very bad anxiety and put me on meds , my heart rate normal is around 83 but soon as i get up its at 110 are higher i check a million times a day cause im scared . This page has helped alot
Me too. I would to discuss this with you Felicia to see how you are doing because you were first. Or, with any others having these problems. It’s like I’m dying. I actually had an experience where somebody put something in my drink
This is nice, thank you. It’s Christmas day which I’m sure you’ll know is STRESSFUL AND ANXIETY INDUCING AS HELL and my heart rate has been showing as over 100 for most of the afternoon.
Cue many searches of ‘high heart rate’ and ‘heart attack’!
I have the same problem. I always check my heart beat.
If it’s slow I forget about . If it’s fast , I keep checking each minute and try to slow it down.
It prevent me from getting focus, traveling and doing sport outside of my home.
I m doing meditation, visualization, drinking a lot of water and doing breath exercises.
I currently feel much better but still have to stop checking my heart beat because I really can’t.
I’m so glad that I found this site. I’ve been suffering with heart palpitations on an off for serveral years now. It scares me so badly that I’m afraid to me. I always feel better when I keep myself busy. I’ve been to the ER many times. I’ve had blood tests, EKG’s, over night heart monitoring at the hospital and chest x-rays with all being normal. All I can say is that the mind is very powerful.
Hi all I have a resting heart rate of 140 and been fighting with the doctors for 2 years and finally had a 24hoir ECG and been put on beta blockers and feel so much better.
I read people’s comments about heart rate of 140 or so. Mine has stayed 220 for 10 hours more than once. Eventually I went to the emergency room. After I went for all sorts of tests and they found nothing. I explained to the cardiologist that I am grieving the recent death of a close family member, but he didn’t seem to think that was a factor.
This has really helped me calm down. Anytime I feel something’s wrong, I consistently check my heart rate using my iPhone 8 Plus and google what could be my problem. As always, I come across heart failure, etc. and that makes me even more anxious. I’ve had an EKG come out normal yesterday and I’m just waiting on some blood tests, but this article has really convinced me that the one thing I should really worry about is my mind. If my blood tests or a visit to a cardiologist turn out that I really do have a problem, it wouldn’t eliminate the fact that this article made me relax my stress and I hope the same to others in the same position I am— scared of death. Just improve on being calm (Sorry if my writing is confusing) Best wishes to all.
My might-be-problem is a high heart rate (around 93-105) standing up but normal sitting down (60-88). When I go from standing up to sitting down, I get a fast flutter in my heart (like 3-8 pulses) then goes to my normal heart rate. Could be Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome but I read that anxiety (something I experienced after a shooting nearby my house) doesn’t cause it. My problem started the night after and continued for Whatever it is, if it is anything, I just wanted to mention this in case someone out there feels as though no else one goes through the same thing that they do. Stay Strong and take this as on opportunity to cherish your life. This may seem weird coming from a 17 year old but it’s true
– 17, male, HS Senior.
I found this thread and it helped with some of the things I have been going through. I went to give blood today but I couldn’t because my pulse was high around 120 due to my being nervous and my anxiety. I’ve had anxiety for over 10 years and I am 43. I have had heart tests and ekgs 5 years ago and everything was fine. I just need to keep telling myself it’s just worry and I won’t die. My resting pulse is usually now around 95. I would like to know how to make it lower.