When you’re enthusiastic, you can feel your heart racing. When you are frightened, it could speed up. When in love, it may move in response to this. Heart palpitations are the term used to describe these peculiar symptoms. Heart palpitations can feel like the heart is skipping beats, trembling, or hammering for no apparent cause.

Fortunately, this article discusses some causes of the heart skip a beat, slowing down, or racing.

Understanding heart rates

You’re missing out on nothing when your heart skips a beat. In truth, an irregular heartbeat is often caused by an electrical system that isn’t in sync. And occasionally, your heart races skips, or beats at an abnormal rate,

But of course, there are situations and reasons why your heart would:

  • Race
  • Slow down than normal
  • Skip a beat

The causes and science behind the heat skipping a beat

There’s no thrill in having the heart skip a beat. When the heartbeat is irregular, it’s usually because the heart’s electrical system isn’t working properly. When your heart rate is abnormal (too high, too low, or skipping),

So, how does the heart skip a beat?

A pulse is sent out from the heart with each beat. You can feel your heartbeat because of the pressure inside your arteries when blood is pumped out of your heart.

However, when an unexpected beat disrupts the typical cardiac rhythm, the force pushing blood out of the heart is mistimed and not as strong—the concomitant blood pressure rise and pulse rate slow to the point that they are sometimes undetectable.

Patients often report feeling their heart “skip a beat” due to a single untimely beat that does not result in an additional pulse. Therefore, there is a pause before the following beat or pulse begins, and this pause is referred to as a “skip.”

You can feel that something is amiss with your heart’s beat. An irregular heartbeat is usually nothing to worry about. Simply put, they result from regular ups and downs in one’s emotional or physical state.

Medically, it would be said you have heart palpitations if your heart has ever skipped a beat. A thumping, throbbing, or fluttering sensation in the chest may occur. Or maybe you just aren’t feeling good today.

You can compare a palpitation to a hiccup in your chest. It beats on track, and afterward, hiccup! A moment’s rest will have you functioning normally again.Fortunately, these bumps only occur occasionally for most people. However, some patients have numerous unpleasant palpitations daily. Extremely powerful ones can cause symptoms similar to a heart attack.

What causes your heart to skip a beat?

There is often no apparent cause for heart palpitations. On other occasions, they are triggered by situations like the ones listed below:      

Stress and anxiety: When caused by heart disease, palpitations are alarming, but other factors more commonly cause them. For instance, you might notice your heart racing or fluttering when feeling anxious or thrilled.

Symptoms of anxiety and stress, for example, can manifest physically as irregular heartbeats. Furthermore, having palpitations can add stress to your life, creating a vicious cycle.

Image alt text: heart skip a bit. A blood circulation through the heart diagram.




Author credit: By Christinelmiller – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91232777

If you’ve been experiencing what seems like a skipped heartbeat, there are things you may do at home to alleviate your stress and anxiety. Meditation, tai chi, or yoga, which focus on breathing and relaxation, may be helpful.

Drugs, cigarettes, liquor, and caffeine: Heart palpitations might be brought on by anything as simple as what you eat.

Many people who have irregular heartbeats have specific triggers that make their symptoms worse. Some people may experience worsening anxiety symptoms when they consume caffeine. Some drugs, alcohol, and nicotine are examples of others.

Some medications, especially those used to treat asthma, can trigger palpitations. This includes OTC stimulants, diet pills, and some prescription drugs. Cocaine and other illegal narcotics have been linked to irregular heartbeats.

The first step in relieving symptoms is realizing what lifestyle factors play a role and then working to eliminate or at least mitigate them.

Atrial fibrillation (A-fib): The sensation of a fluttering heartbeat may result from an arrhythmia or abnormal cardiac rhythm.

However, atrial fibrillation, often known as a flutter, is the most common cause of cardiac palpitations and the most prevalent arrhythmia in the medical world. Caused by miscommunication between the heart’s chambers, this ailment manifests as an irregular, often rapid heartbeat.

Preexisting heart disease: Heart disease, including those affecting the heart’s muscles and valves, or arteries, can also trigger palpitations. To give just one example, mitral valve prolapse is the most frequent structural heart condition that causes palpitations.

Arrhythmias are the most common cause of heart palpitations; heart muscle problems (cardiomyopathy) and coronary artery disease (thinning of the arteries) can also trigger arrhythmias.

Overactive Thyroid: A rapid heartbeat and other symptoms may result from much thyroid hormone. The good news is that hyperthyroidism, which describes an overactive thyroid, may be diagnosed quickly. There are straightforward blood tests that can diagnose thyroid illness. Hyperthyroidism may be managed with pharmacological intervention.

What happens when your heart races?

Typically, a healthy human heart will beat at a rate of 60 to 100 times per minute. It’s called tachycardia when the heart rate is significantly higher than that.

Your heart is overworking itself if it is racing. Hence, it cannot receive blood and pump it through the entire body. Heart palpitations and chest pain may be experienced. Moreover, you may have lightheadedness or fainting.

What are the causes of a racing heart?

The risk of developing tachycardia increases in people with pre-preexisting conditions such as heart or lung disease. Congenital cardiac defects, which affect the heart’s structure at birth, may also raise the risk. Several other conditions can also cause the rapid beating of one’s heart.

How to reduce your racing heart

If your heartbeat is irregular or racing for an extended period, your doctor may recommend medical therapy. Until then, they may suggest trying the following to ease the pace:

  • Quit smoking
  • Get enough sleep
  • Press softly but firmly on your closed eyelids to induce deep relaxation.

You should see a doctor or dial 911 immediately if you have any of the following: dizziness, lightheadedness, difficulty breathing, or extended chest pain.

What happens when you have a slow heart rate?

Our hearts can occasionally slow to a rate lower than 60 bpm- (Bradycardi). This type of heart rate may be considered typical by some, such as athletes and healthy young adults. Yet, for some people, this may prevent adequate oxygen from reaching their brains and other vital organs.

As a result, you can feel weak, lightheaded, or out of breath. In addition, you may experience shortness of breath, heartburn, and memory loss.

Reasons behind your heart racing

The risk of developing tachycardia increases in people with preexisting conditions such as heart or lung disease. Congenital cardiac defects, which affect the heart’s structure at birth, may also raise the risk.

General means of managing heartbeats that are too fast, slow, skip a beat

Heart palpitations almost seldom call for medical attention unless triggered by a severe cardiac problem. Instead, a doctor may advise patients to avoid situations known to bring on palpitations.

The most significant recommendation would be a change of lifestyle:

  • Calm down: Try some deep breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, or anything else that helps you relax, thus reducing your chances of heart complications.
  • Avoid caffeine and other energizing drinks and drugs: Certain cold medications, caffeine, nicotine, and even energy beverages can increase heart rate and cause it to beat irregularly.
  • Stay away from unlawful drugs: Heart palpitations are a common side effect of cocaine and amphetamines.

Conclusion

In most cases, cardiac palpitations, when your heart beats too fast or slow, or your heart skip a beat, are not to worry about and are relatively frequent. Sometimes, though, they are signs of a more severe problem and should prompt a visit to the doctor.

Lifestyle factors like alcohol consumption, smoking, drug usage, sleep deprivation, and excessive exercise have all been linked to an increased risk of heart palpitations. Additional causes include exposure to a triggering psychological event, a shift in hormone levels, or using a specific drug.

Heart conditions, including arrhythmias and heart failure, can sometimes be the underlying cause of palpitations. When experiencing symptoms such as chest discomfort, dizziness, or inability to take a deep breath, it is imperative to get medical attention immediately.