How to deal with a fast heartbeat that is effective

If you suddenly feel a very strong or pounding heartbeat, it may make you panic. Moreover, this symptom is sometimes followed by a feeling of tightness or chest pain which is quite disturbing. If this happens, you need to see a doctor immediately to find out the cause of your heart palpitations. But before that, there are several ways to deal with a racing heart that you can do at that time as first aid. Anything? Check out the full review below.

How to deal with a sudden and fast heartbeat

In medical conditions, the condition of the heart palpitations is called heart palpitations. This can happen at any time, whether sitting, lying down, standing, or doing activities as usual.

Most cases of heart palpitations are not a serious condition. Usually, this is triggered by several factors, such as exercise, excessive stress or anxiety, dehydration, excessive caffeine or alcohol consumption, or the effects of certain medications.

However, a racing heart can also be associated with an irregular heartbeat, which is a sign of a medical condition. For example, thyroid disease, heart disease, such as abnormal heart valves (heart valve disease) or arrhythmias.

You may still not know the exact cause of your heart palpitations. As a first step, you can follow these easy ways to deal with heart palpitations:

1. Do breathing exercises

Stress and anxiety are two of the most common causes of heart palpitations. The reason is, these two things can trigger an increase in the hormone adrenaline in the body so that the heartbeat becomes irregular. If this happens to you, then immediately calm yourself with breathing exercises.

There are various ways you can learn to regulate your breath, such as meditation, yoga, or tai chi. This can help calm tense body muscles, including those in the heart.

However, apart from using these methods, you can also do breathing exercises in a simple way. To do this, you only need to sit quietly with your eyes closed, then place one hand on your stomach. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, then exhale through your mouth. Repeat a few times until you feel calmer.

2. Practice the vagal maneuver

The next way to deal with heart palpitations is the vagal maneuver, which is used to slow down the heart rate by stimulating the vagal nerve, which is the part of the nerve that helps regulate the heart rate. Vagal maneuvers can be done in three ways, namely:

Hold your breath and push as if you were going to defecate.
Cough.
Splash with water, or place a cold towel or ice pack on your face for 20 to 30 seconds.

Apart from the simple way, reported by Michigan Medicine, vagal maneuvers can be done with the carotid sinus massage technique. However, this method should only be used by a doctor and usually in an emergency room. Carotid sinus massage is believed to help slow down the heart rate in an emergency.

3. Drink lots of water

A fast and sudden heartbeat can be a sign that you are dehydrated. The reason is, your blood contains water so that when you are dehydrated, your blood becomes thicker.

The thicker the blood will make the heart work extra to circulate blood throughout the body. As a result, the pulse gets faster and has the potential to cause the heart to beat.

As a solution, make sure your fluid needs are still fulfilled. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the amount of fluid each person needs varies, depending on age, gender, and pregnancy conditions. But at least, make sure you drink eight glasses of water per day to keep your body hydrated.

Even if you are not thirsty, keep drinking a glass of water as much as possible. Especially if your body shows symptoms of dehydration, such as dry mouth, thirst, headaches, dizziness, and dry skin.

4. Maintain electrolyte balance

When your heart suddenly beats, this means that the electrical signal that is flowing to your heart is in trouble. These electrical signals can be stimulated by electrolyte levels in the body, such as potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium. If your body lacks electrolytes, your heart rate becomes irregular and tends to go faster.

So, one way to deal with heart palpitations is to eat foods or drinks that contain sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. You can get these types of electrolytes from food, namely:

Sodium: soup or canned vegetables (stick to those labeled "less sodium" to avoid high blood pressure).
Potassium: avocado, banana, sweet potato, spinach, melon, tomato, orange and others.
Calcium: milk and dairy products, eggs, and some vegetables and fruits, such as asparagus, dried apricots, etc.
Magnesium: leafy greens, beans, whole grains, and more.

If you are afraid that you will not be able to meet your electrolyte needs from food, you can just rely on certain supplements. But remember, consult your doctor first to confirm your health condition.

5. Avoid causes of heart palpitations

One way to deal with a palpable heart is to avoid the triggers. If the heart beats suddenly after consuming:

Cold and cough medicine.
Caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and soda.
Hypertension drugs.
Alcohol.
Cigarettes.

So you should immediately avoid this. But remember, not everyone has the same stimulants or triggers. If the heart continues to beat and gets worse, immediately consult a doctor for further treatment.