Women between the ages 35 and 55 years, tend to experience palpitations just before menopause sets in. A majority of pre-menopausal women go through certain symptoms of menopause, which may range from the mild to severe; the commonest symptoms being – palpitations and hot flushes. This need not be any reason to panic or worry; lifestyle changes and dietary modifications will help manage these effectively.
In case you are consciously aware that your heart is beating, you are having palpitations. Also called irregular heartbeats or cardiac arrhythmia, palpitations may affect anyone at anytime, but palpitations and menopause usually go hand in hand.
You may feel a sensation of your heart skipping a beat or beating too many times and too fast. They occur intermittently over an interval of 2 to 3 months. Hot flashes are another associated feature, and this may increase your heart rate between 8 and 16 beats per minute. Some are known to experience heart rates up to 200 beats per minute.
Symptoms Of Palpitations In Menopause
Palpitations during menopause are due to fluctuating hormones. Changing levels of hormones estrogen and progesterone tend to wreak havoc on the body, and make the heart pound forcefully and triggers excessive sweating.
More often than not, heart palpitations go away in a few months, after the hormone profile has settled down. Palpitations and menopause occur together, and do not signify any health problem.
Women in the perimenopause and menopause group report episodes of palpitations, i.e. irregular heart beat or a hammering / pounding pulse in the chest. The heart may skip a beat or beat furiously, too fast and too frequently. Anxiety, apprehension, sweating and hot flushes are important accompanying features.
Home Remedies To Stop Heart Palpitations
First and foremost, you need to speak to your health care professional and understand the definite cause for the palpitations. When you understand that oscillations in the hormones are the principal cause, certain natural methods are exceedingly successful in managing them. You need to give your body more support and alongside decrease the demands you place on it.
- A well rounded regimen comprising of vitamin and mineral supplements, dietary modifications, regular and stress management will help tide over all the symptoms of menopause.
- Avoid smoking; steer clear of caffeinated beverages, aerated drinks and alcohol, and never take diet pills during that period. These tend to aggravate heart palpitations and make it hard to get on with everyday life.
- Make sure you add the following foods to your daily menu; they are foods that provide essential vitamins and minerals which tend to get depleted during menopausal phase – wheat grass, alfalfa, soy, yogurt and nuts. Eliminate all denatured and refined foods from your diet. Ensure that you drink at least 2 liters of water daily.
- A fast heart beat is a sign that the body requires to recover, so it is important for that you do not over do exercising and working out; you must lie down and breathe deeply.
- Practice Pranayama on a daily basis. Breathing deeply and correctly will help restore your normal heartbeat.
- Yoga is another effective way of managing menopause related problems. Yoga can help slow down the heart rate, combat irritability, depression and anxiety and maintain an ideal body weight.
- Meditation will also help prevent episodes of palpitations. Try to incorporate aromatherapy and meditation; it will yield wonderful benefits.