Duration of heart palpitations

In the case of tachycardia caused by stress, the perceived tachycardia usually lasts only a few minutes. However, the type of occurrence also plays a decisive role. If the tachycardia occurs in a seizure-like manner in stress situations, phases lasting less than one minute can occur, but also seizures lasting several minutes.

These forms of tachycardia are not as alarming. In extreme cases, it can last for hours, but this should usually be prevented by visiting a doctor in the meantime. If the tachycardia is chronic, i.e. permanent, there are also two forms: recurrent and permanent.

In the case of chronic recurrent tachycardia, there is always a seizure-like increase in the heart rate. In chronic permanent tachycardia, the heart beats faster and faster. Especially the chronic forms, which are accompanied by a long duration, are dangerous for the affected person and should definitely be treated and fought at their origin, as they can be an expression of cardiac arrhythmia.

Special situations

Stress-induced tachycardia normally occurs only in stress situations. However, there are also special situations in which tachycardia can occur, for example during pregnancy or at night. Many people would probably state their work when asked in which situation they feel stressed.

At work, everyone is expected to perform at a certain level, which usually has to be fulfilled within a certain time. More or less stressful situations arise, which affect the persons concerned to varying degrees. While some people deal with stress at work in a relaxed manner and leave the problems there after work, others take the problems from work home with them and are therefore particularly susceptible to stress-related health problems.

One symptom that can result from stress is palpitations. If you suddenly get palpitations at work, in situations that are not physically demanding, you should seriously consider your workload. An intervention in the momentary overstrain is absolutely necessary here, because tachycardia has a negative influence on body and mind and the health well-being is endangered.

Relaxation and stress management techniques can help here, or perhaps an outpatient psychotherapy, in which the fundamental question of why one reacts so extremely to stress at all can be answered. Employers should also be concerned about the health of their employees – you should always talk to them if you feel too overwhelmed and in case of emergency you should not shy away from a sick leave. You can read more information here

Relaxation
Psychotherapy

During pregnancy, the woman’s body changes.

The conditions for the growing child should be ideal, which includes an optimal blood supply. For this purpose the body produces more blood, which should supply the baby more efficiently.This change may also cause an acceleration of the heartbeat. Phases with tachycardia can also occur, but are usually harmless.

Above all, the expectant mother should pay attention to whether the heart beats regularly. If this is not the case, a medical examination should be carried out. Due to the general increase in frequency, tachycardia also occurs more quickly in stressful situations, but this is primarily harmless for the child.

Usually the palpitations subside after calming down. Even the increased heart rate at rest can return to normal once the body has become accustomed to the pregnancy and the changes that come with it. Only in extreme stress situations during pregnancy can an increased tendency to premature births occur under certain circumstances.

You can find more information about this here Tachycardia in pregnancyNightly palpitations can be the result of excessive demands and stress in everyday life. The psyche is stressed by constant stress situations. Some people can cope with it better, others less well.

Especially those people who, for example, take the problems home with them from work, are not able to deal with them in their free time. The stress-related burden thus extends to periods that should actually be relaxed. During the night, the body’s reserves should be replenished and the information of the day processed.

If there is an unsolved problem in the room, this can also have effects on the sleeping body. For example, this can lead to palpitations, which either go unnoticed or cause the person concerned to wake up. In this way also sleep disturbances are caused by stress-related palpitations.

If one is torn out of sleep and feels a more or less strongly accelerated heartbeat, this can also lead to fear and panic. In these situations it is especially important to stay calm and try to calm yourself. Relaxation and breathing techniques can help here.

Basically, such nightly interruptions stand for a strong overload in everyday life and should be taken seriously in any case! More information on this topic can be found here Heart tachycardia at nightThe diagnosis of existing heart tachycardia is relatively simple. Only the heartbeats that the organ makes in one minute have to be counted.

This can be done either with two fingers on the wrist or with the hand or a stethoscope on the chest. The aorta can also be palpated at the neck, but this is sometimes more difficult than other procedures. Alternatively, an electrocardiogram (ECG) can be performed.

In this case, the electrical currents are measured that flow with each beat when the heart muscles are excited. The examination becomes problematic if the tachycardia occurs only under stress situations. This makes it difficult for the doctor to determine the heart rate at the right moments.

However, a long-term ECG can be used for this purpose. An ECG is taken for 24 hours, but during the normal course of the day. Afterwards, the physician can not only determine the exact heart rhythm, but also pay attention to special features during the course of the day.

In addition, the patient should note particularly stressful situations with the appropriate time of day, after which a specific examination can be performed. With the help of an ECG, many heart diseases can also be ruled out, which lead to tachycardia. Furthermore, a blood test can also rule out thyroid disease, which can also lead to tachycardia.

However, both hyperthyroidism and most heart diseases cause tachycardia, which is not linked to stress situations, but occurs continuously or irregularly. The most important thing is to distinguish between tachycardia caused by stress and cardiac arrhythmia. The latter must be treated correctly in order to avoid consequential damage. You can find more information about this here Cardiac arrhythmia caused by stress