Extreme racing heart

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Why are you assuming 180 is bad but 160 is ok?

Your body isn't dumb enough to put you in that kind of danger.

For the record, my first major panic attack (which came out of the blue) my HR was well over 180bpm (hooked up to an ambulance ECG 20 minutes after it started) and the paramedics weren't concerned.

YOU are causing this issue by assume negative connections to something that is not dangerous.

You don't need to check your heart rate again. That's part of the anxiety behaviour.

I guess I think that way, because 180 is my max heart rate and I’m a bit worried if it goes above that. I always think you have a max heart rate for a reason.

I don’t normally check it by the way. I just did now to see how fast it was actually going versus what I thought

[NoraB]

You don't need to check your heart rate again. That's part of the anxiety behaviour.

Sparkling Fairy, if you take only one thing from this thread, let it be this..

[Sparkling_Fairy]

You're both right! Last night I had my first panic attack in years, showing that my anxiety levels are lot higher than I realized. It was a small one. But that's all it takes to set off a spiral.
8 years ago, my anxiety spiral started with fear over my heart. My resting heart rate for at least 2 years was 90, and the least bit I moved it shot up.
It took me years to truly believe it wasn't going to harm me, to just accept the feelings and let them play out, and eventually it stopped happening.
For the past 2 years, it went to my breathing. I hyperventilated almost every day, sometimes for 6 hours straight. Again I eventually reached a stage where I no longer cared about it, and it eventually stopped happening.
Now I'm back to my heart? WHY? It's just stupid at this point.
I REFUSE to go back down that hole of never ending fear, after I worked so hard to climb out of it. It ends today!!! I'm a firm believer of my brain caused it, my brain can stop it.
I recently turned 40 and I will not spend the rest of my life feeling this way. It's been long enough. Do your worst anxiety!!! I'm ready!

[NoraB]

I REFUSE to go back down that hole of never ending fear, after I worked so hard to climb out of it. It ends today!!! I'm a firm believer of my brain caused it, my brain can stop it.
I recently turned 40 and I will not spend the rest of my life feeling this way. It's been long enough. Do your worst anxiety!!! I'm ready!

YES, SP!! FEISTY narrative, LOVE IT.

One thing...

Your brain is responding to your anxious thoughts. It's doing what it's meant to do. The heart is supposed to race during anxiety. This is your body working as it should, except that your brain doesn't know the difference between real or imagined danger. When anxiety becomes chronic, we can experience fight or flight symptoms even when we're not actively having anxious thoughts. When I was hyper-stimulated during my breakdown, my heart rate would fly up here, there, and everywhere. It's due to the system being overstimulated, and it does take time for things to settle back down..

As unpleasant as the stress response is, try to remind yourself that this is your body trying to protect you. (Also, it's giving your ticker a good old workout)

This is how I think about fight or flight when it kicks in at 4am...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entert...-arts-47409017

'I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order". (Order being that FOF is supposed to happen when there's real danger, not when a cat farts two doors down)

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Looooool, great analogy!

Yes, as I'm sitting here with a racing heart after eating a tiny bowl of granola, I remind myself it's going to take a few days, possibly weeks, for my CNS to not be overloaded. And that my stomach isn't going to digest a pea at this point, let alone any type of meal. Pounding heart, racing heart, skipped beats incoming for a while.

Aaaaaaaand relax!

[NoraB]

Looooool, great analogy!

Yes, as I'm sitting here with a racing heart after eating a tiny bowl of granola, I remind myself it's going to take a few days, possibly weeks, for my CNS to not be overloaded. And that my stomach isn't going to digest a pea at this point, let alone any type of meal. Pounding heart, racing heart, skipped beats incoming for a while.

Aaaaaaaand relax!

Digestion naturally increases heart rate. (And any kind of stimulant)

Granola can be quite sugary, can't it?

Try to restrict stimulants for the time being. I know it's a complete BORE FEST, but your system will thank you for it...

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Digestion naturally increases heart rate. (And any kind of stimulant)

Granola can be quite sugary, can't it?

Try to restrict stimulants for the time being. I know it's a complete BORE FEST, but your system will thank you for it...

It’s sugar free, gluten free granola with rice milk. It’s about as clean as you can get

[NoraB]

It’s sugar free, gluten free granola with rice milk. It’s about as clean as you can get

Artificial sweeteners?

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Artificial sweeteners?

No, it does have natural sugars in it though. Date syrup, maple syrup and orange juice. So maybe I need to avoid it for a while and go completely bland food

[NoraB]

No, it does have natural sugars in it though. Date syrup, maple syrup and orange juice.

BINGO!

So maybe I need to avoid it for a while and go completely bland food

I would. Also, I recommend you scrutinise every ingredient. As we've just proved, 'health foods' can be high in sugar...

Or, eat what you like, and just accept that your heart will bang like an old barn door in a gale.

Personally, I'd give the ol' bod some TLC for the next few months....