Anxiety tachycardia: why does it occur? it's bad?

Do you know what anxiety tachycardia is? It is a symptom of some anxiety disorders (or simply anxiety), a consequence of it.

It consists of the acceleration of the heart rate, that is, the number of times our heart beats per minute (with tachycardia being more than 100).

In this article we tell you all its details: what it consists of, why it happens, if it is serious or not, etc. In addition, we also give you some tips on how to prevent or treat it.

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Anxiety tachycardia, a type of arrhythmia: what is it?

Before explaining why tachycardia happens, and if it can become serious, let's explain what an anxiety tachycardia consists of. Tachycardia itself, in a heart rhythm disorder, where the heart beats abnormally fast in a state of rest. It is one of the most common heart rhythm disorders (also called arrhythmia).

Arrhythmias in particular are heart rate or heart rhythm disorders; broadly speaking, they can be of three types: tachycardias (when the heart beats excessively fast), bradycardias (when it is too slow) and conditions in which the heart beats irregular.

Thus, in this article we talk about a type of arrhythmia: anxiety tachycardia.

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General characteristics

In anxiety tachycardia, as its name suggests, the origin lies in anxiety. Namely, the fact that we are anxious causes tachycardias. In these types of disorders, the heart beats abnormally fast in the upper chambers, the lower chambers, or both, when at rest.

What does it mean in a resting situation? That we are neither exercising nor in a state of excessive stress; that is, we are not doing "anything" in particular (or if we are doing it, it is something that requires little effort). We can also be sitting or standing (but calm).

This would be the general definition of tachycardia, but when we talk about tachycardia due to anxiety, this acceleration of the heart appears in the context of an anxiety disorder or anxiety symptoms (even if they do not constitute a disorder). Thus, we can be "at rest" but have high anxiety.

Why happens?

Why does anxiety tachycardia occur? As we anticipated, and as its name indicates, it occurs as a consequence of going through a period of anxiety; This symptom "coexists" with other types of symptoms, such as: irritability, tension, dizziness, migraines, suffocation, sweating, nausea, etc.

We must add that tachycardia in general, and anxiety tachycardia in particular, do not appear as consequence of trauma or disease (in the latter case we would speak of tachycardia sinus).

But, How specifically does anxiety tachycardia occur? Let's go to the origin. We know that the tissues of the heart send a series of electrical signals; These signals control our heart rate. But what happens in tachycardia?

In tachycardia, an abnormality occurs in the heart, and rapid electrical signals are produced, accelerating the heart rate. To get an idea: generally, the heart beats at between 60 and 100 beats per minute (in a state of rest); in tachycardia, the beats per minute are 100 or more.

Causes

Thus, in anxiety tachycardia, these electrical signal abnormalities occur as a result of the anxiety itself. Remember that anxiety is a psychophysiological alteration of the body, which involves a series of cognitive, emotional and physiological symptoms (as in the case of anxiety tachycardia). That is, it is one of the symptoms of anxiety itself.

If we go a little further (more to the origin), we find that anxiety is caused by a thousand different factors, always depending on the situation and the person. In anxiety, what always happens is that the body and mind do not have enough resources to cope with the demands and demands of the environment.

This lack of resources is usually temporary, although anxiety can last from minutes, through hours and days to months (always depending on its cause and treatment).

It's bad?

Is it serious to have anxiety tachycardia? (Or tachycardias). It depends on the case. An anxiety tachycardia can simply be part of the symptoms of anxiety (or an anxiety disorder), or it can also indicate the approach of an anxiety crisis.

That is why we must be alert and, in case of anxiety tachycardia (especially if it is a recurrent and / or long-lasting symptom), see a doctor.

It is also recommended, just when you notice this symptom, find a quiet place to sit, practice deep, controlled breathing, hold calming thoughts, etc. That is, trying to relax to slow down our heart rate so that it does not trigger an anxiety crisis.

However, it is true that in general, anxiety tachycardia is not a serious symptom; our body simply tells us that we are accelerated, and that we need to rest or "slow down" in our daily life.

How to avoid / treat anxiety tachycardia?

Logically, to avoid or treat anxiety tachycardia, we must go to the "focus" or origin of the problem: anxiety itself.

We will have to mentalize that, if we have anxiety (and we already suffer from this symptom), the tachycardia will not disappear by itself. Namely, we must treat the root problem, which is anxiety. For this we can choose different options, in order to treat anxiety.

1. Go to therapy or ask for help

A psychology professional can help us reduce our anxiety levels through different psychological techniques. Some of the most used techniques are: controlled breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, etc. The therapy can be combined with sports, yoga, etc.

2. Apply breathing techniques

Deep and controlled breathing techniques will help us to become aware of our breathing, which is closely linked to the acceleration of the heart rate. If we learn to control our breathing and reduce its rate, it is very likely that our heart rate will also decrease.

The breaths we take must be deep (both inspirations and exhalations, although it also depends on the program).

3. Take magnesium

Magnesium is considered a good regulator of our heart rate. That is why if we increase its presence in the diet, we will also be helping the anxiety tachycardia to disappear.

4. Avoid caffeine (or cut back)

Caffeine (present in some soft drinks, in the cafe, etc.) is a stimulant; That is why if we reduce its consumption (or even avoid it), we will be helping our heart beat more normally.

Bibliographic references

• American Psychiatric Association -APA- (2014). DSM-5. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Madrid: Panamericana.

• Baronet, G. (2011). Anxiety disorders. The Hospital Pharmacist, 195, 12-16.

• Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2019). Tachycardia.