Do you experience a rapid, irregular, or intense heartbeat? It can be quite unsettling. Many women encounter this during menopause. A possible cause? Declining oestrogen levels. Usually, it’s harmless, but why does your heart suddenly start pounding?
Out of nowhere, my heart starts racing like mad. It frightens me every time. Luckily, it often subsides within a few minutes.
Heart palpitations can be linked to declining oestrogen levels during menopause. Oestrogen regulates the nervous system and the coronary artery, which supplies blood to the heart. When there’s more oestrogen in the blood, the artery widens. When oestrogen decreases, the artery constricts. These fluctuations in oestrogen levels can lead to heart palpitations.
From the moment your hormones start fluctuating, you may experience heart palpitations, even during perimenopause. Between 40% and 50% of women going through menopause report having heart palpitations. Some experience them daily, while others only occasionally. The heart can beat eight to sixteen extra times per minute, sometimes even more. This can happen even when you’re doing nothing or lying calmly in bed.
It’s not just your hormones that can cause heart palpitations. Other factors and menopausal symptoms can also lead to a rapid heartbeat. Think of mood swings, hot flushes, stress, and high blood pressure.
When you have heart palpitations, you may feel your heart pounding in your throat or chest. This can happen during physical activity, but also while watching TV, lying in bed, or just waking up. Your heart may beat quickly, forcefully, or irregularly—or a combination of these. It may also feel like your heart skips a beat, often followed by a strong heartbeat.
Sometimes, heart palpitations last only a few seconds, while other times they can last a few minutes. They can start and stop suddenly, or they may begin gradually and fade away slowly. It’s also possible to have heart palpitations without noticing them.
Heart palpitations can signal your body that there’s danger. This triggers your body to act, producing the stress hormone cortisol. This can contribute to more heart palpitations or other menopausal symptoms.
Heart palpitations are usually harmless. However, if you notice one or more of the following symptoms, contact your doctor immediately:
If menopause is the cause, you won’t experience these symptoms.
Personalised product advice for your menopause symptoms
There are various ways to effectively address menopausal symptoms. You don’t have to just live with them. You can support your body naturally with healthy nutrition, sufficient exercise, and rest. Additionally, supplements, medications, and hormone therapy (HRT) can help.
Hormonal changes can affect your energy levels, sleep, digestion, and metabolism. Healthy nutrition, regular exercise, and rest can help prevent or alleviate symptoms. Even small adjustments can make a difference in how you feel.
If you’re using medications or supplements, a healthy lifestyle supports your body in absorbing nutrients and processing medications, enhancing their effectiveness. Experts recommend the following for heart palpitations:
During menopause, the hormones oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate and eventually decrease significantly once your periods stop completely. This can cause symptoms like hot flushes, vaginal dryness, or heart palpitations. For severe symptoms, hormone therapy (HRT) is the most effective treatment. By replenishing the missing hormones, symptoms decrease. This helps restore balance in your body, giving you more energy and calm in your daily life.
Hormone therapy is always prescribed by a doctor and tailored to your specific situation to ensure the treatment is safe and effective.
My heart used to race like mad regularly. Since starting hormone therapy, I no longer experience those palpitations.
Many people are unaware that there are proven effective hormone-free medications to relieve menopausal symptoms. While hormone therapy can address multiple symptoms at once, hormone-free medications often target a specific symptom. For example, certain antidepressants (SNRIs) for hot flushes, anti-inflammatory drugs for joint pain, or antacids for heartburn.
Hormone-free medications are always prescribed by a doctor. They can be a good option for those who cannot or do not want to use hormone therapy. These medications work directly on the symptom without affecting your hormonal balance, allowing you to address your complaints in a targeted way and support your body.
During menopause, processes like energy production, muscle building, and skin repair change in your body. You can naturally support these processes with high-quality supplements. Magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 are recommended for every woman going through menopause. Supplements can also target specific symptoms like hot flushes, poor sleep, and heart palpitations.
The effectiveness of supplements can vary from person to person, depending on factors like lifestyle and overall health. The quality of the product also plays a role in how well it works. Choose high-quality supplements without unnecessary fillers.
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