Navigating Menopausal Anxiety and Heart Palpitations

Introduction

Menopause, a natural transition which every woman will inevitably experience, brings about a myriad of physical and emotional changes. 

While it’s often associated with symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings (among many others), symptoms that don’t always get the spotlight they deserve are anxiety and heart palpitations. 

In this blog post, I’ll delve into why Menopause can trigger these unsettling sensations and explore strategies for finding relief and restoring peace of mind during this transformative phase of life.

Understanding Menopausal Anxiety and Heart Palpitations

Hormone levels fluctuate during Menopause. Particularly Estrogen and Progesterone. This fluctuation can disrupt the delicate balance of neurotransmitters in your brain responsible for regulating your mood and stress response. 

This hormonal rollercoaster can make you feel anxious, panicky, and manifest as racing thoughts, restlessness, and heart palpitations.

How does heart palpitation feel?

Heart palpitations during Menopause feel like a sudden, intense pounding or racing sensation in the chest. 

“Since Menopause I’ve been having heart palpitations. I’ve been to the cardiologist and wore a monitor for a month. Didn’t show anything alarming but I hate when I get them. They are scary. I wish I wouldn’t have them anymore 🥺”

~ Debra

No doubt, heart palpitations can be alarming. Although they are usually harmless and caused by hormonal fluctuations that affect your heart’s rhythm, I advise you to have a doctor’s checkup.

Now, let’s take a look at ANXIETY, another common symptom of Menopause, which can occur at any stage, including Perimenopause as well. 

How do you recognize ANXIETY?

It can feel like worry, tension, or irritability, and can manifest in many ways, including: 

• Worrying about the future 
• Worrying about your daily responsibilities 
• Replaying events or conversations over in your mind 
• Struggling to concentrate 
• Having memory problems 
• Crying 
• Feeling panicky 
• Having trouble relaxing

“Honestly I just don’t feel good anymore. I don’t understand how Perimenopause can do this. I have so many symptoms and this anxiety and worry I’ve never experienced before, make everything worse.”

~ Briana

I know these things are hard. I understand you completely. But heads up, because there are ways to reduce the occurrence of your heart palpitations and anxieties.

Strategies for Managing Menopausal Anxiety and Heart Palpitations

1/ Prioritize Self-Care

I know! I hear you! Amidst all that you have on your plate, it seems almost impossible to take extra care of YOU!

But hear me out! Establishing a self-care routine which includes:

• regular exercise
• adequate sleep
• balanced nutrition
• stress-management techniques like meditation or deep breathing 

can help stabilize your mood and alleviate anxiety symptoms.

2/ Have a Support System 

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your friends, family, or a support group to share your experiences and seek reassurance. Connecting with others who understand what you’re going through can provide invaluable support and perspective.

Knowing that you’re not alone in this can help you a lot!

I remember when I experienced my first anxiety attack. It was so scary! But then I reached out to my friends (other menopausal ladies) and to our mutual surprise we all have had these experiences. Knowing this helped me, us… it was a kind of relief that I’m not going crazy. 

3/ Mindful Breathing

Practicing deep breathing exercises can help you calm the nervous system and reduce the intensity of your heart palpitations. 

How to do it correctly?

Take slow, deep breaths, focusing on the sensation of air entering and leaving your body. Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. Do this several times whenever you feel anxious or overwhelmed. You will notice how tension is leaving your body and your muscles become relaxed.

4/ Limit Stimulants

I advise you to reduce consumption of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, as they can exacerbate anxiety and contribute to heart palpitations. 

I was never a smoker, so I can’t give you a personal input on that here but as far as I know smoking can bring on early Menopause and make symptoms worse. 

Alcohol should be a no-no generally. First of all, the body doesn’t process alcohol the way it used to before Menopause. You might also find out that you simply don’t tolerate alcohol well. Alcohol can also cause more hot flashes and night sweats. 

Besides these reasons there’s one more reason (and in my opinion important one) —> how “easy” or “difficult” your Menopause is AND how much health you are going to enjoy during Menopause and beyond depends greatly on how healthy your liver is. Alcohol is the number one substance that is taxing your liver. 

Take my advice -> be sober and stay away from alcohol. 

Caffeine can be another factor that can make your anxiety worse and contribute to heart palpitations. 

Because caffeine is a stimulant it’s advisable to cut back on coffee consumption significantly. 

If you have more than one cup of coffee a day then reduce it to one cup only. Or you can replace coffee with herbal teas.

In case you have been drinking a few cups of coffee a day, reducing it or cutting caffeine out can give you headaches. The best way to deal with caffeine dependence is to drink more water. Increasing your water intake can help you overcome caffeine dependence without those unpleasant side effects.

Cutting back or eliminating these stimulants can help reduce your anxiety levels and have a more balanced nervous system.

5/ Have Doctors Checkup

Anxiety and heart palpitations can be scary. 

It isn’t smart to downplay these symptoms and ignore them. 

Before you assign these symptoms to Menopause, get a doctor’s opinion.

Mostly anxiety and heart palpitations are related to changes in your hormone levels. And the good news is that you can achieve a significant improvement in the quality of your life by making the recommended changes I mentioned earlier.

Conclusion:

Navigating menopause can be challenging. 

It’s marked by physical changes and emotional ups and downs. 

Understanding that anxiety and heart palpitations are common during this transitional phase can offer you reassurance and empower you to seek support and implement strategies to promote your overall well-being. 

By prioritizing self-care, staying connected, and seeking professional guidance when needed, it’s possible to find calm amidst the changes and embrace the next chapter of your life with confidence and resilience.

With all my ❤️

Anna Toth

PS: you might also want to read about The Top 10 Menopause Questions I Get Most Frequently Asked