How To Stop Heart Palpitations Fast: 3 Doctor-Trusted Tricks That Work in Minutes
Plus learn the warning signs that you should visit urgent care
If you’ve ever felt your heart suddenly start thumping faster than it should, you’re not alone. Research in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that at some point up to 75 percent of us experience heart palpitations—a term for the sensation of our tickers suddenly racing, pounding, fluttering, skipping beats or quivering. “Palpitations are extremely common and typically not dangerous,” says Jack Wolfson, DO, founder of NaturalHeartDoctor.com. Here, experts share when you actually need medical attention and how to stop heart palpitations at home.
When are heart palpitations dangerous?
If a racing heart rate or palpitations are new, frequent, don’t seem to stop for a long period of time or are happening in combination with symptoms like lightheadedness or unusual perspiration, let your doctor know what’s going on. Sometimes, palpitations signal an issue with your heart or another body system and require treatment to protect your health.
And if you have palpitations with chest pain, shortness of breath, severe dizziness or fainting, seek immediate medical attention. This may mean you have a type of palpitations called VT or Vfib, “which can be immediately life threatening if not treated rapidly,” says Bradley Serwer, MD, a practicing interventional cardiologist and Chief Medical Officer at cardiovascular services company VitalSolution.
Woman's World Answers
Remember, most of the time, your heart beating faster or skipping a beat is more of a nuisance than anything scary. They commonly happen when a kind of electrical short circuit causes a temporary irregular heartbeat, often at 150 to 170 beats per minute (BPM).
What causes heart palpitations?
Heart palpitations can start spontaneously, but they’re more often triggered by at least one of these stimulating factors:
- High stress levels
- Strenuous exercise or activity
- Excess caffeine consumption
- Nicotine (See our best quit-smoking tips)
- Excess alcohol consumption
- Blood-sugar spikes
- Stimulant drugs of any kind, including ADHD meds, the weight-loss drug phentermine and illegal drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine
- Dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance
- Sleep deprivation
Do GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound cause heart palpitations?
Possibly, but more research is needed to know for sure, says Dr. Wolfson. And regardless of whether the drugs themselves prove to be a factor or not, they can cause GI side effects and lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, which are known triggers for heart palpitations.
How to stop heart palpitations almost instantly
When palpitations start, the first thing you want to do is stop, rest and stay calm. Stress and exertion can make the episode worse. Then try any or all of the following techniques to stop heart palpitations. We’re starting with the easiest first.
1. Bear down
Pretend like you’re trying to have a bowel movement. This stimulates the vagus nerve, which runs from your brainstem through your neck to your chest. “The vagus nerve acts as a brake for the heart,” says Dr. Serwer. “Stimulating it can slow down heartbeats and can sometimes suppress or eliminate abnormal heart rhythms.” Other quick hacks that can stimulate the vagal nerve: Cough deeply or splash cold water on your face. “Sometimes gargling, singing or humming can help,” adds Dr. Wolfson.
2. Try box breathing
This deep breathing technique is an easy way to reduce your respiration rate to 4 to 10 breaths per minute, which Dr. Wolfson says can trigger the parasympathetic nervous system to stop heart palpitations. To do it, imagine drawing a square box in your mind:
- Breathe in slowly to a count of four as you draw the top of the box
- Breathe out slowly to a count of four as you draw the right side of the box
- Hold your breath for a count of four as you draw the bottom of the box
- Breathe in slowly to a count of four as you complete the box
Repeat a few times or until you feel like your heart palpitations stop.
3. Blow through a straw
An advanced trick used for folks who go to the emergency room with heart palpitations is called the modified Valsalva maneuver, and a Lancet study showed it’s up to three times better at restoring a normal heart rhythm than other vagus-nerve-stimulating methods.
To try it at home, you’ll need someone to help you. Sit partially reclined and blow through a straw, coffee stirrer or any narrow tube for 15 seconds with moderate pressure (like you’re trying to fog a mirror and keep it fogged). Then immediately lie flat on your back and have someone lift your legs for about 15 seconds.
Should I see a doctor for my heart palpitations?
“If the palpitations are impeding your daily life, seek further care and consider advanced therapies,” says Dr. Serwer. “It’s always best to sit down with a cardiologist who can lay out safe and effective options. We have catheter-based procedures, such as ablations, which can be highly effective to eliminate the extra heartbeats. Some people need medications to suppress heart excitability.”
Dr. Wolfson adds that heart palpitations and virtually any illness are signs of either “too much bad stuff or not enough good stuff.” In addition to strategies we’ve shared to stop heart palpitations, aim for healthy living and commonsense choices to reduce your odds of issues in the future.
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