Heart Racing While at Rest? When To Worry and Two Tricks To Calm It Fast
Plus learn how to calculate your heart rate and what's considered 'normal'
You’re curled up on the couch, finally relaxing after a long day when suddenly, your heart starts racing. You’re obviously not exercising and you don’t think you’re stressed, so why does it feel like your heart is pounding out of your chest? If you’ve ever had this exact question, we did too—so we asked an expert. Below, a doctor explains exactly why your heart may be racing even when you’re at rest, what it means for your health and simple tricks to calm it down fast.
What does it mean when your heart is racing?
“A racing heart, medically called tachycardia, is when the heart beats too hard, too fast or irregularly,” says Gerome Burke, MD, PhD, a medical toxicologist and physician-scientist with more than two decades of experience in toxicology, translational research, prescription product regulatory strategy and preventative medicine. “Healthcare professionals define it as a sustained, conscious awareness of your own heartbeat that feels unpleasant or alarming. Medical science defines it as a heart rate that is greater than 100 beats per minute (BPM) while at rest, sitting or lying down.”
Regardless of how it’s defined, Dr. Burke says people may experience sensations like fluttering, pounding or a heartbeat that feels uncomfortable. It’s important to note that this is different from atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition marked by an irregular heartbeat that’s typically very rapid.
Woman's World Answers
“Your heart is a pump that delivers oxygen-rich blood to your body,” says Dr. Burke. “It speeds up when your body or brain signals that it needs more oxygen and fuel. Think of it like pressing the gas pedal in a car. Physiologically, this happens when a special ‘pacemaker’ in your heart (called the sinus node) receives a signal from your nerves (part of the ‘fight-or-flight’ system) to fire electrical pulses faster. This makes the heart muscle contract more often.”
Common reasons your heart races
A fast heart rate is typical normal under certain circumstances, including:
- During exercise: “Muscles need more oxygen, so the heart beats faster to deliver oxygenated blood,” says Dr. Burke.
- When you consume caffeine or nicotine: These natural stimulants “excite the nervous system, leading to the release of adrenaline-like hormones,” Dr. Burke explains.
- When you’re stressed: Adrenaline stimulates the heart to supply oxygenated blood to the muscles for a quick “fight or flight” response, says Dr. Burke.
- If you’re dehydrated: “When fluids are low, blood volume drops,” says Dr. Burke. “The heart beats faster to circulate this reduced amount of blood.”
- When you’re ill: Your heart rate increases to transport blood for the immune system to fight infection, says Dr. Burke.
- If you have an overactive thyroid: “Hyperthyroidism can flood the body with excess hormone,” says Dr. Burke. “Thyroid hormone increases the metabolism, which releases adrenaline and increases the heart rate.”
Why your heart may be racing at rest
Sure, it makes sense that your heart may race if you’re exercising. But Dr. Burke explains that even if you’re not externally exerting yourself, your body may still be experiencing internal changes.
“The ‘fight-or-flight’ system (medically known as the sympathetic nervous system) can be activated by thoughts (worry), minor physical changes (standing up too fast) or internal triggers (digestion or hormones),” explains Dr. Burke.
Dr. Burke says these internal processes can happen without you even being aware of them, prompting the body to release adrenaline. This adrenaline response disrupts the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of the nervous system that helps keep the body calm, and can push your resting heart rate above a normal range.
So what’s considered a normal resting heart rate for adults when you’re at rest? Dr. Burke breaks it down in this chart:
| Average beats per minute (BPM) | |
| Abnormally low resting heart rate | Less than 60 BPM for non-athletes |
| Normal resting heart rate | 60 to 100 BPM |
| Abnormally high resting heart rate | More than 100 BPM |
To calculate your resting heart rate, place your index and middle fingers on your pulse (either in your wrist or neck), count how many beats you feel in 15 minutes, then multiply that number by four to get your BPM. For most accurate results, do this first thing in the morning, before you’ve exercised or had any caffeine.
Is a racing heart dangerous?
“Most often it’s harmless (benign), especially if it’s a brief occurrence,” says Dr. Burke. “Triggers ([for example] exercise or fear from being scared) will increase the heart rate momentarily and will return to normal once the trigger stops.”
However, Dr. Burke says a racing heart may be cause for concern if it happens alongside certain symptoms, as this could indicate an abnormal heart rhythm that requires medical attention. These symptoms include:
- Chest pain or pressure
- Severe shortness of breath
- Fainting or dizziness
- A racing heart that lasts more than a few minutes without an obvious cause
Talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms along with a racing heart.
2 quick tips to calm your racing heart
If your doctor has ruled out any underlying medical issues and you still occasionally experience a racing heart, Dr. Burke shares two natural remedies that may help.
Splash cold water
“Splash your face with very cold water, or place a Ziploc bag of ice or a cold, wet washcloth on your forehead and cheeks for 15 to 30 seconds at the onset of a racing heart,” says Dr. Burke.
Why it helps: “This triggers the ‘dive reflex,’ a primitive involuntary survival mechanism in the brain that slows your metabolism and heart rate [in response to] cold water,” says Dr. Burke. “It immediately calms the sympathetic nervous system.”
Practice belly breathing
“Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly,” says Dr. Burke. “Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose for a count of four. Let your belly push your hand out (the hand on the chest should move very little). Pause, [then] exhale slowly through ‘whistling’ lips for a count of six [and] repeat for five to 10 minutes.
Why it helps: “This stimulates your ‘rest-and-digest’ ([or] parasympathetic) nervous system, which naturally slows the heart rate,” says Dr. Burke. “The long exhale slows the heart and lowers blood pressure.”
The bottom line
A racing heart while you’re resting can feel unsettling—even frightening. But now you know what’s happening in your body, when to seek help and simple ways to calm your heart at home. And when you’re armed with knowledge, you can take control of your heart health, one calm breath at a time.
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