Have you noticed that there are times when your heart is racing? Those times when your heart races, you tend to get nervous about the idea you could be having a heart attack? Firstly, a racing heart alone is not a sign of a heart attack or heart condition. And you would have other symptoms as well if you had a heart attack.
Go and notice the activities or situations you are in when you feel your heart racing again, and then you will see the correlation between a fast-beating heart and your situation. There are nine reasons your heart is racing, and let’s talk about them now.
Low Blood Sugar
If you did not drink enough water or non-alcoholic fluids, then you know that causes dehydration. The same goes for if you have gotten through long periods without eating, as that can cause your blood sugar to drop. That also requires your heart to work extra hard since there is not enough glucose in the blood. The same applies if you have low blood pressure. If you have diabetes, you must make sure you eat the right type of snacks at designated times during the day.
Exercise
It is not a surprise that when you exercise, your heart is pumping quickly. Your body moves swiftly and withstanding physical stress from fast-paced walking, walking uphill, lifting weights, or cycling. When your body is working hard, so is your heart. If you were exercising and your heart was not racing, that would be a concern.
Anxiety
When you are anxious and struggling with panic attacks, your body is on high alert, and everything in your body is working in overdrive when you are in that state. That is why your heart also races to keep up with the stress that your body is undergoing while struggling with anxiety and nervousness. Therefore, if your heart runs fast before a job interview, that is why.
Stress
If you are under a lot of stress, then your body is forced to work harder to undergo more stress. If you are dealing with family stress on top of work deadlines, that is enough to make your physical body go into overdrive, which is why your heart also beats quickly.
Fever
It is never good when you have a fever; however, you can end up with a fever if you have the flu or another infection. Your body heats up to kill off the virus or offender, which is why your temperature is up. Therefore, your body is working in overdrive to heat itself, and that requires hard work from your heart. That is why your heart races when you have a fever.
Dehydration
If you did not drink enough fluids or are sick and do not retain fluids, you would suffer from dehydration. That is when your blood volume is low, and there is less of it to go around your body. That means your heart has to work extra hard to pump blood, which is why it races. Ensure you have at least six to 10 glasses of water a day to avoid this or get medical attention if you cannot retain fluids from being ill.
Caffeine
If you notice that your heart is beating fast after drinking coffee, then it is the caffeine. Caffeine puts your body in overdrive, which is why people drink coffee to help wake them up and provide them energy. Blood is being pumped quickly, which delivers oxygen fast. That is why you are all of a sudden alert. Therefore, your heart beats heavily to pump blood fast.
Alcohol
When you drink alcohol, there are plenty of toxins in the drinks, which becomes filtered in the liver. In order to flush out those toxins quickly, your heart will pump blood fast so it can help your liver and kidneys filter out the toxins. If you notice that your heart is racing even after one drink, that is why. The same applies when it comes to other toxins such as illegal drug use and nicotine.
Hormonal Changes
Women that undergo hormonal changes during menstruation or pregnancy will also notice that their hearts beat quickly. That is due to the changes in hormones such as progesterone and estrogen, affecting how the entire body functions, including how fast the heart ends up beating.
Therefore, there are instances where your heart is expected to beat quickly, and none of those reasons listed above signify that a heart attack is happening. However, if you are drinking too much alcohol or coffee, you will want to decrease the intake as it is not good for your heart.
