Distracting yourself from palpitations

[kmpower]

Hi Everyone,

I am unlucky in that being quiet or lying down will not take away the palpitations. They slow down but I feel each heartbeat. If I am not really sleepy they will keep me awake, beat, beat, beat. If I move I am unaware of them and so I just get up at night and do something or put on TV.

Do any of you have this symptom and, if so, have you figured out how to distract yourself enough to get to sleep, or even be in a quiet room (like meditating, reading, etc.)?

Thanks,

Lady L

[sally]

does your heart feel like its skipping beats or missing beats and one will be harder than the next. If you are just aware of your heart beating, thats called cardiac awareness. Alot of people get that sensation especially if you are a thin person. Laying on your back sometimes will cause you to feel it more. Also tachycardia will make your heart feel like it's running away with itself and you'll be more aware of the beats and a harder sensation of beats.

Palpatations are another story though, it feels like its missing beats or a fluttering, for me, my doc told me to cough if palpatations keep happening to get things back in line so to speak. There are a number of other tricks you can try but I would check with your doc on that one to make sure what it is you are feeling first and make sure everthing is okay.

good luck

If its tachy you're feeling, just trying to relax can be a chore when it's like that, for me, I will try to take my mind off of what I'm feeling by watching a movie just trying to relax because the more you get nervous about it, the faster it can become. Again, there are some tricks you can try for this but I would ask your doctor on this because everyone is different.

[Ernie]

Hi,

I keep myself busy and focus on other things.

[Be Still]

Sound sensitivity is an issue for me. I have a noisy fan in my bedroom to block out ambient noise as well as a white noise machine to use as needed. When I buy a new fan, I find an outlet at the store and plug in the display model to see if it will have a loud rushing sound, whisper quiet fans won't do for me. I got my white noise machine at Radio Shack and it has a timed setting that shuts itself off after gradually decreasing the sound. This also travels with me if I have to span my nap time.

[Guest tearose]

Hmm, interesting question.

I think after a while, ya get use to them. sorry, but it does happen. Especially once you really know they are not dangerous, you just think to yourself "oh, there it goes"...I even say my heart has a mind of its own!

Then, depending on what the beat, beat, beat is about, I treat it differently.

If it is an "heart is in my throat beat" I will do a series of little coughs. This helps me.

If it is an allover the place wierd and funky kind of beating, I will review my water intake and grab some water and drink slowly and if needed, I will drink electrolytes too. Sometimes I am low on potassium and magnesium and supplementing these has helped.

When I really have to sleep and my heart is racing I have to sit quietly and focus. Then I think I need to meditate and I do, sometimes distraction helps, like you said, you may just have to get up and watch tv till it passes....it is all and adventure and I think you too will find what will work!

take care, tearose

[gdomaracki]

I too get this and it can be so agitating when your trying to go to sleep. It sounds silly but I actually try to tired myself out, or bore myself to sleep so to speak. Keeping your mind off of it is the best thing you can really do, especially is it isn't dangerous. (my svt isn't, they say) I also have my noise makers. lol. A fan for at night, my bird lemon , and sometimes I put the t.v. on too. You really have to distract yourself, because worrying about it just like anything will only make matters worse.

I'm not sure if you have worn a heart monitor or not yet, but would suggest doing so. This can help put you at ease, just to make sure your heart is beating regularly. And if you are getting svt/tach, that is isn't dangerous.

[kmpower]

Thanks, everyone. I don't tach, or I should say I cannot even try to sleep if I do. I just feel the heartbeats, every one, no matter how slow. Good advice to deliberately try to tire myself!

One thing I did was get a "carseat" type of massage pad, which is more of a vibrating pad, but large. I can turn on different degrees of vibration, upper or lower back, and I have turned it on just to feel something different. I have it in my easy chair, but haven't tried it in bed. Hmmmm. I got it at Relax-the-Back store.

Anyway, thanks for helping.

LL