Tachycardia — it’s the fancy medical term used by cardiologists to refer to a fast heart rate.
You have tachycardia if your heart is beating more than 100 times a minute — 60 to 100 beats per minute, according to health authorities is normal.
It’s completely normal for your heart to beat at a faster rate each time you are feeling anxious or excited. Such is also very much likely whenever you are stressed or tired. Definitely, you can expect to encounter tachycardia during and after working out — the more intense or vigorous the exercise, the faster the heart rate.
Needless to say, it’s completely normal for your heart to beat quickly every now and then. Despite of this, it can be a very unnerving experience.
Especially if you are suffering from anxiety, tachycardia can make you feel even more anxious. It can be an issue that’s self-perpetuating since anxiety can cause a fast heart rate and a fast heart rate can cause anxiety. If your anxiety escalates into a panic attack, you may even have yourself rushed to the ER for thinking that you’re having a heart attack!
Due to the fact that it can be unnerving to have a fast heart rate, people are constantly on the hunt for ways to deal with it at home. Some of the most common ones include relaxing and taking slow, deep breaths.
Then there are also a few home remedies for a fast heart rate that sound unusual — they may even leave you raising an eyebrow. Below you will find some of the most effective yet uncommon solutions for tachycardia. See which of the following can help slow down your heart rate in no time:
Grab a Basin and Some Ice Cubes
Have you heard of the diving reflex? It’s something that can override some of your bodily processes, including most especially those that are encountered during stress or the fight-or-flight response. To deal with tachycardia via the diving reflex, dunk your head for a few seconds in a small basin with water and ice cubes.
Fake a Cough
Mental health experts say that faking a smile can reduce depression. If your goal is to reduce your heart rate, then faking a cough is what you need to do. Cardiologists say that this can help restart your heart. By the way, coughing is something that you may do (while waiting for the ambulance to arrive) if you believe that you’re having a heart attack.
Perform the Valsalva Maneuver
The valsalva maneuver — it’s what you do each time you move your bowels. It’s also something that you may count on each time your heart is beating more than 100 times a minute. Cover your nose and try to exhale through it for a few seconds — the pressure it creates within the chest cavity can help get rid of tachycardia.
Start Chanting “Om”
Aside from doing the valsalva maneuver, there is another way for you to deal with tachycardia by means of an increased chest pressure. Such can be done by chanting “om” repeatedly. This also helps you relax and also slow down your breathing rate, both of which are actually very common home remedies for tachycardia.
Drink a Glass of Water
Sometimes, all you have to do is glug down water in order to slow down your heart rate. That’s because there are instances in which tachycardia is due to dehydration. Especially if you have just completed an intense exercise routine, consider having energy drink to replace not only fluids but also electrolytes.
WARNING: If you tend to encounter tachycardia often, make sure that you report it to a cardiologist to make sure that it’s not related to something serious. Call an ambulance or ask someone to drive you to the ER immediately if your fast heart rate is accompanied by unusual symptoms such as dizziness, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
