People with a heart rate of more than 70 beats per minute while relaxing had a 78 percent higher risk of heart disease. If your heart beats too fast at rest, it's a sign that you're physically weak or that you're significantly stressed. Also, if you have a very fast heart rate, you should try to lower it! Strict warning:
this could be tachycardia, which can involve a heart attack that requires emergency medical attention.
Follow these methods to temporarily lower a "chronically high" or "very high" but (hopefully) infrequent heart rate. Then you have to increase it to be permanent, through physical conditioning.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Slowing Very High Heart Rate
Step 1. Practice deep breathing
While it may seem difficult, lowering your breathing rate will help slow your heart rate. Inhale for 5-8 seconds, hold for 3-5 seconds, then exhale slowly for 5-8 seconds. Focus on exhaling fully to lower your heart rate.
Step 2. Do the Valsalva movement
This will trigger the vagal nerve which is responsible for controlling your heart rate. To perform the Valsalva movement, tighten the muscles in your abdomen as if you were straining. Hold this pressure for five seconds, and release. You may need to do this a few times to get the desired results.
Step 3. Perform carotid movements
The carotid arteries run along your throat in addition to the vagus nerve. With your fingertips, massage these arteries to help stimulate the surrounding nerves to slow your heart rate.
Step 4. Splash yourself with cold water
Wash your face with ice water to stimulate the diving reflex, which can slow down your metabolism. Keep splashing the ice water on your face until you feel a drop in your heart rate.
Step 5. Take medicine
If you often experience a very high heart rate, you can ask your doctor for a prescription for heart rate-lowering drugs. Consult with your doctor to decide if medication is the right path for you.
Method 2 of 3: Fixed Heart Rate Permanently
Step 1. Consult a doctor, to what level you can exercise vigorously
Intense exercise is not the first step, but try to gradually increase the intensity. Short sequences of energetic exercise, such as running short distances, interspersed with short breaks to keep yourself from gasping for air, are called interval training. Interval training can increase the efficiency of your heart by about 10 percent more than regular moderate-speed aerobic exercise.
- Gradually increase the intensity until you reach your maximum performance, at a safe heart rate for the final interval, before you cool down. Vary your pace, assistive device, route, and the rise and fall of your trajectory periodically so your heart can pump blood more effectively with fewer beats.
- Interval training for runners: If you run on a treadmill, use the interval setting. If you're running outdoors or on an indoor track, warm up for 5 minutes. Then run fast for 1 minute and do a slow jog for 1 minute. Repeat this interval 6 or 8 times before you cool down for 5 minutes.
- For swimmers: Swim in freestyle for 45 meters, resting for 15 seconds after each swim back and forth. When you swim, do it aerobically to get your heart rate up, but don't overdo it. Don't swim so hard that you run out of breath.
- on the bike: Warm up for 90 seconds. Then, pedal at moderate energy for 30 seconds. Slow down to a 90-second cardio pace before you pedal with another 30-second burst of energy. Each 30-second energy spike should be more intense than the previous one until you reach a safe maximum speed for the final interval. Then, after the last 90-second cardio interval, you can cool down.
Step 2. Get more quality sleep
Wear earplugs if you want to reduce the noise level in your room. Sleep disturbances from noise can increase your heart rate by up to 13 beats per minute.
Step 3. Empty your bladder regularly
People who hold their urine until their bladder is full can increase their heart rate by up to 9 beats per minute. A very full bladder can increase the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which constricts blood vessels and forces your heart to beat faster.
Step 4. Take fish oil capsules
Better yet, drink squid oil which is richer in DHA, the most important type of omega-3. Dr. Oz recommends, "Take fish oil or another source of omega-3 containing at least 600mg of DHA daily." Fish oil capsules taken once daily can lower your heart rate by up to 6 beats per minute in two weeks. Researchers think fish oil helps the heart react better to your vagus nerve, which regulates heart rate.
Step 5. Change your diet
Eat healthy foods that can help your body regulate your heart rate. Try to eat more salmon, sardines, or mackerel; whole grains, green vegetables, nuts, and sources of potassium such as bananas and avocados.
Method 3 of 3: Slowing Down Chronically High Heart Rate
Step 1. Lie down and relax
Lie down on a comfortable surface such as your bed or sofa. If there is no comfortable surface to lie on, then sit in a relaxed position.
- Make sure that the room you are in is quiet and comfortable. If the view from the room's window is chaotic, close the curtains.
- Relax your muscles. Stay in this position and let your heart rate slow down on its own.
Step 2. Concentrate on pleasant mental images
Calm yourself and your body by using visualization guidelines and imagining places that make you happy. For example, you can think of a beautiful mural, a natural landscape, or a daydream that you find relaxing.
- Find a picture or photo of something that relaxes you. You can sit on your bed in a meditative posture and stare at the image to try to calm your mind and body.
- Write in a diary about a place you want to visit or a place where you feel at peace. Then, close your diary and imagine that place in your mind, letting the feeling of calm water your soul.
Step 3. Learn to meditate
Focus your mind on the heartbeat. Try using the power of concentration to slow down your heart rate.
Step 4. Breathe in slowly
Try these techniques to use your breath as a tool to slow your heart rate:
- Breathe with belly: When you are in a sitting position, place your hands on your stomach just below your ribs. Inhale through your nose, allowing your stomach to move your hands outward while your chest remains still. Then, exhale through pursed lips as you whistle, using your hands to push the air out of your stomach. Repeat as necessary.
- Breathe through alternate nostrils: Begin to inhale through your left nostril, pressing the right nostril with your thumb, for a count of four. Close both nostrils and hold your breath for a count of sixteen. Exhale through the right nostril for a count of eight, and then inhale through the right nostril for a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of sixteen again and exhale through your left nostril for a count of eight. Yoga practitioners believe that this will balance the two sides of your brain and can relax your mind and body.
Step 5. Enjoy the massage
Regular massage or reflexology treatment can lower your heart rate by up to 8 beats per minute. Hire a professional masseuse or have a loved one give you a massage.
Tips
See your doctor for heart rate variability biofeedback. In this biofeedback session, you will be fitted with an electrical sensor that allows you to observe your heart rate. Then, you can try to lower your heart rate with your thoughts to increase your lung capacity, lower blood pressure and also stress
Warning
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Other factors that can increase your risk of tachycardia include:
- Age. Weakening of the heart with age can cause tachycardia.
- Family. If you have a family history of heart rate disorders, you are more at risk of developing tachycardia.
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Tachycardia risk. Any condition that injures or damages the heart can increase your risk. Medical treatment can lower the risk of the following factors:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Smoke
- High alcohol consumption
- High caffeine consumption
- Recreational drug use
- Psychological stress or anxiety
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If your resting heart rate is quite fast, you may not notice it except when you experience dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting, or a pounding or "throbbing" sensation or pain in your chest. You may be experiencing tachycardia.
Strict warning:
If your experience lasts more than a few minutes, you should see a doctor or go to the ER.
If you experience these sensations in a shorter time, schedule a visit to the doctor immediately.
