How can I keep my heart from palpitating more than usual when I'm agitated and/or angry?

Valerian root drops

Since I don’t know what that is, I’ll google it
and lol@me trying to pronounce it

@Facade my mom and i both have heart palpitations and swear by these

@Simone_De_Beauvoir You may have just saved me a trip to a cardiologist!

I have found that slowing down my breathing works for me. It takes a lot of practice before it becomes second nature.

To practice, find a few minutes a day when you can down and not be interrupted. Breath in for two seconds (counting, “One elephant, two elephant”) and breath out for four seconds (“one elephant, two elephant, three elephant, four elephant”).

After just a few weeks of practice, you’ll be able to go into “slow-breathing” mode almost instantly, on command. It’s very helpful for nervous or stressful situations.

@drdoombot I tried that. It doesn’t really work for me :(
BUT I’m glad it works for you :)

@Facade well a trip to a cardiologist is better than my advice, you know, in case you have a problem

I probably do, but I don’t want to go…I’m gonna try that stuff you mentioned

@Facade oh no, what if you’ll die because of this and then I’m going to be on TV…i hate how I look on TV…jk…anyway, please don’t die and do see a doctor, eventually

lol! :P
Yea I will…eventually

I was going to try valerian root a few years back, but then I read some of the possible side effects were increased heartbeat and shortness of breath.

@drdoombot lol, yeah, that doesn’t sound so great…but we put like 2 drops per giant cup of water and it’s okay

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Which form would you suggest? I didn’t know there wad a liquid

@Facade drops

I’m gonna get some tomorrow. I hope it works

Breathe deeply a la yoga techniques.

I’ve never found anything that works when I’m that agitated but then I’ve never tried Valerian root drops… Isn’t it a necessary physical reaction to enable you to cope with something? I don’t know…?

@drdoombot I take deep, slow breaths too. I wear a monitor while doing cardiac rehab and I can watch my heart rate drop from 142 to 118 in just a few breaths. However, you have to keep on breathing slowly or your heart rate will go right back up again.

Great answer!

I’ve tried breathing techniques for years and they’ve not ever worked to calm my adrenaline surges but I’m also loathe to take any kind of drugs to interfere with what I feel is a natural reaction my body needs to go through to release tension.

@hungryhungryhortence I’ve thought about that too, “Maybe I just need to feel this way.” But I have certain medical things that can flare up if I’m stressed so I try to repress it.

@Facade: I have asthma that can flare or even give an attack when triggered by sudden stress, usually negative stress and while breathing techniques haven’t done much good, making myself go through a series of exercises that wear me out has helped. It’s feels awkward to stop what I’m thinking or doing and make the exercises but they do help. For a few years I did take a mild anti depressant which helped panic attacks tremendously but everyone’s body reacts so differently to meds, you never know.

Yea, that’s true. I’m glad the exercises are helping you!