What it feels like
- Sudden pounding, fluttering, or skipped beats
- Racing heart with or without anxiety
- Warm flush or shortness of breath during episodes
- Nighttime awakenings with panic or racing thoughts
Heart Palpitations & Anxiety Surges
Feeling your heart race for no reason—or waking suddenly with pounding or fluttering? These surges are common in menopause. We help you rule out heart disease, calm hormonal triggers, and restore confidence in your body’s rhythm.
Why it happens
Estrogen helps stabilize the autonomic nervous system and vascular tone. When levels drop, adrenaline spikes become more frequent—especially at night or during hot flashes. These surges feel alarming but are usually benign once cardiac causes are ruled out.
How Midlife MD Calms the Surges
1) Rule Out Cardiac Causes
We start by ensuring safety—screening for arrhythmias, thyroid imbalance, anemia, and electrolyte issues. If needed, we coordinate EKGs or cardiology referral before focusing on hormonal or stress drivers.
2) Hormone & Temperature Balance
Hot flashes and night sweats often precede palpitations. Treating vasomotor symptoms—via transdermal estradiol or non-hormonal options—reduces adrenaline surges and restores calm.
3) Nervous System Reset
- Breathing drills: 4-7-8 or box breathing during flares
- Grounding or paced exhale to lower heart rate
- Brief cooling or fan use during flushes
4) Targeted Medications (When Needed)
We may use low-dose beta blockers, magnesium glycinate, or non-hormonal agents like SSRIs/SNRIs if anxiety dominates. These can stabilize heart rate and blunt adrenaline peaks.
5) Lifestyle & Recovery Toolkit
- Consistent hydration and electrolytes
- Limit caffeine and alcohol (major triggers)
- Gentle daily movement to regulate adrenaline sensitivity
- Bedtime ritual: dim light, device cutoff, cool room
6) Follow-Up & Reassurance
We monitor progress and adjust treatment. Most women see surges fade over weeks as hormones stabilize and nervous system sensitivity calms.
What to Expect
Step 1 — Safety & Screening
We start by ruling out heart or thyroid causes with history, labs, and (if needed) EKG before focusing on menopause-related mechanisms.
Step 2 — Personalized Plan
We tailor hormone, nutritional, and lifestyle steps to restore nervous system stability and prevent nighttime surges.
Step 3 — Optimization
Follow-ups ensure confidence and calm as symptoms settle and energy normalizes.
FAQ
Are palpitations dangerous?
Usually not, but we always rule out cardiac causes. Most midlife palpitations are benign adrenaline or hormone-driven events. Once evaluated, they’re managed safely and effectively.
Can hormone therapy help?
Yes. When vasomotor symptoms or adrenaline surges drive the issue, transdermal estrogen can reduce both frequency and intensity of palpitations.
Why do they happen at night?
Body temperature naturally rises in the early morning hours, triggering adrenaline release. Combined with estrogen drop and anxiety, this can wake you with a pounding heart. Cooling and hormone balance fix this pattern.
When should I seek emergency care?
If you experience chest pain, dizziness, fainting, or sustained racing lasting more than a few minutes, call 911 or go to the ER. We provide non-urgent evaluation for chronic or recurrent episodes.
Educational content only; not a substitute for personal medical advice. For chest pain, severe shortness of breath, or loss of consciousness, call 911 immediately.