When you are experiencing heart palpitations

In a previous post, I discussed all the things I do to be healthy and prevent heart palpitations. But sometimes no matter how well I try to take care of myself, I'll still get those pesky misbeats. This has been an important realization as I used to get very depressed when I thought I was doing everything right and still got them. Now I just know that no matter how well I think I'm doing taking care of myself, life will inevitably get in the way and shake things up. Unexpected events, changes, chasing a toddler, fluctuating hormones, getting cut off on the road, etc. These are things that we have no control over and normal if we are to live full lives. Some stress is good. If we didn't have any, we'd be dead. But what do you do when you are stressed out and feeling the effects of heart palpitations? Here's what has worked for me:

--a glass of water
--splashing my face with cool water
--getting on the floor on my yoga mat and doing some gentle stretches (cat stretch, sun salutation, rock the baby pose)
--deep breathing (you can add meditative music, but sometimes I find it distracting)
--reaching deep inside myself and trusting my heart/body/soul
--reciting the mantra "This too shall pass."

But sometimes just trying to calm down, actually makes me panic more. Sometimes if the above doesn't work, the alternative is to get up and move. Go on a walk. Even if you're experiencing heart palpitations at 2 a.m., get up and start walking circles around your dining room table. Keep breathing slowly. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Or change up the scenery and go outside. You can enlist the help of a friend or spouse, but I've noticed that I really am the only person to help me through a bad episode. And when you have a history of being the one helping you through your panic, you don't have to rely on anyone else in the future.

[Disclaimer: If you have never experienced heart palpitations or have an underlying heart condition, please inform your doctor if you start experiencing them. I've had mine diagnosed as benign PVCs via EKG; thus there is no need for me to go to the hospital when they start bothering me. Of course, if my symptoms ever change or I start to feel lightheaded, I would immediately consult my cardiologist. But I've done the hospital thing in the middle of the night, and all they've ever done is hook me up, say yep you're experiencing palpitations, and send me on my way with a prescription for beta blockers (which I have never filled but that's another topic). So now I know when I start feeling them again, that it's best for me to stay home and work through them on my own.]