Palpitations

Key facts

Palpitations are the sensation of your heart beating harder, faster, or irregularly. They can feel like fluttering, pounding, or skipping beats. While often harmless and caused by stress or caffeine, persistent palpitations should be evaluated.

Most often affects:Women during menopauseAnxious individualsHeavy caffeine usersAthletes

What commonly causes palpitations

• Stress, anxiety, or panic attacks
• Caffeine, alcohol, nicotine or recreational drugs
• Strenuous exercise
• Lack of sleep or poor sleep quality
• Some medicines — check the leaflet that came with yours
• Iron deficiency anaemia or an overactive thyroid
• A heart rhythm problem such as atrial fibrillation, or a heart valve problem
• Hormonal changes — menstruation, pregnancy or the menopause

What helps at home

• Cut back on caffeine — try reducing gradually to avoid withdrawal headaches
• Practice slow, deep breathing: 4 counts in, 4 counts hold, 4 counts out
• If palpitations do not stop, or you get chest pain, shortness of breath or feel faint, call 999 — do not try to stop them yourself.
• Get adequate sleep — 7–9 hours consistently
• Stay well hydrated with water (not caffeinated drinks)
• Reduce alcohol and avoid recreational drugs

When to get help

These three levels are different. Getting the level right is the single most useful thing this page can do for you.

Questions people ask about palpitations

Reducing the chance of it coming back

• Cut back on caffeine — the NHS lists it as a common trigger for palpitations. If you're pregnant, stay under 200mg a day (a cup of instant coffee is about 100mg, and coffee-shop coffee can be much more).
• Manage stress with regular exercise, yoga, or meditation
• Stay hydrated — dehydration is an underappreciated trigger
• Avoid excessive alcohol — binge drinking causes 'holiday heart syndrome'