Heart palpitations due to anxiety feel like your heart is racing, fluttering, pounding or skipping a beat. Your heartbeat can increase in response to specific stressful situations. You may also have palpitations due to an anxiety disorder (excessive or persistent worry).
Heart palpitations feel like your heart pounds, flutters, races or skips a beat. When you have a palpitation, you may feel your heart beating in your chest, neck or throat.
Many people experience heart palpitations along with anxiety. Anxiety sets off the body’s “fight or flight” response as part of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). When you feel uneasy about a situation, your ANS kicks in, increasing your heart rate.
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Although heart palpitations can be alarming, most aren’t dangerous. They usually go away after the anxiety-causing situation passes.
Less commonly, heart palpitations can be a sign of a serious health problem, such as arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm). These heart palpitations may feel like they cause anxiety rather than follow it. If you have palpitations along with chest pain, trouble breathing, dizziness or confusion, seek medical help right away.
Anxiety is the most common cause of palpitations that are not related to a heart problem. It’s very common to have moments of anxiety, especially during stressful situations. These situations may include job interviews, public speaking or airplane flights. Most times, these anxious feelings and heart palpitations come and go quickly.
If you have feelings of anxiety often or for long periods, talk to your healthcare provider. You may have an anxiety disorder or a panic disorder. Treatment with medication, therapy or both can help relieve your symptoms.
Symptoms of heart palpitations include:
Anxiety activates the body’s autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS regulates body functions, including:
When a situation causes anxiety, your ANS triggers your body’s fight or flight response. Besides heart palpitations, you may experience:
Heart palpitations from anxiety usually go away within a few minutes. They tend to start suddenly and end quickly.
If you have recurring heart palpitations from anxiety, your healthcare provider might diagnose an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder means excessive anxiety affects your everyday activities, such as going to work or school or meeting friends.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the U.S. They affect almost 1 in 5 people at some point.
If heart palpitations don’t go away within a few minutes or happen frequently, they may not be related to anxiety. Less commonly, heart palpitations result from a health condition or disorder, including:
Your healthcare provider conducts tests to rule out other conditions before diagnosing heart palpitations caused by anxiety. They start by listening to your heart to check for murmurs or other sounds. They ask about your:
Your provider may suggest a blood test (complete blood count or CBC) to check for anemia or low potassium. They’ll also look for a thyroid problem or other health issues that could cause heart palpitations.
Your provider will want to verify that anxiety-related palpitations aren’t dangerous. They may recommend other tests, such as:
If a Holter monitor doesn’t show unusual heart rhythms, your provider may give you an event recorder. You can wear this recorder for weeks. You press a button to record any heart sensations that you experience.
If your healthcare provider diagnoses you with heart palpitations caused by anxiety, they may suggest:
You can try self-management techniques to help reduce the severity of heart palpitations caused by anxiety. These techniques include:
You may not be able to totally prevent heart palpitations caused by anxiety. But you can lower how often they happen and how severe they are.
First, pay attention to your triggers, such as performing in public, getting on a plane or making a phone call. Then you can make a plan to lessen your anxiety around these situations. Relaxation techniques, medication and therapy can all help to prevent future episodes.
Many people have heart palpitations caused by situational (occasional) anxiety. You can use relaxation strategies to successfully manage this anxiety. These strategies can slow down your heart rate in the moment.
If you have heart palpitations caused by chronic (long-term) anxiety disorders, there is hope. You can also manage your anxiety with proper treatment. A good team of healthcare providers can help you build a coping strategy.
If you suspect another health condition is causing palpitations — with or without anxiety — talk to your provider about treatment. To relieve your symptoms, your provider will treat the cause. You may also benefit from anxiety-relieving therapies.
Always discuss any new symptoms with your healthcare provider. Seek care right away if you have heart palpitations and:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Anxiety is a very common cause of heart palpitations. Some people experience palpitations only in certain stressful situations, while others have palpitations more frequently. Though you should consult your healthcare provider to rule out serious conditions, you may be able to reduce occasional heart palpitations and anxiety with relaxation techniques. If you have heart palpitations along with chest pain, trouble breathing or dizziness, seek help immediately.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/23/2021.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy