Heart palpitations before period: Everything you should know

Heart palpitations are a term used to describe an increased heart rate, often with pounding sensations. Although it most often occurs because of stress, exercise, or certain medications, it’s also possible to experience heart palpitations before period.

This can happen because of the effect hormonal fluctuations have on your heart. Estrogen is known to suppress heart rate, whereas progesterone can enhance it. Due to this reason, the time when your progesterone is high and estrogen is low, you may experience this condition.

Luckily, heart palpitations are usually harmless. However, it’s important to keep an eye on your symptoms and see a doctor if you have severe pain, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, or fainting.

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The female menstrual cycle is a complex system that consists of many hormonal elements, which affect your body differently depending on the specific phase of the cycle. Natural hormonal fluctuations can come along with certain symptoms at all stages. So, it’s natural to feel different as you go through another cycle.

As many of you should know, the most tangible adverse symptoms can manifest right before your period–when progesterone levels drop sharply. However, while some symptoms like premenstrual syndrome or mood swings are habitual, it can feel frustrating if you face more unusual symptoms, such as heart palpitations.

In this article, we’ll explore the phenomenon of heart palpitations before period, as well as its causes, symptoms, and cases that might require professional help.

What Are Heart Palpitations?

“Heart palpitations” is a medical term used to describe a state in which you feel like your heart is beating too fast, fluttering, or pounding. This state can feel rather discomforting and even worrisome, especially when you don’t see any clear reasons for feeling like that. However, the truth is that this condition is often absolutely harmless. Though there might be additional symptoms that signal a more serious problem.

In everyday life, heart palpitations can result from a range of causes, including:

• Stress - Dangerous situations, anxiety, and even small stressors are the most common causes of having a racing heart. It’s a natural “fight or flight” response of your body. It occurs because stressful situations cause a release of hormones like adrenaline that are responsible for encouraging your body to take immediate action (aka fight the threat or escape from it).
• Exercise - High-intensity exercise, even if it’s just a short run, is the second most common cause of heart palpitations. This happens because you put your body under stress and challenge it during your workouts. This naturally increases your heart rate, potentially leading to palpitations.
• Medication - Lastly, it’s also common to face palpitations due to the consumption of certain medications that stimulate your heart. These include medication for high blood pressure, asthma inhalers, some antibiotics, thyroid medications, antidepressants, and some medications for cough and cold.

Can Hormones Cause Heart Palpitations?

Now, what about facing heart palpitations before period without a clear reason? Of course, it can feel distressing if your heart starts racing out of the blue, with no stress, exercise, or medication involved. Does this mean something bad?

The truth is that there is one more cause for palpitations–hormonal fluctuations. Hormonal heart palpitations are particularly linked to female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. That is, experiencing heart palpitations before period can be a natural response of your body to changing hormone levels.

Let’s explore the connection between palpitations and both of your key hormones in detail:

Estrogen and Heart Palpitations

The first hormone that affects your heart is estrogen. According to studies on the effect of estrogen replacement therapy on cardiac autonomic regulation, it was revealed that high levels of estrogen can decrease heart rate. This means that you can have a lower resting heart rate during the follicular phase of your cycle.

On the other hand, declining estrogen levels were linked to an increased resting heart rate. So, when your estrogen levels drop right after ovulation and around the beginning of your period, you can experience heart palpitations. So, yes, there is a direct link between fluctuations in estrogen and heart palpitations.

Progesterone and Heart Palpitations

The second key hormone in females is progesterone. It’s a dominant hormone in the luteal phase, which takes place at the end of each cycle and before the beginning of a period (if pregnancy doesn’t occur).

Can progesterone cause heart palpitations as well? The answer is “yes.” While high estrogen tends to decrease heart rate, high progesterone does the opposite. It activates the renin-angiotensin system. This process leads to fluid retention and thus, an increase in circulating blood volume, which can cause an increased heart rate. Furthermore, the phases of your cycle when you have high progesterone and low estrogen are linked to increased heart rate variability and arrhythmias. This means that it’s generally okay to face heart palpitations before period because both of these hormones fluctuate significantly during the luteal phase.

Heart Palpitations During Period

Earlier, we’ve discussed the link between hormonal fluctuations before your period and changing heart rate. Now, what about experiencing heart palpitations during period?

It’s also a normal occurrence. The truth is that all hormonal fluctuations can affect your cardiovascular health, not only those at the end of the cycle. When you get your period, both progesterone and estrogen levels also fluctuate, which can potentially cause palpitations, and it’s typically not a cause of concern.

Furthermore, natural hormonal fluctuations at different stages of your life can also result in unexpected symptoms like heart palpitations. For example, some women may face them during pregnancy or menopause.

Main Symptoms of Hormonal Heart Palpitations

Whether you are experiencing heart palpitations before period, during period, or at any other time when your hormones fluctuate, there is a set of symptoms considered normal:

• Racing heartbeat - You will typically notice that your heart is beating much faster than usual.
• Heartbeat irregularity - Although it may not happen to everyone, heart palpitations can also come along with arrhythmia, when you feel like your heart occasionally skips beats.
• Pounding sensation - When your heart is racing, it’s common to feel like you have something pounding or fluttering in your chest, neck, and throat.
• Breath shortness - Sometimes, an increased and irregular heartbeat can make it more difficult to breathe.
• Dizziness - Some women may feel lightheaded or a little dizzy during heart palpitations.
• Night sweats or hot flashes - While these additional symptoms are not typical when you have heart palpitations before period, they may appear during hormonal palpitations when you are in menopause.

At-Home Prevention and Management Options to Cope With Hormonal Heart Palpitations

Given a long list of additional symptoms that may come along, it becomes clear that having heart palpitations is never a pleasant experience. Luckily, there are a few things you can do about this:

• First of all, reduce stimulants that you consume frequently and that have an impact on your heart. These can include sugar, caffeine, and alcohol.
• Even if you have hormonal heart palpitations, stress can additionally aggravate your condition. Proper sleep, mindfulness, yoga, meditation, and similar activities can help you reduce your daily stress rate and lower the load on your heart.
• Proper hydration and nutritious eating can help you support your hormonal balance and overall health.
• Additionally, consider integrating a regular exercise routine into your life. Physical activity can help strengthen your heart and prevent palpitations.

When to See a Doctor

In many cases, hormonal heart palpitations are natural and should not cause concern. Nevertheless, it’s always important to keep an eye on the specific symptoms you have to be able to recognize when you need medical attention.

The main red flags to watch out for include:

• Severe shortness of breath
• Severe and/or persistent pain in the chest
• Very fast or irregular heart rate
• Fainting

If you notice any of these signs, don’t hesitate to see a doctor. Although they are usually harmless, heart palpitations can sometimes mean that there is an underlying heart condition. Additionally, if you have a significant heart arrhythmia that persists, it can trigger some serious complications, including stroke and blood clots.

FAQ

What Are Heart Palpitations?

In a nutshell, this term is used to describe an increased heart rate. Palpitations most commonly occur due to stress, exercise, and certain medications. They can also be accompanied by additional symptoms, such as irregular heartbeat, pounding or fluttering sensations, dizziness, and shortness of breath.

Can hormones cause heart palpitations?

Yes, especially in females. The two core hormones in women–estrogen and progesterone–are both linked to heart health. High estrogen can decrease heart rate, whereas high progesterone, on the contrary, can stimulate your heart and cause an increased heartbeat. Thus, when these hormones fluctuate through your cycle, you can feel how they affect your heart. It’s especially common to experience heart palpitations before period. 

Are hormonal heart palpitations a cause of concern?

Generally, no. Heart palpitations may result from exercise, stress, and certain medicines. They can also occur naturally when your essential hormones fluctuate. Regardless of the cause, they are typically harmless. Nevertheless, it’s important to watch out for additional concerning symptoms, such as severe shortness of breath, pain, heart irregularity, or fainting. In case you notice some symptoms or have palpitations that last for too long, you should consider seeing a doctor.

Conclusion

As you now know, heart palpitations before period can be a natural thing caused by hormonal fluctuations. In females, changes in hormone levels have a direct impact on different organs and systems, including the heart.

Luckily, though they can be somewhat discomforting, heart palpitations are usually harmless. They may be accompanied by additional symptoms like irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, pounding sensation, and dizziness. However, if these symptoms are not severe or don’t last for too long, they typically should not be a cause of concern.

Nevertheless, it’s important to keep an eye on the red flags discussed above to know when it’s worth seeing a doctor.

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