What triggers an arrhythmia?

If you ever felt your heart suddenly race, skip a beat or flutter, then congratulations! You might have arrhythmia – a fancy name for an abnormal heartbeat. It usually falls under the ‘not-so-severe’ category of heart diseases but can still be alarming and scary.

Before we talk about what causes arrhythmia events let’s get one thing clear: Your precious organ is nothing less than a biological marvel. The size of your fist pumps blood to every single cell in your body without taking any breaks (unlike me). So if every once in a while it goes offbeat, cut it some slack!

There are several types of arrhythmias out there like V-tach (Ventricular Tachycardia), bradycardia, A-fib (Atrial Fibrillation), PVCs(Premature Ventricular Complexes) and SVT(Supraventricular tachycardia). They all share their own quirky characteristics that give cardiologists chills down their spine.

Lucky for us mere mortals, As this article is not meant to delve into those different time signatures hand gestures but rather focus on finding what triggers them.

The list below highlights everyday activities that might lure arrhythmic ditties from our hearts;

Caffeine!

Sorry coffee lovers– This delicious nectar affects the central nervous system which elevates heart rate hence triggering potential irregular beats throughout the day.

  • Cafe au lait during breakfast
  • Ongoing meetings fuelled with cup after cup
  • A freeloading friend who wants Starbucks but has no money

To keep things simple, anything with caffeine could possibly make matters worse.

Alcohol!

Nothing makes this writer sadder than having to remind everyone that heavy drinking sessions leading up to an eventful night out could possibly lead to bouts of arrhythmia.

  • “Just a few drinks, nothing too harsh.. “
  • did someone say beer-bong?

It’s not that alcohol is entirely wicked (nope!) particularly when consumed moderately but overindulging in the magical drink can easily cause disruptions in heart rhythm.

You’re Stressed Out!

Are you living and breathing on this planet with the rest of us mere creatures? Then you already know just how glorious our schedules are shaped every day. From traffic jams to ticking clock deadlines right down to having tiffs with loved ones for things such as finding open cereal boxes where they shouldn’t be!

The truth is stressors pile up,and heck it’s time for them to pay!
When we get stressed, our body releases chemicals that quicken heartbeat, constricting blood vessels which can also raise your blood pressure resulting in our hearts getting all jumpy.

  • pays bill
  • called into bosses’ office

If there ever was or currently is something worth stressing about then SPOILER ALERT consistent anxiety-ridden states might wreak havoc on your fluid heartbeat.

Nicotine’s Secret mission

Kicking old habits sometimes feels like wrestling Walter White himself after losing his empire – HARD! Smoking falls under various health hazards including lung cancer and respiratory failure but sometimes affects heart rate variability leading to possibilities of bpm going haywire.

A couple of ways nicotine sparks cardiac issues are by ;

  1. Constricting Of Blood Vessels; stopping circulation from flowing consistently well through vital organs/supplies oxygen at irregular intervals

  2. Increasing Heart Rate Due To Elevated Levels Of Stress Hormones In The Body

Ergo it becomes essential every smoker seeks help regular smokers should look into quitting tips lest their craving comes with extra baggage–arrhythmia included.

Our hearts getting off the beat pathway is never a killer affair. The silver lining’s that it might serve as an indicator of other underlying issues (warning signs.) That said, it’s essential to be mindful of our consumption patterns and lifestyle habits lest we trigger any unwelcome arrhythmic notes into our body’s playlist. Another reminder also goes out to stress-free living bliss which probably means striking fortunes within your nearest cave because phobias vary in nature.

Remember self-care is key but if possible, limit all suspects of triggering arrhythmia.

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