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Rapid heart rates

tbuntontbunton
edited January 2012 in Meditation
During meditation, I sometimes experience a fast heart rate. This can be distracting sometimes. Anyone else ever had that problem?

Comments

  • NomaDBuddhaNomaDBuddha Scalpel wielder :) Bucharest Veteran
    edited January 2012
    The times I feel like my heart is going to fail me during meditation is when my PC's components cool down and do a nasty sound. Don't know about your heart condition to say a thing (sorry for the offence; I now try to sound like a full fledged medic, although I just began Veterinary School :D ), but, this is the sort of heart related problems I encounter during meditation. Also, try not to eat something that will increase your heart rate during meditation ( too much sugar, cafeine, etc).
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    Normally I would say 'just return to the breath'.. but I want you to talk to a dharma person with medical background. Maybe start a search for someone accesible with Jon Kabat Zinn.. Try to write someone or something.
  • AMHAMH
    How fast? I know it seems fast in meditation, I find that too much caffeine can do that. I also know that I need to talk to my DR about very high resting heart rates for possible medical concerns. So what is average, 100 beats per minute? Someone else can answer that. If it is high enough to be distracting then get a watch with a second hand or a clock and check your heart rate. Then see how high it really is. Mine jumps to 150-160 and that is not a good thing.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-rate/AN01906

    normal pulse is between 60 and 100... well trained athletes it would be 40
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    There are a number of things that can bring on rapid heart rate. I have mild tachycardia that is treated with a prescription, and I begin to get concerned when I am at rest and it is above 87. I go into mild panic if I hit 100, again, at rest.

    My trigger, thus far, appears to be dehydration.

    AHeerdt -- 150-160??? I've been told to go to the emergency room if it gets that high.
  • AMHAMH
    oop,s Okay sending that email to the doc I think
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    oop,s Okay sending that email to the doc I think
    Don't forget, I'm talking about being at rest.

    Another key thing, are there other symptoms you are having when it gets up to 150-160?
  • AMHAMH
    yes, at rest, sitting down, no recent exercise or stress. I feel like crap, my body shakes, my heart rate feels fluttery, sometimes tingly fingers and after i am lightheaded. I passed out as a kid, but no one took this seriously the times that I told a DR.

    The email system says I will get an answer in 1 day, I put my extra phone number down because they cannot get my phone number right,

    Sorry to hikack!
  • ZeroZero Veteran
    @aheerdt - you should certainly have it checked out and make sure that the doctor doesnt just fob you off if the symptoms are not present when you visit - resting heart rate decreases with age - typically at 130 bpm for infants and 90 for adults - babies under 1 can have quite high heart rates of 150 odd... typical adult at rest would be 90 bpm

    Target maximum heart rate for 20-25 yr old is max 160bpm - this is the 'safe' maximum heart rate (another words, if youre exercising, you dont want to push yourself beyond this or you could cause an injury) - the maximum heart rate decreases as age increases (at 60 yrs old safe max is around 120 bpm) - light exercise is say 50% of maximum rate, aerobic is 80%, conditioning say 90% and full on athletic indurance training (the toughest interval training) hits you at 100% of maximum (i.e. 160 bpm if youre between 20-25 yrs old) - your symptoms of resting heart rate are akin to bpm for heavy exercise.

    Hearts are pretty hardy though so you'll be fine - have the doctor look over as its not one of those minors that can be ignored (like sometimes I swear my phone is vibrating in my pocket but my phone's not even in my pocket, what's up with that???!)
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    Aheerdt, suggest you look at some reputable sites, such as http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-rate/AN01906
  • tbuntontbunton
    Thanks for all the responses! I was just wondering if it was just me. I dont think its anything but distracting.
    I hope this gets better for you @aheerdt.
  • AMHAMH
    BTW, I went to the DR and got a clean bill of health. Since it happens a couple times a year, does not cause me to pass out and my heart is healthy plus my overall health shows I am fit we decided to do nothing. I will track when it happens to see if if gets worse (there is a long name of what it is) but I can still run/
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    Great news!
  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    Quite often whwen I do my breath counting, breathing in to four, out to four and holding till 4 sometimes... I shoots my heart rate up for some reason. So yeah I've experienced that.
  • zenffzenff Veteran
    Quite often whwen I do my breath counting, breathing in to four, out to four and holding till 4 sometimes... I shoots my heart rate up for some reason. So yeah I've experienced that.

    Manipulating the breath, I think, is a bad idea. The brain knows how much oxygen our body needs, and we do not.
    Keep your head under water for a minute, and your heart rate will go up too...
  • ajnast4rajnast4r Veteran
    @shanyin, that is in my understanding.. an incorrect ratio for breath practice.

    @tbunton what are you doing when this happens? are you sure your heartrate has actually increased? sometimes i feel like my heart is doing weird things but i realized this is just concentration showing me things i'm not normally aware of.
  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    I'll bring that up to my teacher.
  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    (who's not a buddhist but a shaman)
  • tbuntontbunton
    @ajnast4r,
    Since I have noticed it I decided to just let go of it. Mentally note it and then return to my breath. Ever since practicing that, I feel that it was just perception getting the better of me.
  • BonsaiDougBonsaiDoug Simply, on the path. Veteran
    edited January 2012
    Manipulating the breath, I think, is a bad idea. The brain knows how much oxygen our body needs, and we do not.
    Keep your head under water for a minute, and your heart rate will go up too...
    A good point. Most of what I've read and heard tells of simply following the breath as it occurs and flows naturally; not trying to control it. I know Buddhist meditation on the breath differs from, say Yoga meditation, or Hindu, as they apparently do control the breath during their sittings.

    Buddhist breath meditation is simply a way of giving the mind a single point of concentration. No manipulation is needed or (I believe) called for.

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