You’re sitting on the couch, watching TV, when suddenly your heart skips, flutters, or races. You wonder…is this anxiety? A panic attack? Something serious with my heart?
For many women in perimenopause, these startling heart sensations are surprisingly common. They’re called palpitations, and while they often aren’t dangerous, they can feel unnerving.
In fact, studies show that up to 40% of women report experiencing heart palpitations during perimenopause (NIH). The good news? Understanding why they happen, and what you can do about them can help calm both your heartbeat and your worries.
What Are Heart Palpitations?
Heart palpitations describe the sensation of:
- Fluttering or pounding in your chest
- A racing heart
- Skipped or “extra” beats
- Thumping that feels stronger than normal
These episodes may last seconds or minutes. They can happen at rest, during activity, or even wake you up at night.
While palpitations are common in perimenopause, they should always be taken seriously if they’re severe, persistent, or accompanied by chest pain, dizziness, or fainting.
Why Do Heart Palpitations Happen in Perimenopause?
Perimenopause is a time of fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels, and those shifts directly affect your cardiovascular system.
- Estrogen fluctuations: Estrogen helps regulate the autonomic nervous system (which controls heart rhythm). When levels rise and fall, your heart rhythm becomes more sensitive (Harvard Health).
- Progesterone decline: Progesterone has a calming effect on the nervous system. As levels drop, the heart may feel more reactive, especially under stress.
- Stress & cortisol: Hormonal shifts can make your body’s stress response more sensitive, triggering palpitations during anxiety or even at rest.
- Sleep disruption: Poor sleep, night sweats, or insomnia add extra strain on the cardiovascular system.
Why Estrogen Matters for Long-Term Heart Health
Palpitations in perimenopause aren’t just about momentary discomfort. They’re also a reminder that estrogen has been quietly protecting your heart for decades.
Estrogen helps keep blood vessels flexible, supports healthy cholesterol balance, and promotes good blood flow. As levels decline during perimenopause and beyond, women’s risk of cardiovascular disease rises (American Heart Association).
That’s why perimenopause is considered a critical window of opportunity: the habits and supports you put in place now can protect your heart for decades to come.
Deliberate steps like managing stress, exercising regularly, eating a heart-healthy diet, avoiding added sugars, and supporting your body with nutrients and herbs make a real difference not just for calming palpitations, but for overall cardiovascular health long past menopause.
The Real-Life Impact
Heart palpitations can:
- Trigger anxiety when they happen unexpectedly
- Make you worry about underlying heart problems
- Interrupt sleep if they strike at night
- Affect daily confidence and peace of mind
Even if they’re harmless, palpitations often feel unsettling enough to impact quality of life.
Practical Ways to Calm Heart Palpitations
💧 Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can worsen palpitations. Aim for steady hydration throughout the day.
☕ Limit Stimulants
Caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and even energy drinks can trigger or intensify palpitations.
🥤 Avoid Sugary Drinks
Sodas, energy drinks, and even some fruit juices cause blood sugar spikes that can stress the cardiovascular system, triggering palpitations and contributing to long-term heart strain. Opt for water, sparkling water, or unsweetened herbal teas instead.
🧘 Calm the Nervous System
Stress makes palpitations worse.
- Try deep breathing (inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 6).
- Meditation and mindfulness help regulate cortisol.
- Yoga combines movement and relaxation to support heart rhythm.
🛌 Support Better Sleep
Poor sleep increases cardiovascular strain. Aim for 7–9 hours in a cool, dark room. Magnesium can help with relaxation.
🏃 Exercise Regularly
Cardio strengthens the heart, while strength training supports overall circulation. Even walking 30 minutes a day reduces palpitations for many women.
Natural Supports
Certain herbs and minerals studied for stress, relaxation, and cardiovascular support can help ease palpitations and calm the body’s response:
- Ashwagandha: Reduces stress and cortisol, lowering palpitations linked to anxiety (PubMed). Included in Hormone Balance and Calm Nights.
- Magnesium Bisglycinate: Helps relax muscles, including the heart muscle, and supports steady rhythm (PMC). Present in Calm Nights.
- L-Theanine: Promotes calm focus and relaxation without sedation. Found in Calm Nights and Brain Fog & Energy.
- Rhodiola Rosea: Supports resilience to stress and fatigue, which can reduce palpitations triggered by nervous system overstimulation (PubMed). Included in Brain Fog & Energy.
These supports can be used whether you’re on HRT, can’t take it, or want to stay fully natural.
What About HRT?
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help regulate cardiovascular function and reduce vasomotor symptoms (like hot flashes) that often accompany palpitations. It’s considered a safe and effective option for many women under age 60 or within 10 years of menopause onset (Mayo Clinic).
But HRT isn’t for everyone. That’s why many women turn to natural supports like the herbs and minerals in Sisterhood Supplements, either as a standalone approach or alongside medical treatment.
When to See Your Doctor
While palpitations are common in perimenopause, always seek medical advice if you experience:
- Chest pain or pressure
- Dizziness or fainting
- Shortness of breath
- Palpitations that are frequent, persistent, or worsening
These could indicate a heart condition that needs immediate attention.
The Takeaway
Heart palpitations in perimenopause can feel scary. But for most women, they’re a common and harmless symptom of hormonal changes. Still, they’re also a reminder of estrogen’s important role in long-term cardiovascular health.
This stage of life is your chance to take deliberate steps to protect your heart through lifestyle, stress management, limiting stimulants and sugary drinks, and natural supports.
At Sisterhood Supplements, we designed our Hormone Balance, Calm Nights, and Brain Fog & Energy formulas to support women through exactly this transition. Whether you’re on HRT, can’t take it, or prefer to stay natural, these herbs and minerals provide real, science-backed support for your heart, your mind, and your well-being.
Because your heart deserves more than just to keep beating - it deserves to keep thriving.
References
- American Heart Association. (2023). Menopause and heart disease. AHA
- Harvard Health Publishing. (2023). Perimenopause: Rocky road to menopause. Harvard Health
- National Institutes of Health. (2012). Palpitations: Evaluation in perimenopause. PMC3428470
- Chandrasekhar, K., et al. (2012). Safety and efficacy of ashwagandha root extract in reducing stress and anxiety. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 34(3), 255–262. PubMed
- Boyle, N. B., et al. (2017). Effects of magnesium supplementation on subjective stress. Nutrients, 9(5), 429. PMC
- Sousa, A., et al. (2017). Neuroprotective effects of Rhodiola rosea extract. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 8, 465. PubMed
- Mayo Clinic. (2023). Perimenopause: Symptoms & causes. Mayo Clinic