Yoga for Heart Palpitations in Perimenopause: Calming a Racing Heart
Heart palpitations during perimenopause are unsettling but common. Learn how yoga breathing and gentle movement can regulate heart rhythm and reduce episodes.
What Causes Heart Palpitations in Perimenopause
Heart palpitations during perimenopause, described as a fluttering, racing, or skipping sensation in the chest, are among the most alarming symptoms women experience during this transition. They are caused primarily by falling estrogen levels, which affect the autonomic nervous system and the electrical activity of the heart. Estrogen has a cardioprotective role in the body, and as levels drop unpredictably in perimenopause, the heart becomes more reactive to stressors. The result can be episodes of rapid heart rate (tachycardia), skipped beats (ectopic beats), or a general sense of the heart pounding. These episodes are usually benign but can be frightening, particularly if you have never experienced them before. Any new or worsening palpitations should always be discussed with a doctor to rule out arrhythmia or other cardiac causes.
Why Yoga Is a Strong Match for This Symptom
Yoga is particularly well suited to managing palpitations because it directly targets the autonomic nervous system, the system that governs heart rate variability and the balance between the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) branches. Many palpitations during perimenopause are triggered or worsened by an over-active sympathetic nervous system, driven by stress, anxiety, or poor sleep. Yoga, especially restorative, yin, and breathwork-focused styles, activates the parasympathetic response through slow breathing, reduced physical demand, and a deliberate attention to calming the mind. Over time, consistent yoga practice increases heart rate variability, a measure of cardiovascular adaptability that tends to decline during perimenopause.
Breathing Techniques That Calm the Heart
Breath is the most powerful yoga tool for managing palpitations in the moment and over time. Extended exhale breathing is particularly effective: breathe in for four counts and out for six to eight counts. The longer exhalation activates the vagus nerve, which directly slows heart rate. Practise this at the first sign of a palpitation episode. Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana) has been studied for its effects on cardiovascular function and has been shown to reduce heart rate and blood pressure in research settings. Box breathing, inhaling for four, holding for four, exhaling for four, and holding for four, offers a structured rhythm that is useful during anxious palpitation episodes when the mind tends to spiral. Even five minutes of any of these techniques can shift the nervous system from reactive to calm.
Yoga Poses That Support Heart Regulation
Certain poses support the parasympathetic nervous system most directly. Legs-up-the-wall, done lying on your back with legs resting vertically against a wall, promotes venous return and helps regulate blood pressure and heart rhythm. Supported reclining butterfly, using a bolster or folded blankets to allow passive opening of the chest, creates space around the heart and diaphragm. Slow cat-cow movements, timed with the breath, create a gentle rhythmic effect that soothes the nervous system. Savasana with a light blanket over the chest is deceptively effective for settling palpitations because it signals complete safety to the nervous system. Avoid vigorous inversions or poses that spike adrenaline during periods of frequent palpitations.
Building a Safe and Consistent Practice
If palpitations are new or concerning, always get medical clearance before starting or changing an exercise programme. Once you have confirmation that they are benign perimenopause-related palpitations, yoga is a safe and beneficial choice. Start with restorative or yin yoga classes of twenty to thirty minutes, three times per week. Avoid hot yoga and heated studios, as elevated body temperature and dehydration are common palpitation triggers. Avoid caffeine before practice. As your practice becomes consistent and you develop confidence in the breathing tools, you can use them during palpitation episodes outside of class. The goal over four to six weeks of regular practice is a noticeable reduction in palpitation frequency and a faster, calmer recovery when episodes do occur.
Using a Tracking App to Understand Your Pattern
Heart palpitations in perimenopause are often more patterned than they feel. They tend to cluster around certain times of day, specific sleep quality, phases of the hormonal cycle, or high-stress periods. Using PeriPlan to log palpitation episodes as a symptom alongside your yoga sessions creates a record that makes these patterns visible. You can note the intensity and duration of each episode and compare them against your workout log and your daily symptom ratings over weeks. Many women find that the episodes reduce in frequency after consistent yoga practice, and having a log helps confirm this rather than relying on memory during a period when brain fog is also common. The data is also valuable when discussing the symptom with your doctor.
Related reading
Get your personalized daily plan
Track symptoms, match workouts to your day type, and build a routine that adapts with you through every phase of perimenopause.