What can slow down your heart rate

To quickly slow your heart rate down when it’s very high, take a deep breath for 5-8 seconds, hold it for 3-5 seconds, and exhale for 5-8 seconds. Repeat the deep breaths until you feel your heart rate slowing. You can also place your index and pointer finger on the side of your neck and rub in small circular motions to massage your carotid artery and stimulate your vagus nerve. Some people also find that lightly splashing their face with cold water can slow their heart rate. If your heart rate won’t slow down, seek medical attention immediately. To learn more from our Medical Review Board co-author, such as how to improve your overall heart rate through diet and exercise, keep reading!

Table of Contents Show

When to see a doctor
From Mayo Clinic to your inbox
1. Stay Out of the Heat:
2. Exercise Frequently:
3. Add More Fish to Your Diet:
4. Lessen the Stress:
5. Be Mindful of Your Breathing:
6. Nix the Cigarettes:
Next Steps & Resources:
How do you calm a racing heart?
How can I naturally slow my heart rate down?

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Bradycardia (brad-e-KAHR-dee-uh) is a slow heart rate. The hearts of adults at rest usually beat between 60 and 100 times a minute. If you have bradycardia, your heart beats fewer than 60 times a minute.

Bradycardia can be a serious problem if the heart rate is very slow and the heart can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body. If this happens, you may feel dizzy, very tired or weak, and short of breath. Sometimes bradycardia doesn't cause symptoms or complications.

A slow heart rate isn't always a concern. For example, a resting heart rate between 40 and 60 beats a minute is quite common during sleep and in some people, particularly healthy young adults and trained athletes.

If bradycardia is severe, an implanted pacemaker may be needed to help the heart maintain an appropriate rate.

Symptoms

A slower than typical heartbeat (bradycardia) can prevent the brain and other organs from getting enough oxygen, possibly causing these signs and symptoms:

Chest pain
Confusion or memory problems
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Easily tiring during physical activity
Fatigue
Fainting (syncope) or near-fainting
Shortness of breath

When to see a doctor

Many things can cause signs and symptoms of bradycardia. It's important to get a prompt, accurate diagnosis and appropriate care. See your health care provider if you are concerned about a slow heart rate.

If you faint, have difficulty breathing or have chest pain lasting more than a few minutes, call 911 or emergency medical services.

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Howard LeWine, M.D., is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, and editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. See Full Bio

View all posts by Howard E. LeWine, MD

If your heart is racing as you’re sitting reading this article, it’s possible your body is trying to tell you something. A high resting heart rate, or a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute, means your heart is working extra hard to pump blood through your body. And, that extra effort could result in a wide range of negative effects on your overall health, including feelings of dizziness and fatigue – and most seriously – blood clots, heart failure and, in rare cases, sudden death.

Normal resting heart rate is anywhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute, and it’s simple to check how fast yours is beating. While idle, hold your pointer and middle finger between your bone and tendon on the thumb side on your wrist until you feel your pulse, and count the number of beats for a minute – that is your resting heart rate.

Certain aspects of someone’s resting heart rate are directly connected to uncontrollable factors, such as age and genetics, however there are certain actions that be taken to help decrease heart rate and improve overall wellbeing for those whose resting heart rate is above normal.

Here are six proven ways to lower your resting heart rate:

1. Stay Out of the Heat:

The warmer the temperature, the faster your heart beats. This is because your heart is working quickly to pump blood to the surface of your skin, produce sweat and cool off the body. To ensure your heart isn’t beating on overdrive, stay in cool, comfortable places when possible and remember to stay well hydrated.

2. Exercise Frequently:

Exercise is great for your health for many reasons – and securing a normal resting heart rate is one of them. While it might seem counterintuitive since your heart rate increases while you’re exercising, what you’re actually doing every time you’re working out is training your heart to be stronger and more efficient at pumping blood. Then, when you’re in rest mode, your heart is more easily able to maintain a normal heart rate.

3. Add More Fish to Your Diet:

Similarly to exercising, maintaining a healthy diet is beneficial to each of us for many reasons. For one, incorporating more fish has been associated with lower resting heart rates, according to a study from the American Heart Association. Don’t enjoy eating fish? Talk a doctor about taking fish oil supplements, which may have positive effects on heart rate as well.

4. Lessen the Stress:

The higher our stress level, the higher our heart rates. For many people, stress can feel inevitable. Perhaps you’re trying to balance work and home life, but can never seem to find enough time to get it all accomplished. A quick and simple way to begin to de-stress is to designate a block of time each day to disconnect from your cell phone and other electronic devices. This frees up time to be productive and gives you an opportunity to declutter your mind and reprioritize. Another simple de-stressing tip is to practice meditation to relax the mind.

5. Be Mindful of Your Breathing:

On the topic of medication, another quick and easy way to lower your heart rate is to practice mindful breathing exercises. Inhale slowly for five seconds and then exhale slowly for 15 seconds. Try dedicating five minutes to this each day.

6. Nix the Cigarettes:

It might come as no surprise that smoking cigarettes has countless negative effects on a person’s health. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this includes an increased risk for coronary heart disease, stroke and lung and other cancers. Additionally, tobacco products have been shown to increase resting heart rates. When your body consumes nicotine, your veins and arteries constrict, and your heart has to then put in that extra work to pump blood. If you’re a smoker, the good news is quitting can decrease your resting heart rate within just 24 hours – so the sooner you can nix the cigarettes – the sooner you’ll begin to see results.

Next Steps & Resources:

Meet our clinical contributor: Sarah Timmapuri, M.D.
To make an appointment with Dr. Timmapuri or a doctor near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.