Perimenopause Heart Palpitations: Why They Happen and When to Get Checked
A hot shower can feel soothing when your skin is itchy or irritated. Yet afterwards, your skin may feel tight, sting when you apply moisturiser or become even itchier.
The shower itself does not cause eczema. However, water temperature, shower length, cleansing products and the way you dry and moisturise your skin can affect an already vulnerable skin barrier.
At Healing Tree Acupuncture & Natural Medicine in Gosford, we encourage people to consider the small everyday habits that may be adding to skin irritation.
A flutter, thump or sudden racing feeling in your chest can be unsettling—especially when it seems to appear alongside changing periods, hot flushes or restless sleep. Heart palpitations are reported by some women during perimenopause, but they should never automatically be blamed on hormones.
Perimenopause is a time of fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone. These changes can affect temperature regulation, sleep, mood and the autonomic nervous system, which helps regulate heart rate. A hot flush, a surge of anxiety or waking abruptly at night may make your heartbeat feel faster or more forceful.
What do palpitations feel like?
People describe palpitations in different ways. You might notice fluttering, pounding, skipped beats, a brief racing sensation or an awareness of your heartbeat when lying quietly. Episodes may last seconds or minutes, occur at rest or coincide with a hot flush.
A useful first step is to notice the pattern. Record when the episode happened, how long it lasted, what you were doing, and whether you had caffeine, alcohol, poor sleep, a stressful day or a hot flush. Also note dizziness, chest discomfort or breathlessness. These details help distinguish common triggers from features that sit outside a typical hormonal pattern.
Hormones may be only part of the picture
Palpitations can also be associated with stress, dehydration, fever, anaemia, thyroid problems, low blood sugar, some medicines and supplements, or an abnormal heart rhythm. Heavy or prolonged periods may contribute to iron deficiency, while changing sleep patterns can make the nervous system feel more reactive.
From a biomedical perspective, pulse and blood-pressure checks, an ECG, blood tests and heart monitoring can help distinguish hormonal or lifestyle triggers from thyroid, anaemia or heart-rhythm causes.
Gentle ways to reduce common triggers
Eat regular, balanced meals and stay well hydrated.
Notice whether caffeine, alcohol or nicotine precedes episodes.
Build in a longer wind-down before bed.
Practise slow, comfortable breathing rather than forcing a very deep breath.
Keep exercise consistent and appropriate for your current health.
Medicines and supplements can also affect heart rate or rhythm, so they belong in the overall biomedical picture.
A whole-person view of perimenopause
At Healing Tree Acupuncture & Natural Medicine in Gosford, we look at the wider pattern around symptoms: sleep, stress, digestion, menstrual changes, energy and relevant medical care. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine may be used as complementary support within a personalised plan, but they do not replace appropriate heart assessment.
If perimenopause symptoms are beginning to affect daily life, a thorough consultation can help you organise the pattern, identify sensible next steps and coordinate care where needed.
How Chinese medicine views perimenopause heart palpitations
Chinese medicine often pictures a steady heartbeat as a lamp with a calm flame. The flame needs enough “oil” to burn evenly and enough cooling moisture to stop it flaring. During perimenopause, disrupted sleep, changing periods, stress and hot flushes may disturb that balance.
Two patterns are especially useful for understanding palpitations. Heart Blood deficiency is like a lamp running low on oil: the heartbeat may feel more noticeable alongside light sleep, tiredness, light-headedness or a pale complexion. Kidney Yin deficiency is more like a cooling reservoir running low. When there is less cooling and settling influence, palpitations may occur with night sweats, hot flushes, a dry feeling or restlessness. A practitioner looks at which group of signs fits most closely, rather than treating every perimenopausal palpitation in the same way.
Explore related Healing Tree information: Women’s Health, Menopause Support and Acupuncture.
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