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| what can i do with yoga to relieve heart palpitations. Inversions? Meditations? Pranayamas? i have hypothyrodism (and hyperthyrodism due to the meds i'm taking) and have been doing yoga almost every day for the past 3 months. my heart palpitations are probably due to the meds also  It is not as severe as before, but it still does bother me as it gets rather uncomfortable. hope someone can help me.
Namaste |
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| Congratulations on the newly found daily yoga practice. The practice in itself should help (as you've already noticed), but be careful to not to over-do it. Meditation before the asana practice should help to calm your mind and thus your body as well. You should really seek out the advice of a guru, in person, who could use special insight to prescribe something to get you off of the meds.
There is some great advice on how to start meditating in the "Meditation" forum on this website.
Namaste |
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| thanks redtail for your reply 
my teacher suggested bridge pose and shoulderstand for me, to help with my thyroid condition. i'm not looking to get off the meds completely (although that will be great), as i'm afraid of being in that sickly state again i was a year ago. the last two times i went to my doctor, i was told to lower my daily dose of thyroid hormone. maybe it is also a sign that my yoga practices are helping.
anyway, we have digressed, i'm more concerned about my heart palpitations. i looked at an Iyengar's book called Yoga The Path To Holistic Health and there is nothing about it, but it has several sequences for other heart problems.
find a guru? hmm... yes i will but how?
will try exploring meditations, i know nothing about it and they don't teach it in my yoga class. perhaps i could join another class that teaches meditations?
Namaste |
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| Both of the poses that your teacher recommends are good for the strengthening of the neck and the energy center located there. However, be careful with Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose). It requires much strength and stability in the neck!! One can easily hurt themself. If you are not really strong and stable in the neck, then please use options that are supported by your hands as well. Congratulations on having your daily dose of the meds lowered!!! That's a great step in the right direction, and you could easily make a connection between your yoga practice and your health. The heart palpitations are of concern. I have had those a few times in my life, but not recently. They really don't feel good (and can't be too good for the heart muscle). You should consult your physician, at the very least, and see what his recommendations for exertion (excercise) are. This is something that you shouldn't fool around with.
Meditation is a wonderful idea!!  Even if it doesn't help with your physical body (which it will) then the benefits for your mind are definately worth it. It will help you to become more focused on the moment that you are in, and remain calm in the face of any situation that arises. There is an excellent explanation in the MEDITATION forum on this website entiltled "meditation." It describes a technique called 'shamatha' that involves single-pointed focus. I will give you the exact user name that wrote it so that you can be sure and find the correct thread.
Many times you can come in to contact with a guru at meditation retreats or centers for learning and training in religious studies. Look for someone who is "realized." You will know if this person is right for you simply by the way that you feel in his/her presence.
More information on meditation follows. |
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| The excellent advise for starting a meditation practice is in a posting by a user named "Toa of Yoga" (James). Simply read the postings around that and this should give you some good ammunition for starting. The mind is like a glass fof muddy water. In order to make it clear again one cannot use a spoon or a sieve. It must be unstirred (relaxed) so that the dirt will settle to the bottom.
Good Luck |
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| thanks again redtail for your response, concern and encouragement
i did tell my doctor about my heart palpitations, he told me to cut down on caffeine which i already have done so. i also have managed to quit smoking altogether, yet my heart palpitations still come and go (though not as bad as before). you would think that sleeping would help, but last night before i sleep i had it, and when i woke up in the morning i still had it
well anyway, never mind. perhaps it will go away on its own again. thanks for your post on meditation, will definitely check it out. |
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| I am sorry to say this: But your medications are going to be an obstacle in your health. Yoga will give some help, but medication bad effect (AND, no good effect) is going to supercede. You must consider a total health plan and Reconsider the medication you are taking.
Neel Kulkarni
www.authenticyoga.org |
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| sorry to hear that you are having these problems. I have always gone by the teachings in yoga that say "listen to your body, it will tell you what you need"...alas, i didnt do this and it led to having rotator cuff surgery. I am doing well, but have to strengthen up the shoulders and arms before i'm even attempting to go back to yoga...even if i have to start all over as a beginner. so , be kind to your heart.....and listen to your body |
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| Did you experience palpitations before going on meds? If so, how would you rate it compared to now? Has your doctor discussed with you the side-effects of the meds you're on?
You may have to eliminate certain foods from your diet that trigger your condition, like caffeine, white sugar, processed foods; plus make other lifestyle changes geared towards your particular situation.
Make sure that you're properly hydrated before and during your yoga session. Many athletes also experience heart palpitations during and after workouts, and sports drinks for electrolytic balance is helpful. A magnesium supplement may also prove beneficial.
I recommend left nostril breathing. Breath in through the left nostril and exhale through the right(no retentions). Start with 12 and build up gradually. Whenever you feel your pulse rise during a session, move to a neutral asana like Balasana (or Tadasana if standing). Once relaxed, continue with your session moving to neutral position when needed.
Edited by Naturopath 2004-08-14 9:08 AM
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| thanks to all those who have replied.
Neel: i'm not about to give up my daily dose of thyroxine yet. i've only been on it for just over a year. my thyroid gland is underactive, so it isn't producing enough thryoxine which is required for the body to perform basic metabolism, so i have to take it orally everyday. we haven't found the right dose yet so far for me.
Naturopath: my heart palpitations started almost immediately when i began taking thyroxine, not before. my doctor said that the thyroxine probably made my heart sensitive to stimulants such as caffeine and told me to stop drinking coffee (i only drink decaf now). I get mild palpitations now, but they still bother me sometimes and they seem to come and go unpredictably.
I will definitely try the left nostril breathing technique next time i get bad palpitations. usually, i just take deep breaths and watch my breaths, something like meditation but sitting on a chair. it helps just a little. thanks, i will try what you recommend next time. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| I was surprised to see no practices for palpitations in Holistic Health! However, if you look in the index under palpitations, the poses that are helpful are listed there. The supported versions shown in this book should be very safe for you, particularly the setu bandha sarvangasana on a bench or bolsters. You can always stack up books or blankets to do this if you don't have bench or bolsters. Watch your breath, especially going into and out of poses. It is easy to forget.
Congratulations on quitting smoking! Ihope you get your meds balanced and that you are feeling better soon. I know it can take some time to find the right amounts. |
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| Namaste - 2004-08-15 11:43 AM
I will definitely try the left nostril breathing technique next time i get bad palpitations. usually, i just take deep breaths and watch my breaths, something like meditation but sitting on a chair. it helps just a little. thanks, i will try what you recommend next time.
In Ayurveda, hypothyroidism is a heated condition (pitta). Left nostril breathing has a cooling effect and influences the lunar nadi (ida), bringing coolness and balancing the doshas. Conversely, right nostril breathing influences the solar nadi (pingala) and has a heating effect.
Since heart palpitations trigger fear and anxiety, using left nostril breathing will bring you calmness and help with insomnia. Use it for meditation - before you go to bed at night - and whenever you feel anxious.
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Heart palpitations
