With midlife comes many opportunities for women: a chance to step out of and redefine long held roles within a family structure, a chance to have more time to pursue often long forgotten interests, and hopefully more financial freedom to do so.

Within this transitional period, as we get used to the new us, we might find that the internal seems to be transitioning as well. Our midlife body may bring with it a series of reminders that it, too, is along for the ride.

A friend of mine recently shared her story of going to the ER convinced she was having a heart attack, only to find it turned out to be a panic attack, her first one ever. She has experienced heart palpitations on and off since then leading us to have many conversations about the midlife heart. You might even feel palpitations in your neck rather than in your chest!

If you have having heart palpitations for the first time in midlife, you are not alone. Lots of us are experiencing them as well.
They can be related to midlife anxiety, stress, hormones, thyroid issues, certain medications, too much caffeine, depression and yes, heart muscle issues.

It can even be that our “heart” becomes more open and sensitive in midlife, trying to pass on messages of things that no longer serve us. Dr. Christine Northrup talks about finding out what your heart is trying to tell you. Of course, stabilizing insulin levels and blood sugar is a first step in the right direction. She also suggests looking at progesterone cream or even estrogen for possible relief.

If you have heart palpitations and have ruled out any serious medical conditions as the cause, here are a few natural ways to deal with them:

1. Reducing caffeine intake (although that’s not happening in my house – for the safety of all who live around me)
2. Look at your diet. What habits have you developed that are no longer serving your health? Poppin by Wendy’s to grab a small Frosty on the way home from work can be refreshing, but remember it comes with 40 grams of sugar AND 48 grams of carbs. Why not find a knockoff recipe like this one? There are so many healthy recipes to replace the foods we love, why not be inspired??
3. Trying meditation or acupuncture to deal with midlife stress (many insurance companies are now offering acupuncture benefits – Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee, for example, has added 50 visits a year to many plans for 2020). You can find an acupuncturist near you here.
4. Try using the heart mudra (hear me out…I have a friend who this really helped – it is a hand position with an energy lock – you can find a 58 second video of it here.
5. Try this pressure point technique.
6. Try an Epsom salt bath (although there are risks if you have low blood pressure, so do some research)
7. Try the Valsalva Maneuver. Ok, this one may feel odd but it stimulates the Vargus nerve. Many of us do it to clear water out of our ears, but it can help with rapid heart beats. Coughing and splashing cold water on your face can also be good, easy grandma-approved remedies to try.
8. For overall heart care, try taking Blackstrap molasses regularly. Rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron, this stuff is Apple Cider vinegars suave cousin. Dissolving a teaspoon in a glass of water and drinking it daily can help – you just have to get used to the taste and strong smell.

Make sure that when your heart talks to you, you listen. In midlife, our bodies start to reveal long held secrets and patterns. What we do with that information is up to us.

What other remedies have you used and found helpful?