I have done enough experimenting to conclude that if I am in NSR, moderate to high exertion exercise can put me into AF within a couple of hours of finishing. And vice versa.
Neither are 100% guaranteed. NSR to AF is 50% probability. AF to NSR is 90%.
Would love to know what is going on in my mind and body to cause this! (Think I've conquered the mind problem, so I don't think stress is involved anymore).
My theory is That you must have a certain bpm where your body asks for Adrenalin/more Adrenalin and that gives your heart a nudge either way. I’ve read about people waking in the night with an arrhythmia and going on the treadmill reverts them back into nsr.
I think that’s also why many people go into AF at rest or whilst asleep. When their heart rate goes to its lowest, perhaps about to go lower still, the same thing happens, suddenly the body calls for Adrenalin and AF begins.
Pat
I Used to go into AF after holding my arms above my head, while pruning for example. Once it was after clicking through a high rail of dresses in a shop. Not necessarily straight away but in 24 hours. I've come to the conclusion it is because I don't/can't breathe deeply enough in that position but I may be quite wrong! Hopefully you can spot your 'tipping point'.
My AF is controlled by drugs but ectopics aren't and I notice the same as you - exertion might shift them but it might also bring them on. Tachycardia can start when I lean forward - AF used to start when I reached up with my right arm - both apply pressure to the chest.
It all must be related in some way and my theory is pressure on the heart/vagus nerve/blood flow makes a difference to the beat, as does Pat's comment about adrenaline.
Someday . . . . someone will crack it.
Autonomic Nesrvous System - ANS is responsible. And vagusl nerve is part of that system and is linked to adrenal gland - everything is connected to everything else.
The ANS controls the involuntary organs for both rest and digest mode, as well as exercise and excitement. When it doesn’t function as it shours, then things like Arrythmia can happen or low BP or an inability to digest foods efficiently.
Improving Vargal tone can help bring ANS into balance again and reduce sensitivity of vagus.
Helped me a great deal.
Interesting post Julie.
I once mowed my front lawn while in AF and feeling quite drained (had been like it for weeks). Afterwards I came indoors shattered, full of self pity and thinking I shouldn't have done that. Within half an hour my heart was back in normal rhythm. I do wonder if we make our heart rate go high, whether it can drop back to sinus rhythm when we rest. I also wonder whether the thud of feet on the ground, when running, can jolt our hearts back to normal rhythm. Come to that can anything that gives the body a jolt promote a return to sinus rhythm?
Jean
Indeed. I once had a scare which saw my HR go high, and by the time I calmed down, I was back in sinus rhythm!
hi JJ my wretched A/F of 6 years was switched on during a really well period by shock high sound levels in a cinema. (film Dunkirk) they should have health warning regarding excessive noise levels
Now I am back struggling again
Hi Barney - Sorry to hear your struggling with your AF.
Causes are so varied and it's still all a bit of a mystery for us isn't it! I've read on here at some stage over the years that people have been affected by the vibrations from sound. We need to have a list of likely triggers on this forum to refer to don't we. One where other members can click on the trigger then we can see which are the main ones. Hmm, think I'll do a post about that.
Jean
Hi Jean ,thanks for response ...yes thats an idea,I can relate my A/F start up also to heavy exercise,a two litre glass of Lager,and a fast hill walk...all of which are now a no no to me.
What next ,this latest episode is still on.
All the best
My theory is the nerves in the back and how the back impacts them is probably the biggest influence on vagal AF, After 55 chiropractic adjustments, I have seen many heart impact variations as a result, some helpful and others not. Now I can pretty much always stop AF with about 20 minutes of exercise or a 20 minute brisk walk. I can change the heart rate by changing the position of my back and start and stop ectopic beats quite frequently. Whether I will fully succeed in stopping AF with this approach is still a work in progress.
If I do a lot of cycling day after day it can put me into AF the following evening when I relax. My solution is to get on my bike again the next day and after a steady ride up a hill I go back to NSR. I have had 11 episodes this year and every time it has worked. Comforting to have found a temporary solution but there is still the issue of why I go into AF in the first place.
I think that you and I have a very similar history (cycling) and a very similar experience of AF – perhaps we have identical hearts! I have had at least 8 bouts of AF since first diagnosed back in July. Some were brought on by exercise, others by stress. Every single bout except one was terminated by going for a ride. I don’t like being in AF, and I don’t like the ride it takes to get out of AF (I feel utterly exhausted at crawling pace), but knowing that I can self cardiovert is great to know. But, as you point out, it would be nice to know what the underlying cause is, and how to get rid of it for good. I think I am heading towards ablation – it seems most sports people see this as the quickest and most effective treatment.
Hi Julie, thanks for posting this , in many ways I believe doing 'our homework' here has got the best chance of success for many of us. Personally, I think you going down the right road and we should follow what works best for each person. I haven't had AF for several years now but when I did my gut feel was to do a brisk walk and/or lay down and in line with a Mindfulness focus listen to a NSR heartbeat on my iPad. - the latter worked for my last episode after 20 mins.
If the above two don't work, I have a long list mainly gleaned from here to try, which include higher level of exercise, fight or flight and cold water shower/head immersion.
Such a bizarre illness. Previously, I would have thought of such remedies as being nothing more than old wives tales, but now I know better!
I too can exercise out of AF, but I don't think exercise specifically puts me in.
I always go into AF at night, so Vagal. It seems to me that I have 2 main triggers - postural - moving and clicking my neck and going in - and adrenal. I also have Addison's disease (my adrenal glands don't work) and I have trouble maintaining my electrolyte balance. I think when it's out I go into AF that night. Of course I can't get any Doctors to agree that there is any link.
I think both of the above could be caused by me cycling, but not necessarily. This would explain why just under 50% of the time I go into AF I've been cycling that day, but I'm just as likely to have done no exercise .
Last week, after having fast AF for 24 hours, I had a moment of madness and decided to vacuum upstairs (with a really heavy vacuum cleaner). Collapsed on the sofa afterwards, thinking I may pass out...then went back into NSR after ten minutes. Woohoo - felt fine and had clean house :o)
Not sure I'd have the nerve to attempt exercise while in AF. Mine is mild and HR is generally between 90-110, but when I've attempted to use the treadmill, I see my heart rate go up to 170-180. I wouldn't want to run the risk, personally. I guess these posters are braver than I am!
How to get out of AF advice please 
Profound change in AF that is confusing for me
AF and exercise really getting me down
