Heart

[Sandy1710]

I have recently moved offices and now I am on 14th floor. I only manage to get to 6th floor and my heart is going very quick. Prob about 160 and also out of breathe and weak legs. Now I don't do any exercise because of my heart anxiety so I'm hoping this is why it's so quick and I'm out of breathe but of course, I can't help but think it's something worse as I have anxiety. Is this usual? Shall I carry on and see if it gets better??

[Loveydovey0519]

What kind of shape are you in, and age? Those both have a lot to do with it. I have heart related anxiety, and after walking 6 flights of stairs my heart would be pumping, but not near 160. However I have a physical job where I'm on and off my feet lifting and carrying things for 8 hours. Just you feeling your heart beat going up stairs can be enough to make it beat quicker because you're sensitized too it and thinking about it. I wouldn't worry, and maybe walk a bit slower!

[Sandy1710 in reply to Loveydovey0519]

About 175/180 cm and weigh about 85 kg. I haven't exercised in a year because of my heart anxiety so that tells you what sort of shape I'm in.

[Loveydovey0519 in reply to Sandy1710]

Yeah so you're a bit out of shape, so climbing six flight of stairs with little excercise lately would definitely make you winded and your heart beat fast. Just getting out of bed and walking to the kitchen will make your heart beat faster whether you're in good shape or not. Your heart fluctuates all day long. Try not to think into it too much, and just take your time while walking the stairs. I'm sure the more you walk the stairs the less you feel the heart rate as it will get more accustomed too it.

[Agora1]

Sandy1710, even in my better days of training and not having anxiety, it would have been a challenge to increase the stairs by 8 more floors. You need to train your body to adjust to the intensity of walking the extra flights. That should start on ground level. With your anxiety, doing this while at work is only prompting your anxiety to grab hold big time. No elevators? Why the steps as a resort? I'm all for exercise but that is just setting you up for anxious moments.

Start working out slowly, increasing your stamina a little more each time. This not only takes strengthening your muscles but breathing properly as well. Many anxious people tend to hold their breath while exerting themselves which can add to breathlessness. I'd say you are more the majority than minority of people who would experience the same symptoms upon trying to climb flights of stairs.

Don't be so hard on yourself Sandy, you did amazingly well

[menagerie11]

Sandy1710, there is no way that I could climb that many flights of stairs. I would not have been able to do it many years ago and I certainly would not even think about it now. You are brave to do six floors! Whatever we anxious folks do, I think the key is to do it in graduated steps (no pun intended). Sometimes baby steps at first, and then adding a little more each time. By the way, I don't know many people who would climb steps to the 14th floor, so don't be so hard on yourself, okay? The heart is a muscle and when it gets exercised, we feel it. Some people (cyclists, for example) intentionally try to get their heart pumping and their pulse rate up high. I think that anxious people like us often misinterpret what our hearts are doing and why. Perhaps you could speak to someone at a fitness club or gym about how the heart works and what is good for it. All the best!