Hello!
I got a fitness tracking watch for Xmas, and now I have a question about how you feel your own heartbeat.
Why does it often feel like my heart is doing a lot of work when it isn’t (low BPM; ~68), while at other times I can’t detect my heartbeat at all when my watch says it’s flying along at 110+ BPM?
Does the heart have strong but slow beats you can feel as a real THUMP THUMP THUMP sensation and shallow, faster beats that you can’t feel as easily? The whole thing seems inverted to me…
Thanks in advance!
–B
In: Biology
The sensation of your heart pounding in your chest, known as palpitations, can sometimes feel disconnected from your actual heart rate or beats per minute (BPM). This is because palpitations are more about the perception of your heartbeat, which can be influenced by several factors, such as the position of your body, how quiet the environment is, and how focused you are on your heartbeat.
When you’re relaxed or not actively focusing on it, you might not notice your heart beating even if the BPM is higher. This could be because the beats are more regular and less forceful, so they don’t draw your attention. On the other hand, when your BPM is lower, you might be more aware of each individual beat, especially if they’re more forceful or if there’s a slight irregularity, making them stand out more to you.
Additionally, factors like stress, caffeine, certain medications, and even the position of your body can make your heartbeats feel more pronounced. For example, lying down or leaning over can cause your heart to press against your chest wall, making you more aware of its beats
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