why does a raised heart rate from an anxiety or a panic attack pound very obviously in your chest while a raised heart rate from exercise doesn’t?

Question

At least in my experience, a sudden rapid heart rate from a panic attack feels like my heart is litteraly jumping around in my chest, but when I’m running and I stop I can tell my heart is beating fast but it’s not “bouncing around in my chest”. The same bouncing thing happens when you nearly avoid a car wreck or some other catastrophic event. If the heart rate is high in both situations, why does one feel more bouncy?

In: Biology

Answer 1

During a panic attack or catastrophe, the adrenaline levels in the body can spike by 2 1/2 times or more. Adrenaline makes your heart race, but also beat much more forcefully than normal.

You’re also likely to be breathing less slowly during a panic attack but much more regularly and deeply when exercising.

Answer 2

The way I understand it, is your body produces cortisol when you are anxious, so the racing heart plus the cortisol make the sensation worse or feel different.