The heart is an essential component of the body that keeps organs and tissues oxygenated. The heart rate is a measure of how hard the heart is working. An increased heart rate can mean that the heart is trying to keep up with environmental triggers or internal stressors. Several factors contribute to an increase in heart rate.
Identification
The heart is surrounded by blood vessels, which circulate blood through its chambers; bringing unoxygenated blood in from the body, passing around the lungs, and pumping it back out into the tissues. The heart rate is each muscular contraction pumping blood to the body. The heart has its own electrical system that controls how fast or slow that it works. According to MayoClinic.com, the normal rate for a healthy, adult heart is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
Tachycardia
Tachycardia is a condition where the heart beats faster than 100 times a minute. Continued tachycardia may prevent enough blood and oxygen from reaching the tissues of the body. This can cause dizziness, shortness of breath or fainting. Some people may feel that their pulse is bounding or they may feel their heart beating within their chest.
Exercise
Exercising increases the heart rate as the body tries to compensate for the vigorous use of muscles. Oxygen is needed in the body's tissues during exercise in order to continue movement. The heart rate and respiratory rate increase to provide oxygenated blood to all tissues in the body in response to exercise. After discontinuation of exercise and a period of rest, the heart rate should return to normal. Exercise, when practiced in moderation, strengthens the function of the heart.
Stress
A person with anxiety may have an increased heart rate as a reaction to stressful events. The body responds to anxiety and stress by activating the sympathetic nervous system, known as the "fight or flight" mechanism. An increased heart rate is a response to the hormones that are secreted during that time. The heart beats faster to manage the stress that the body is submitting to.
Smoking
An increased heart rate can be the result of some habits, such as smoking. The heart rate rises each time a person smokes a cigarette, which can lead to increased blood pressure. An increased heart rate also intensifies the body's need for oxygen, which when combined with the chemicals in cigarettes, puts smokers at risk of oxygen deprivation in the body's tissues.
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