Increased heart rate alone can cause anxiety & depression.
A new study found that an increased heart rate in mice triggered anxiety & depression.
This has important implications & consequences for us humans, both as a society and as individuals, esp wrt COVID.
The virus causes damage to the heart/cardiovascular system, like palpitations & forms of tachycardia, & that has surely already caused millions of us to experience anxiety/depression.
https://www.science.org/content/article/racing-heart-makes-mind-race-too-mouse-study-finds
Some links to previous related information/studies:
https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/what-does-coronavirus-do-to-your-body
Old article on the cardio issues, from just after that big VA study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8658577/) was released:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/02/21/covid-cardiac-issues-longterm/
Early article about tachycardia & POTS https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/21/1/e63
Obviously this is an area where mind-body research can contribute to individual well-being and social support systems b/c we live in a country whose government has CHOSEN to allow unlimited COVID infections.
I can offer some self-help (an easy ear massage that directly stimulates the vagus nerve) that has helped me enormously in lowering my heart rate and inducing speedy relaxation/anxiety relief.
Thanks to the presenter Sukie Baxter (whom I've never met). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnV3Q2xIb1U
I've really been pushing probiotics with people I know who have shown vagus nerve issues. Perhaps you know this already but I wanted to throw it out there alongside the massage. Great resource and thanks for sharing!
