Atrial fibrillation is so sneaky. So is afib really stress in disguise? Afib seems to sneak up on you when you least expect it and you wonder “where did that come from?” It’s hard to pin down an atrial fibrillation cause or trigger when it’s different every time.
For some, it’s triggered by alcohol or caffeine. For others, by certain types of foods or food additives. For some, it may come on during exercise or from something as simple as bending over. For still others, eating late or sleeping on the left side triggers it. It varies all across the board.
In medical information you rarely see mention of stress causing afib, but I think that stress is a huge contributor. Of the patients I’ve interviewed, about 3/4 said that stress was a huge component in bringing on their afib episodes.
Stress certainly could be a factor that leads us to indulge in alcohol, caffeine, or certain foods. But is the food the cause, or is the stress the actual root cause?
Here’s a short video clip of what triggered my afib:
Mellanie True Hills talks about what triggered her atrial fibrillation
We know that the numbers of folks having afib is growing exponentially, which is generally chalked up to Baby Boomers hitting their 60s. But I also see so many younger folks struggling with afib and wonder if the stress epidemic that’s due to our 24/7 lifestyles is causing an afib epidemic, too.
What do you think? Does stress trigger afib for you?






[...] many of us grab some coffee when we’re stressed? Could it be stress, not coffee, that’s the [...]
[...] you’re a Blackberry addict or a stress junkie, which can contribute to atrial fibrillation, you may be interested in this new article in which Mellanie True Hills, founder of StopAfib.org, [...]
[...] Does Stress Cause Atrial Fibrillation? | Atrial Fibrillation BlogWhen I eat profusely, I feel extra sistoles that could lead to afib episodes. Sodas and gas drinks tend to contribute too. I drink no alcohol, so that’s one less. I hope everyone is fine. Cheers from Argentina. [...]