Why so many people are experiencing racing, skipping, or heart palpitations after Covid – and how the nervous system plays a role.

If you’ve been dealing with heart palpitations after Covid, you’re not alone. Many people experience a racing heart, skipped beats, or flutters weeks or even months after infection, and it can feel incredibly unsettling. 

In fact, one international survey reported that about 68% of Long Covid patients experienced persistent heart palpitations or irregular heartbeats around seven months after their acute infection1. 

Even more confusing is that, despite these very real symptoms, medical tests like ECGs or Holter monitors often return completely normal results. No heart damage. No dangerous rhythms. No answers.

So, what’s actually going on?

Heart palpitations after Covid – why the nervous system could be key

These sensations are real. But if your tests are clear, the cause might not be a problem in the heart itself. Instead, the heart may simply be responding to mixed signals from a nervous system that’s stuck in high alert. Specifically, the autonomic nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system controls unconscious body functions like heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and breathing. One of its key branches, the sympathetic nervous system, drives the fight-or-flight response – increasing heart rate and alertness in moments of danger. The other branch, the parasympathetic nervous system, helps the body rest, recover, and keep the heart rhythm steady.

Usually your body plays a delicate dance, switching between the two systems seamlessly. However, after a major stressor such as Covid, this balance can be disrupted2. 

Research into Long Covid and similar post-viral conditions has found signs of autonomic dysfunction, also known as dysautonomia3. This includes:

• Heart palpitations, flutters, or skipped beats

• Racing heart (especially when standing up, known as POTS)

• Chest tightness, breathlessness, or “air hunger”

• Dizziness, fatigue, and lightheadedness

Here at Freeme, we believe that this happens because the brain’s threat detection system stays switched on long after the initial illness. This creates a constant stream of stress signals to the body, including the heart.

The missing piece to recovery: your nervous system 

While that all sounds very frightening, here’s the hopeful part: the nervous system is neuroplastic. 

As one medical overview defines it, neuroplasticity is “the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganising its structure, functions, or connections4.” 

Simply put, that means the nervous system can learn, adapt – and, most importantly, heal.

This is one of the most important (and overlooked) pieces of the recovery puzzle. By working gently with your nervous system and helping it shift out of survival mode, you may start to notice your symptoms soften, including heart palpitations after covid.

The Freeme app was designed by people who’ve lived this and recovered. It uses brain retraining, body awareness, and short, guided practices to help regulate your nervous system and restore calm. Just a few minutes a day to remind your body: you’re safe now.