A method for processing a heartbeat message, comprising: acquiring, by a terminal, heartbeat control information from an access network device, wherein the heartbeat control information is sent to the terminal when the access network device determines that load of the access network device is greater than a preset load threshold value; or the heartbeat control information is sent to the terminal when the access network device acquires an overload indication from a core network device, wherein the overload indication is sent to the access network device by the core network when the core network detects that the load of the core network device is greater than a preset load threshold value, so as to indicate an overload of the core network device to the access network device; and sending, by the terminal, a heartbeat message according to the heartbeat control information; wherein: the heartbeat control information is indication information for indicating a heartbeat period, and the sending, by the terminal, the heartbeat message according to the heartbeat control information comprises: sending, by the terminal, the heartbeat message according to the heartbeat period; or the heartbeat control information is indication information for indicating a heartbeat period adjustment rule, and the sending, by the terminal, the heartbeat message according to the heartbeat control information comprises: adjusting, by the terminal, a heartbeat period according to the heartbeat period adjustment rule, so as to obtain an adjusted heartbeat period, and sending the heartbeat message according to the adjusted heartbeat period. acquiring, by a terminal, heartbeat control information from an access network device, wherein the heartbeat control information is sent to the terminal when the access network device determines that load of the access network device is greater than a preset load threshold value; or the heartbeat control information is sent to the terminal when the access network device acquires an overload indication from a core network device, wherein the overload indication is sent to the access network device by the core network when the core network detects that the load of the core network device is greater than a preset load threshold value, so as to indicate an overload of the core network device to the access network device; and sending, by the terminal, a heartbeat message according to the heartbeat control information; wherein: the heartbeat control information is indication information for indicating a heartbeat period, and the sending, by the terminal, the heartbeat message according to the heartbeat control information comprises: sending, by the terminal, the heartbeat message according to the heartbeat period; or the heartbeat control information is indication information for indicating a heartbeat period adjustment rule, and the sending, by the terminal, the heartbeat message according to the heartbeat control information comprises: adjusting, by the terminal, a heartbeat period according to the heartbeat period adjustment rule, so as to obtain an adjusted heartbeat period, and sending the heartbeat message according to the adjusted heartbeat period. the heartbeat control information is indication information for indicating a heartbeat period, and the sending, by the terminal, the heartbeat message according to the heartbeat control information comprises: sending, by the terminal, the heartbeat message according to the heartbeat period; or the heartbeat control information is indication information for indicating a heartbeat period adjustment rule, and the sending, by the terminal, the heartbeat message according to the heartbeat control information comprises: adjusting, by the terminal, a heartbeat period according to the heartbeat period adjustment rule, so as to obtain an adjusted heartbeat period, and sending the heartbeat message according to the adjusted heartbeat period.