[troughway]

Aside from VESs; isn't a strong heart beat that you can feel (and sometimes hear if someone puts their ear to your chest) a sign of a healthy heart? I'm not talking about fast palpitations, but rather feeling your heart through your chest wall, albeit at a regular, steady rhythm.

[kqr]

For the most part, your mind will tune out the regular, "background" rhythm of the heart. When it deviates from normal, or if you have certain special sensory differences to regular people, it makes you aware of it.

But normally your mind should tune it out unless you focus on it.

[rootinier]

Not so sure. Palpitations are often nothing serious, but what I heard is that not feeling your heart beat is normal. Except when you exercise hard. I feel my heart pumping when I lay in bed an my pulse is 60-70 bpm.

[troughway]

I've been told otherwise by a doctor (not a cardiologist), and I've always wanted to know a definitive answer on this but it's hard to find information on the subject; almost all literature is focused on the rate of heartbeat, not on the loudness of the drumming itself.