How can I listen to my heartbeat without using a stethoscope or any type of microphone?

There are a few basic ways to listen to your heartbeat without the aid of a stethoscope or microphone:

1. Press the side of your neck with your index and middle finger, on either side of your windpipe. Feel for a pulse. This should be the carotid artery which runs up both sides of your neck, and you should feel your pulse in your fingers as blood passes through it.

2. Press your fingers (or the back of your hand) on the inside of your wrist, just below the base of your thumb. You should be able to feel your pulse here in the radial artery.

3. Place your palm on your chest, just above where the left ribs end and the stomach begins. You may need to move your hand around a bit until you find the spot. You should feel a soft thud as your heart beats - this is the apex beat where the heartbeat is closest to the chest wall.