Even small changes in your breathing, energy, or sleep can hint that your heart is working harder than it should. The sooner you recognize these warning signs, the sooner you and your doctor can take steps to protect your heart health
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in The Bahamas but many of its early warning signs are easy to overlook. Fatigue, mild swelling, or a skipped beat here and there may seem harmless, yet these subtle clues can signal that your heart is under strain.
Below are 11 signs worth paying attention to and what to do if you notice them.
💨 1. Unusual Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath is one of the earliest and most important signs that the heart may be under stress. If you’re suddenly winded climbing a single flight of stairs, walking a short distance, or even performing tasks that never used to bother you, your heart may be struggling to pump oxygen-rich blood efficiently.
You may also notice tightness in your chest when breathing, difficulty catching your breath after mild activity, or needing longer recovery time than usual. New, persistent, or worsening breathlessness should prompt a visit to your doctor right away.
😓 2. Persistent Fatigue
Heart-related fatigue often feels different from everyday tiredness. It’s a deep, persistent sense of exhaustion that doesn’t get better with rest or sleep.
When the heart isn’t pumping effectively, the body is deprived of adequate oxygen, making even simple tasks — such as showering, light housework, or walking — feel unusually draining. If you’re struggling to keep up with your normal routine or feeling wiped out without clear cause, it’s worth exploring whether your heart is working harder than it should.
💢 3. Chest Discomfort or Pressure
Chest pain doesn’t always arrive dramatically. Sometimes it feels more like tightness, heaviness, squeezing, burning, or even a subtle fullness in the center of the chest. These sensations may come and go, or they may appear during exercise, stress, or after meals.
Because chest discomfort can vary from person to person, even mild or vague symptoms deserve attention.
Symptoms may also radiate to the arm, neck, jaw, or back, or be accompanied by sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath. These warning signs should never be ignored. Prompt medical assessment ensures that treatable issues are identified early before they become emergencies.
🦵 4. Swelling in the Legs, Ankles, or Feet
Swelling can be a sign that the heart isn’t pumping blood efficiently. When blood flow slows, fluid can collect in the tissues of the lower body due to gravity.
You may notice your shoes fitting tighter, sock marks becoming more pronounced, or your ankles appearing puffy by the end of the day. If swelling is accompanied by weight gain, shortness of breath, or nighttime breathing difficulties, speak with our cardiologists promptly, as this may indicate early heart failure or circulatory strain.
💓 5. Irregular Heartbeats (Palpitations)
Palpitations can feel like your heart is fluttering, racing, pounding, pausing, or “flipping” in your chest. While occasional palpitations can be caused by caffeine, stress, or dehydration, frequent or intense irregular beats may point to an arrhythmia.
If palpitations occur alongside dizziness, chest discomfort, or fainting spells, it’s especially important to get evaluated.
🌀 6. Dizziness or Light-Headedness
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, or like you might faint can occur when the heart isn’t supplying enough blood to the brain. This can be related to rhythm problems, low blood pressure, structural heart issues, or reduced heart function.
If dizziness happens during physical activity, when standing up, or alongside chest pain or palpitations, seek medical attention. A single fainting episode should also be evaluated to rule out cardiac causes.
📈 7. Unexplained Weight Gain
Sudden weight gain — especially 2–5 pounds over a few days — can signal that your body is retaining fluid due to weakened heart function.
This type of weight gain is often accompanied by swelling in the legs or abdomen, increased shortness of breath, or waking at night feeling breathless. Regularly tracking your weight at home can help you catch these early signs before symptoms worsen.
🛏️ 8. Difficulty Sleeping Flat
If you need extra pillows to sleep comfortably or find yourself waking up gasping for air, your heart may be allowing fluid to back up into the lungs.
This condition, called orthopnea, often becomes more noticeable when lying flat because fluid redistributes within the body. This is considered a more serious sign of heart strain and should not be ignored.
😮💨 9. Frequent Coughing or Wheezing
A lingering cough, especially one that worsens when lying down, can sometimes be related to heart function rather than the lungs.
When the heart is under stress, fluid can collect in the lungs, causing coughing, wheezing, or a feeling of tightness in the chest. If you experience these symptoms without a cold, allergies, or infection, check in with our cardiology team and have your heart evaluated.
🏃♂️👎 10. Reduced Exercise Tolerance
If activities you used to enjoy like brisk walking, gardening, dancing, or light workouts, suddenly feel more difficult, your heart may be losing some of its efficiency.
This reduced stamina often develops slowly, so people may mistake it for aging or being “out of shape.” Pay attention to even subtle declines in endurance, especially if paired with shortness of breath, palpitations, or chest discomfort.
🛑 11. Numbness or Pain in Arms, Neck, or Jaw
Heart-related pain isn’t always felt in the chest.
It can radiate to the left arm, neck, jaw, back, or even the upper stomach. This type of discomfort — dull, aching, or pressure-like — can signal reduced blood flow to the heart or an early cardiac event.
If this pain happens suddenly or alongside sweating, nausea, or breathlessness, seek emergency care immediately.
🫀 Listen to Your Heart
Your heart works tirelessly for you — it deserves the same care in return.
Family Medicine Center offers comprehensive cardiology services, including diagnostic imaging, heart-health assessments, and personalized care plans with Dr. Midhun Kumar and Dr. Rogeolle Morris.
Need to request your next appointment?
👉 Book your heart check-up today. 📞 (242) 702-9310 or visit fmcbahamas.org.