If you can’t feel your heartbeat, it may be due to excessive obesity or a weakened heart contraction. You can touch the large arteries of the body, such as the carotid artery and femoral artery, which are usually palpable. Some patients with underlying heart disease, such as severe heart failure or recovering from acute heart disease, may also have reduced heart sounds and weakened heart contraction due to cardiac depression, and may not be able to touch their heartbeat.