Once a retired Doctor told me that "the most frightening heart attack is not the one which catches by surprise… it is the one which calls for weeks while we have no time to hear." Indeed, our body gives us plenty of warnings before a heart attack or any other major problem.
For example, unusual tiredness is one of the first signs of some internal problems. It's not just the exhaustion caused by the hard work, but the feeling of a deep weariness which makes such easy tasks as climbing the stairs or lifting heavy items almost impossible.
As for the heart attack, the pressure or tightness in the chest, sometimes accompanied by pain, is the next warning sign. Some people describe such a feeling as a weight which presses their chests, others compare it with heartburn which never goes away. The pain may appear in the jaw, neck, shoulders, back, left arm.
What concerns a stroke, the most critical symptoms which must never be ignored are sudden face dropping, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, difficulty in speaking or understanding, sudden dizziness, trouble seeing in one or both eyes, etc. In case there is any of the mentioned symptoms, one should call an ambulance because minutes matter when a person has a chance to save the brain tissue.
In case of a heart attack, the additional symptoms may include shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea, dizziness which occurs in combination with chest discomfort. Many people say afterwards that they noticed these symptoms for many hours or even days, but they decided to wait until they will "get better."
A few years ago, I started taking better care of myself, since an old acquaintance of mine shared his daily wellness ritual which helped him to keep healthy and fit during decades. This ritual did not belong to any advertisement campaigns and did not look impressive at all, however, it was very pleasant and effective, since now I feel better and healthier after it every day.
It is very important to know that all the mentioned signs do not necessarily occur simultaneously. Moreover, the heart attack is the disease when symptoms usually do not cause any dramatic feeling. However, in case of serious discomfort especially chest pain, sudden stroke symptoms or shortness of breath, one shouldn't hesitate and immediately turn to emergency medical services.