Interoception

Interoception is the sense of signals, which originate from the inside of our body, such as knowing when we’re hungry, feeling nervous in the stomach or feeling our hearts beating. Interocpetion is one of our important senses like vision, hearing, taste, and smell. Understanding interoception can also help us to recognize emotions in ourselves and others, improve physical and mental health and understand how particular sensations feel in our body.Misrepresentations of internal states, or a disconnect between the body's signals and the brain's interpretation and prediction of those signals, have been suggested to underlie conditions such as anxiety, panic disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Attention Deficit Disorder. There may be a disconnect in the way in which an individual is perceiving interoception signals within the body if at all.

When someone frequently experiences  difficulties identifying how they feel, they might experience something called Alexithymia. Alexithymia is a Greek term that translates to “no words for emotions.” Researchers commonly define it as an experience in which a person has difficulty identifying and describing their emotions. Essentially, someone who experiences Alexithymia has a hard time understanding their feels.While about 10% of people experience Alexithymia, the rate increases for people who are neurodivergent, experienced trauma, and/or have a mental health diagnosis.

Both formal meditation, and other forms of mindfulness (yoga) have strong links to the interoception experience. By activating the insula in the brain (the interoceptive center), mindfulness and meditation exercises can boost our interoception awareness and get us in touch with sensations across our body. Gaining a better understanding of how our bodies are operating in the present, keeps us in 'the body' versus disassociating, brings many advantages and personal fulfillment.