We often hear about the five senses. However, there are other senses that are less widely known or discussed. One of those senses is interception. Interception is the ability to perceive one is happening inside your body. It is the ability to sense and perceive internal bodily sensations, such as hunger, thirst, pain, and temperature. In fact, it is recognizing the body’s attempts to signal to you what is happening in there! Improving interception helps you to recognize and respond to emotions by noticing their physical manifestation. We can get a better sense of who we are by how we tend to respond to external stimuli. Finally, we can even feel more connected and appreciative of our bodies and the fascinating, complex abilities.
So how do you improve interception? Here are some tips for becoming more aware of your internal body and its needs:
Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and yoga, can help you become more aware of your internal sensations and feelings.
Body scanning, where you systematically focus your attention on different parts of your body, can also help increase your awareness of internal sensations.
Keep a journal of your internal sensations, noting when and where you feel them, and how intense they are. Over time, this can help you better understand your body's signals.
Certain exercises such as progressive muscle relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing and body-mindful movement can also help you to improve your sense of interoception.
By developing your sense of interoception, you can better understand your body's needs and signals, which can help you make healthier choices and improve overall well-being. Additionally, a better sense of interception can also be beneficial in mental health by helping to identify stressors, triggers and the emotional states. Research has proven time and again that the people with the most optimal mental health have a strong mind-body connection. Interoception is the key to that connection.