Reconnecting with Your body through Interoception

Written by Michelle Shelton

September 30, 2022

Interoception is the awareness and attunement to sensations and experiences in your body. It’s your connection to what’s happening inside, and it’s an important tool to understanding your physical needs and responding with self care. It’s also an important foundation to intuitive eating and reconnecting to your hunger cues. 

Interoception can include sensations that are easy to perceive, such as your breathing, or an aching muscle. It can also include more subtle sensations that may take skill and practice to sense, such as the beating of your heart. It is also an awareness of your emotions and the physiological responses that accompany them.  

When you’ve been following diet rules for a long time, hunger cues may also be harder to sense. Or you may be familiar with the feelings of intense hunger, like light-headedness or “hangry” irritability, or sharp pains in your stomach. But it may be harder to sense the more subtle cues of earlier hunger. 

Waiting to eat until your hunger cues are intense and undeniable usually leads to intense eating. This might look like wanting to eat everything in sight or eating foods you know won’t make you feel good but are quick and easy to access. Building more interoceptive awareness to hunger cues is an important first step in rebuilding your relationship with your body so you can nourish who you are. 

Focus on Interoceptive awareness this week with this daily practice. 

1. Find a quiet place to sit or lie down

2. Take 2 or 3 grounding deep breaths

3. Pick an area of your body to focus on

4. While continuing to breath, flex and relax the muscles in this area.

5. Notice any physical sensations. Does it feel tight or relaxed? Is there any pain or discomfort, or are there pleasant or comfortable sensations? Does it feel hot or cold?

6. Notice any feelings you have toward this part

7. Notice any thoughts that arise. Are they harsh or critical, or compassionate and understanding

8. Can you sense any needs this part is communicating or asking for?

Close the practice sending loving kindness to this part of your body and consider what you can do to respond to any needs you sensed during the practice.