Interoception: The Sense You Probably Never Learned About

What is interoception?

Interoception is the sense of what is happening inside your body. It tells you when you are hungry, thirsty, tired, hot, cold, or in pain. It also plays a big role in emotions. When you feel nervous, your stomach might feel tight. When you feel excited, your heart might beat faster. Interoception is what helps you notice those body signals.

When interoception works differently

When interoception is different, body signals can be hard to read. A person might not notice they are hungry until they feel sick. They might not realize they need to use the bathroom until it is urgent. They might not feel pain the same way others do. They might have big emotional reactions that seem to come out of nowhere — because they did not catch the earlier signals.

What can help

Occupational therapists who work with sensory processing can help build interoceptive awareness. Simple check-in routines — like asking “how does my body feel right now?” at regular times during the day — can help a person start to notice signals they may have been missing. For children, this might look like a scheduled snack even if they do not report feeling hungry.