Interoception: the secret power of listening to your body
5 tools to help you tune in to what it's trying to tell you - a guest column
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is an award-winning yoga teacher, coach and writer who is on a mission to help people reclaim joy in their everyday lives. She is celebrated for her fun, approachable and meaningful style that makes wellness accessible to all. She writes at .
Interoception: the secret power of listening to your body
5 tools to help you tune in to what it's trying to tell you
by Chloe Markham
How are you, my friend? Really?
The world’s been training you to ignore that question, especially if you’re male, have a job, have children, or important things going on (yes, I suppose that’s basically everyone).
When asked by a friend, the reply all too often is a dismissive, “fine, you?” while silently burning out, getting so stressed we can’t sleep at night and waking up with aches that we chalk up to “getting older”.
We push past exhaustion, struggle to set boundaries and think it's normal.
Spoiler alert: it’s not.
The world as we know it rewards going harder, faster, longer. But what is this actually doing to your body and mind? How is it affecting your workouts and physical wellness?
Here’s where I get a bit woo-woo but hear me out: the key is feeling more.
The technical term is interoception and it’s about paying attention to the signals your body sends you – hunger, fatigue, emotional tension, comfort, discomfort, pain, challenge etc.
You might think you’ve been feeling these things your whole life. But in reality, many of us are so disconnected from the subtle signals that accompany all of these sensations that they go unchecked.
Is it any wonder, when we live in a society that pushes us to numb or ignore how we’re doing so we can crack on and get the job done?
It's time to change that.
The science of interoception: why it matters more than you think
Interoception (definition: the feeling of knowing what is happening in your body) is more than noticing when you’re hungry – it’s the foundation of how we connect with ourselves, body and mind.
Research shows that increased interoceptive awareness improves emotional regulation, reduces stress and enhances physical performance.
But how?
The answer to that (like most things, if you think about it for long enough) lies in your nervous system.
When your brain and body are properly connected through nervous system regulation – when you’re tuned into what’s happening internally – you’re better equipped to respond accordingly. Whether that’s pausing for a rest during a workout, doubling down on work when you have the energy, or addressing underlying anxiety before it escalates.
And speaking of workouts, athletes with high interoceptive awareness adjust their intensity during workouts based on their body’s feedback, resulting in fewer injuries and faster recovery.
It’s not just a trendy wellness concept – it’s science.
From scepticism to improved performance
One of my clients initially dismissed interoception as nonsense. She believed in the more is better approach: more reps, more sweat, more effort.
During savasana – the post-effort do nothing stage of a yoga class – she’d often do sit-ups or burpees until the class ended. But despite working hard, she was constantly exhausted and always had niggling injuries.
When I introduced her to interoception, she wasn’t convinced: “I don’t have time for that woo-woo stuff,” she said.
But after a few sessions of simply tuning into her body’s signals, something shifted. She began pacing herself, resting when necessary and pushing harder when her body was ready. Her performance improved but more importantly, she felt more in control.
“Rest isn’t weakness – it’s my power. Now I perform better and feel unstoppable,” she said.
5 tools to build interoceptive awareness
Feeling more doesn’t have to be complicated and you don’t need hours of meditation or fancy tools.
Here are five simple ways to practice interoception and reconnect with your body: