What is interoception?

Interoception is your body’s way of telling you what it feels like inside.

Imagine you're playing with your favorite toy, and suddenly you feel a tickle in your stomach, maybe you’re hungry or excited. That's interoception at work! It's like having sensors all over the inside of your body that send messages to your brain about how you're feeling.

Think of your body as a house with lots of rooms, and each room has a door that can tell you what’s going on in there. Your heart is like a drum that beats faster when you’re happy or scared. Your lungs are like balloons that expand when you take a deep breath. These sensors inside your body help you know if you're full, tired, nervous, or calm, all without looking at anything!

When you feel your heartbeat racing before a big test or notice your tummy grumble when you’re hungry, that’s interoception helping you understand what's happening inside you. It’s like having a special friend who whispers in your ear and tells you how you're feeling, all day long!