Wednesday 19/11/2025
Photo: Katarina Wolnik Vera
Text: Txabi Anastasio
Have you ever thought about how much you communicate with yourself through your body? The body is not just an image we see in the mirror; it is a living system full of internal signals—sensations, tensions, heartbeats—that can reveal a lot about how we feel inside. Learning to listen to this bodily language is key to improving emotional regulation, self-esteem, and our connection with ourselves.
What is Interoception and Why Does it Matter?
Interoception is the ability to perceive and process internal bodily signals, such as breathing, heart rate, or muscle tension. Working with these signals through mind-body interventions has been linked to greater emotional regulation and psychological well-being (Heim et al., 2023).
Recent studies show that strong interoceptive awareness is associated with better emotion reappraisal (Füstös, Gramann, Herbert, & Pollatos, 2013) and lower clinical symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization (Lee, Lee, Kim, & Huh, 2024). This highlights its importance for mental health and overall well-being.
How Bodily Disconnection Can Arise
In contexts such as Eating Disorders (EDs) or after traumatic experiences, the body can feel disconnected from the self. It may be perceived as fragmented, treated as an object rather than a feeling subject, or simply become inaccessible from within.
Research explains how the dissonance between what we feel internally and what we perceive externally can hinder our emotional connection (Quadt, Critchley, & Garfinkel, 2018). When we cannot access these internal signals, we lose a vital source of information about our emotional state.
Practices to Reconnect with the Body
Based on scientific evidence, here are strategies to cultivate mindful and compassionate bodily awareness:
- Explore Internal Sensations
Spend a few minutes each day noticing what is happening in your body: breathing, heartbeat, temperature, or tension. The goal is not to judge or change anything but simply to observe the experience.
- Mindful Movement
Activities such as slow walking, stretching, or gentle yoga foster mind-body connection. This type of movement promotes presence and helps integrate interoceptive signals (Heim et al., 2023).
- Attend to Discomfort
When you notice tension, discomfort, or unpleasant sensations, instead of ignoring them, ask yourself: “What is my body trying to tell me?” This open approach transforms unpleasant sensations into valuable information (Füstös et al., 2013).
- Cultivate Body Compassion
Instead of criticizing what you do not like, practice a kind dialogue with your body. Recognize all that it does for you each day: breathing, moving, supporting you. Body compassion combined with interoceptive awareness is linked to higher self-esteem (Neff & Germer, 2018).
- Guided Specialized Interventions
In cases of trauma or EDs, therapies that incorporate interoception, such as somatic therapy or trauma-sensitive yoga, can be particularly helpful. These approaches are designed to restore a sense of safety and bodily presence (Heim et al., 2023; Tanaka, Ikeda, & Morita, 2023).
Identity, Body, and Belonging in Adulthood
Reconnecting with our body also has an identity dimension, especially for people living away from their country of origin. Integrating interoception into daily life can strengthen our sense of belonging and create an “inner home,” which is particularly important in intercultural contexts (Lee et al., 2024).
Final Reflection
Listening to your body is not a luxury—it is a profound practice of self-knowledge and emotional care. By recognizing its signals, we open ourselves to a more authentic way of inhabiting our emotions, improving self-esteem, and managing stress or past wounds.
If you are interested in exploring how reconnecting with your body can transform your emotional well-being, at Proyecto ART we can accompany you on this journey of awareness, healing, and self-compassion.
References:
- Füstös, J., Gramann, K., Herbert, B. M., & Pollatos, O. (2013). On the embodiment of emotion regulation: Interoceptive awareness facilitates reappraisal. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 8(8), 911–917. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nss089
- Heim, N., Bobou, M., Tanzer, M., Jenkinson, P. M., & Fotopoulou, A. (2023). Psychological interventions for interoception in mental health disorders: A systematic review of randomized‑controlled trials. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 77(10), 530–540. https://doi.org/10.1111/pcn.13576
- Lazzarelli, A., Scafuto, F., Crescentini, C., Matiz, A., Orrù, G., Ciacchini, R., Alfì, G., Gemignani, A., & Conversano, C. (2024). Interoceptive ability and emotion regulation in mind–body interventions: An integrative review. Behavioral Sciences, 14(11), 1107. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14111107
- Lee, M. M., Lee, H. B., Kim, J., & Huh, H. J. (2024). The relationship between interoceptive awareness, emotion regulation and clinical symptoms severity of depression, anxiety and somatization. Psychiatry Investigation, 21(3), 255–264. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2023.0221
- Neff, K. D., & Germer, C. K. (2018). The mindful self-compassion workbook: A proven way to accept yourself, build inner strength, and thrive. Guilford Press.
- Quadt, L., Critchley, H. D., & Garfinkel, S. N. (2018). Interoception and emotion: Shared mechanisms and clinical implications. In H. De Preester & M. Tsakiris (Eds.), The Interoceptive Mind: From Homeostasis to Awareness (pp. 107–124). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198811930.003.0007
- Tanaka, Y., Ikeda, A., & Morita, T. (2023). Effects of interoceptive awareness on recognition of and sensitivity to emotions in masked facial stimuli. Behavioral Sciences, 15(11), 1555. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15111555