Internal Perception: Beyond The Five Senses

Internal perception, or interoception , is our ability to recognize stimuli and experiences that our body sends us. It is the art of experiencing and understanding this beautiful physical collection of connections. Inside it, there are receptors, cells and delicate tissues that all send us a series of messages. However, they are messages that we do not always hear. To help us do just that, we can try different practices, such as mindfulness.

Some say that we should be thankful that we have not developed this sense as well or that it is not as perfectly tuned as our other senses. They believe that no one really liked to hear how white blood cells resist infectious microorganisms, nor how the gastric juice is excreted or how the sound of a dying neuron sounds.

To understand internal perception

However, we do not have to go to the extreme in this way to appreciate what this sense, internal perception, can really show us. Psychophysiologist Hirokata Fukushima conducted a study in 2011 that showed that this function is closely linked to empathy.

When we have a connection with someone to understand their feelings, needs or worries, our body responds in a very specific and almost fascinating way. Other people’s affective states are like stimuli.

Understanding the mysteries of the functions of internal perception will give us the opportunity to find out more about how the body and the mind are related to each other. In the same way, it will also help us take better care of our health. We would understand how our bodies alert us if something is not quite right inside us.

Internal perception in our daily lives

We tend to dedicate a good portion of our time to taking care of ourselves. We take care of our hygiene, we eat in a balanced way, and we exercise. Having a good self-image is also important to us. Therefore, we choose nice clothes, set up our hair and put on make-up. We also take care of our skin and try to get a good night’s sleep.

Now, as strange as it may seem, there is something we overlook in this routine. We do not listen to our own body. We ignore the messages it sends us. It tries to send us a message that it feels pain by causing tension in our neck, or a headache that we simply can not get rid of.

These symptoms can mean that our mind is stressed, and thus our whole body reacts to this destabilizing feeling. But still we do not give it the attention we should. We do not perceive what is really happening inside us.

Athletes, on the other hand, tend to have a well-developed sense of internal perception. Good athletes are able to distinguish a normal physical feeling from one that is not normal. They can know if the muscle pain is just due to overexertion or if it may be a sign of muscle damage. Sometimes they are even able to get through that pain. They do this to reach the goal they have set or to give their very best in a match or competition.

The link between mind and body in these cases is an effective alliance that can actually help us improve performance when we need it most.

Internal perception and the insula

Internal perception has been a very common subject area in both psychophysics and the psychology behind moods, learning and biofeedback. There are many studies on the subject that help us dive a little deeper into this special and very important sense.

One thing we should keep in mind is that there are basic processes that our internal perception deals with. These include thirst, hunger and sleep. These are mechanisms that guarantee our survival. Because of this, we need to pay close attention to them. Others, on the other hand, are more subtle and usually go unnoticed.

Thanks to a study published in 2012 in the journal Neuropsychology , we know which part of our brain regulates this sense and everything it tries to tell us. It is the part called the insula, which is a very deep area located on the lateral surface of the brain. This is where the brain regulates processes such as how conscious we are of our emotions and bodily experiences. The insula is simply a control center that allows us to take a closer look at the fascinating connection between the mind and the body.

Mindfulness and internal perception

We mentioned at the beginning of the article that one way to become aware of our internal perception is through mindfulness, or mindful presence. This practice allows us to create this connection. We can connect our physical experiences with our inner being through it. Thus, it helps us understand our mind, our needs and the way the environment and its processes affect our body.

Being able to listen to and distinguish between the signals that our body sends us daily is a way to invest in our own health and quality of life. By doing this, we will be much better able to deal with stress. We will even be able to predict signs of possible impending diseases.

In addition to this, we will be able to perceive our limits and, as a result, become more productive. This will help us realize that we are not machines, but rather a wonderful but delicate network of cells, tissues and emotions.