If I asked you to name our senses, you might quickly rattle off the top 5: vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Today’s scientific advances are directing us to consider that we may have 33 senses (or more) (The Conversation, 2026).
The study of sensation has a long history. In the early 1900’s, a nobel prize winning physician named Dr. Charles Sherrington was exploring the idea that our viscera (organs in our trunk) were communicating sensory information to our brains. He called this sensation interoception (Sherrington, 1906). Sherrington defined interoception as sensation arising from the interior of the body, especially the viscera.
It’s been 120+ years since Sherrington introduced the concept of interoception. This early work was instrumental in laying a foundation and we have come so far in our understanding of interoception.
Interoception is now understood as multisensory process by which the nervous system senses, integrates, interprets, & regulates signals that originate from within the body (Chen et al., 2021). Interoception sparks a dynamic, ongoing conversation between the body and the brain (Schmitt & Schoen, 2022). It helps us answer the question, “How do I feel?” (Craig, 2014).
An Expanded Understanding: The Brain–Body Conversation
Interoception reflects a complex, bidirectional process that helps the body maintain balance in the moment (homeostasis) while also adapting to stress and change over time (allostasis) (Schmitt & Schoen, 2022; Chen et al., 2021; Quigley et al., 2021).
Signals begin in the body—arising from internal systems—and travel to the brain, offering a moment-to-moment map of our internal state (Quadt et al., 2018; Tsakiris & dePreester, 2018; Harrison et al., 2019).
From there, something important happens. The brain evaluates these signals based on salience—essentially asking:Does this matter right now? If the signal is meaningful, the brain begins to interpret the information and determine if a response is needed. These interpretations help guide action (Barrett, 2017).
“My stomach is empty, I need to eat.”
“I feel low energy, I might need rest.”
“My throat hurts, I might be getting sick.”
But the process doesn’t stop there. The brain also sends information back down to the body—adjusting, regulating, and fine-tuning internal states through descending pathways (Chen et al., 2021).
So rather than a one-way signal, interoception is a loop—a continuous exchange shaping how we feel, respond, and function. When this loop is working smoothly, it supports something deeply foundational: A sense of trust in the body.
When signals are reliable, they support regulation, health, and a felt sense of safety (Herbert & Pollatos, 2012; Owens et al., 2018; Price & Hooven, 2018). We rely on the interplay of physiological sensation (experience), significance, awareness, and interpretation to promote our phsycial and mental health. (Khalsa et al., 2018; Schmitt & Schoen, 2022).
And from that place of safety, we are more able to engage in the world—participating in meaningful activities without constantly questioning what our body is telling us.
In my work I help people discern what might their body be trying to say and begin to build the ability to pay attention to important signals, interpret them, and take meaningful action.
Because at its core, interoception is not just about sensing the body. It is about building a relationship with the body—one that supports regulation, trust, and participation in everyday life.
Take action
If you’re ready to begin strengthening your connection to interoceptive sensation, start with one simple, intentional shift:
The next time you have to do an everyday task—whether it’s washing dishes, folding laundry, helping with homework, or driving—pause and ask yourself, What would make this feel more pleasant for my body?
Let your body guide the answer. It might be as simple as lighting a candle, choosing a favorite soap, listening to a podcast you enjoy, or holding a warm cup of tea.
These small choices matter. They begin to build a bridge between what you are doing and how you are feeling. Over time, you are gently teaching your nervous system to recognize and seek out experiences that feel regulating, steady, and good.
Think of this as a quiet practice of collecting moments your body interprets as safe and pleasant. The more you notice and respond, the more fluent you become in the language of your own body.
References
Barrett, L. F. (2017). How emotions are made: The secret life of the brain. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Chen, W. G., Schloesser, D., Arensdorf, A. M., Simmons, J. M., Cui, C., Valentino, R., Gnadt, J. W., Nielsen, L., Hillaire-Clarke, C. S., Spruance, V., Horowitz, T. S., Vallejo, Y. F., & Langevin, H. M. (2021). The emerging science of interoception: Sensing, integrating, interpreting, and regulating signals within the self. Trends in Neurosciences, 44(1), 3–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2020.10.007
Craig, A. D. (Bud). (2014). How do you feel? An interoceptive moment with your neurobiological self. Princeton University Press.
Harrison, N. A., Garfinkel, S. N., Marlow, L., Finnegan, S. L., Marino, S., & Critchley, H. D. (2019). The embodiment of emotional feelings in the brain. Journal of Neuroscience, 39(18), 3497–3504. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3200-18.2019
Herbert, B. M., & Pollatos, O. (2012). The body in the mind: On the relationship between interoception and embodiment. Topics in Cognitive Science, 4(4), 692–704. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-8765.2012.01189.x
Khalsa, S. S., Adolphs, R., Cameron, O. G., Critchley, H. D., Davenport, P. W., Feinstein, J. S., Feusner, J. D., Garfinkel, S. N., Lane, R. D., Mehling, W. E., Meuret, A. E., Nemeroff, C. B., Oppenheimer, S., Petzschner, F. H., Pollatos, O., Rhudy, J. L., Schramm, L. P., Simmons, W. K., Stein, M. B., … Paulus, M. P. (2018). Interoception and mental health: A roadmap. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 3(6), 501–513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.12.004
Owens, A. P., Allen, M., Ondobaka, S., & Friston, K. J. (2018). Interoceptive inference: From computational neuroscience to clinic. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 90, 174–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.04.017
Price, C. J., & Hooven, C. (2018). Interoceptive awareness skills for emotion regulation: Theory and approach of mindful awareness in body-oriented therapy (MABT). Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 798. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00798
Quadt, L., Critchley, H. D., & Garfinkel, S. N. (2018). The neurobiology of interoception in health and disease. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1428(1), 112–128. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13915
Quigley, K. S., Kanoski, S., Grill, W. M., Barrett, L. F., & Tsakiris, M. (2021). Functions of interoception: From energy regulation to experience of the self. Trends in Neurosciences, 44(1), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2020.09.008
Schmitt, C. M., & Schoen, S. A. (2022). Interoception: A multi-sensory foundation of participation in daily life. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 16, 875200. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.875200
Sherrington, C. S. (1906). The integrative action of the nervous system. Yale University Press.
The Conversation. (2026, February 9). New research reveals humans could have as many as 33 senses. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 25, 2026 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260208233832.htm
Tsakiris, M., & de Preester, H. (Eds.). (2018). The interoceptive mind: From homeostasis to awareness. Oxford University Press.