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Interoception: What It Really Means to Listen to Our Bodies

In our everyday lives, filled with constant stimuli, we often find it difficult to listen to our bodies. Yet, our "inner sense" holds untapped potential for our physical and mental health. Biologist and science journalist Caroline Williams intentionally turns her focus inward and demonstrates in her entertaining and accessible book how the new science of interoception can help us better understand ourselves and others, and to "feel."

We instinctively make decisions, follow our "sixth sense," and spontaneously choose one thing or another—simply because we feel it is right—while we intuitively reject other options. It is the impressions from within our bodies that guide us: Our body tells us when we are hungry, when we are cold, or how we should behave in situations that trigger panic or stress. All of this is interoception: the perception and interpretation of signals from our inner body by our brain and nervous system.

Caroline Williams provides insight into this fascinating new field of research and uncovers remarkable findings: Interoception is the foundation of our ability to empathize, can elevate our physical well-being and stress management to a new level, and allows for an unobstructed connection to body and mind. The best part: This inner sense can be trained.