Introceptive

The Interoceptive system (the sense of how we “feel”)

Our interoceptive system is responsible for understanding and feeling what is going on inside our bodies. Sensations such as hunger, thirst, bathroom needs, heart rate, breathing rate, temperature, and emotional regulation are all part of this system. Gradually, children learn to recognise different internal feelings in their body. As a result, they begin to develop an internal literacy so that they can respond to particular feelings in adaptive ways, for example if they feel cold, they know to put on warm clothing or get a blanket. Our interoceptive system helps us to regulate our emotional self so that if our feelings become heightened, we can work out a way back to an emotionally calm, stable state.

How does the Interoceptive System affect Emotions?

Emotions are linked to physical sensations in our bodies. For example, when you feel anxious you may feel like you have butterflies in your stomach or when you notice that someone has put graffiti on your front fence, you will feel angry. Your heart will beat quickly, your muscles will tighten, and you will start getting hot. Interoception is recognising these sensations. This is how interoception is linked to our emotional system. It has been proven that our ability to read our own physical signs is directly related to how well we can identify and self-regulate our emotional states. For example, if you can feel your self-getting tense from anger, you know to slow down and take a few deep breaths. Being able to read your own physical signs and emotional states, directly impacts our ability to read another person’s physical and emotional state.

Interoception and Sensory Processing Disorder

A well-functioning interoceptive system can sense what the body needs and act to maintain the body in a state of homeostasis. However, the interoceptive system like all the other sensory systems can have processing difficulties. A person may be over-responsive to interoceptive inputs. E.g. they may have a heightened reaction to pain. Someone who is under-responsive to interoceptive inputs may not feel pain until it hits a really intense level.

Difficulties with one or more of the following:

We need to be able to process internal signals, such as a racing heartbeat or a tense stomach, in order to understand what we are feeling and why. People who experience differences to their interoceptive system may have difficulty in processing these internal signals. This results in a lack of understanding about why they are feeling as they do, which creates a stress response. This, in turn, can make the internal signals even more intense. Differences in interoceptive awareness can significantly impact on emotional intelligence and mental health. Improving interoceptive awareness may reduce meltdowns and challenging behaviors and improve self-regulation.

• Recognising when hungry, full or thirsty
• Identifying when tired
• Toilet training (daytime and/or night time)
• Overly sensitive to pain or high pain threshold
• Pinpointing symptoms of illness
• Identifying emotions in self or others 
• Recognising signs of distress as they build up

You can view strategies for interoception under the Resources section.

Activities to support children with developing interoception:

The following is a list of activities that can be used to help build body awareness and teach children how to notice the things happening inside their bodies.

• Provide regular opportunities for extended exercise and ‘heavy work’ activities, such as pushing a loaded wheelbarrow, carrying a large water bottle, sweeping up or digging. The adult should draw the child’s attention to their body sensations after the exercise, such as their heart racing, fast breathing, and feeling hot. After 5 minutes of rest, talk to the child about the changes in their body as it reverts to normal.
• Yoga’s focus on listening to your body and providing good vestibular and proprioceptive input is helpful for interoception. It encourages children to slow down, pay attention to the present and become aware of how their body is feeling.
• Any activities that involve mindfulness make great interoception activities for children because mindfulness is all about being in the present moment. Sitting still for a minute or two and focusing on an object, such as a snow globe or listening to the surrounding sounds are good ways to help children actively ‘notice’. Use visual prompts to practice ‘flower and candle’ breathing. Teach the child to pretend to smell the flower (take a deep breath in), and then blow the candles out (blowing a deep breath out).
• Play simple games with emotions cards or toys. As well as teaching the child about the names of different emotions, talk about how each emotion makes someone feel physically.
• Children who struggle with interoceptive input often have difficulty with temperature regulation, for example they may not realise that they need to wear a coat in cold weather. Provide plastic drinks bottles, one filled with ice cold water and one with hot tap water (with the cap securely fastened) for the child to explore. Talk with them about hot and cold and how the bottles feel to touch and hold. Another helpful activity is to have dressing up clothes for different weather conditions and to play games to practise dressing for the weather.
• Use visual prompts to support the child’s understanding of needing the toilet, knowing how often to get a drink, remembering when it is time to eat or that they need to wear a coat to play outside etc. Use these consistently throughout the day.
• Social stories are also a great way to talk about concepts that may be hard for children with interoceptive difficulties to understand and remember. These can be designed to focus specifically on toilet training, temperature regulation or feeling hungry or thirsty etc.