Interoception: the sixth sense we use to read hidden signals from our body

At every moment, your body’s internal organs are sending signals to your brain. You’ll be mostly unaware of them, but sometimes they cut through: for example when you’re hungry, or when you need to go to the bathroom. Our ability to tap into these hidden signals is called interoception – sometimes known as a sixth sense. In this episode, we speak to a cognitive neuroscientist and expert on interoception about how new research on this connection between our minds and bodies could lead to breakthroughs in mental and physical healthcare. 

Featuring Sarah Garfinkel, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London in the UK, and Vivian Lam, associate health and biomedicine editor at The Conversation in the US.

This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood with production assistance from Mend Mariwany. Eloise Stevens does our sound design, and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. The executive producer is Gemma Ware. Full credits available here. A transcript is now available. Sign up to a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.

Further reading and listening:

• Do you eat with your eyes, your gut or your brain? A neuroscientist explains how to listen to your hunger during the holidays
• How signals from your body could be making you anxious
• Monkeys can sense their own heartbeats, an ability tied to mental health, consciousness and memory in humans