by Dr. Abha Rajbhandari & Mirabelle D'Cunha

On Saturday, 11th November 2023, over 1000 neuroscientists attended a conference in DC on Interoception to discuss their latest findings. They needed research areas on a subject that turned the old basis of neuroscience on its head.

You see, so far, neuroscientists believed in the top-down approach, meaning the brain makes all the decisions and sends commands to the body. This is the case, but the brain makes those commands based on the incoming information from the body.

New areas of research on the biological mechanisms of the brain and body communication are unraveling that the way we think about the brain must be shifted and geared toward understanding how the brain receives information from the body. This paradigm shift has huge implications for the present and future understanding of health and well-being.

This communication between the brain and body is something that the study and practice of yoga had understood over 5000 years ago. It is the basis of yoga practice as I learned it in India, but that got lost in its journey to the West.

This discovery is essential for you because

• it is closely linked to various aspects of physical health, including immune function, digestion, and cardiovascular health

• it plays a key role in self-regulation, influencing your ability to respond to stressors and challenges effectively

• it empowers you to recognize and interpret signals from the body, a connection crucial for managing stress, anxiety, and emotional regulation.

This sense is called Interoception

Interoception is the ability of the brain, mind, and nervous system to sense and process what's going on inside our bodies.

This understanding facilitates improved actions and decision-making, allowing for adaptive responses to the body's internal state.

3 Benefits to You

1. Physical Health
   Developing interception can help with food choices, comfort eating, immune function, and digestion.

   It can also result in better regulation of blood pressure and heart rate.

2. Exercise & injury prevention

   Enhanced body awareness reduces the risk of injuries during physical activities.

   Improved posture and movement patterns.

3. Longevity:

   Studies suggest a link between interoception and increased lifespan.

   Mindful living through interoceptive awareness contributes to overall longevity.

Neuroscience of Interoception

The process of Interoception is rooted in several brain areas and most importantly the insular cortex, a region associated with self-awareness and emotional regulation. The insular cortex integrates information from the brainstem, which in turn receives information from the bodily organs, allowing us to sense hunger, pain, heartbeat, and more.

What latest neuroscience says about interoception

• The field of neuroscience that previously focused on the brain circuit mechanisms for mental health conditions like depression, post-traumatic stress, and panic disorders is recognizing that there is more to these conditions than brain circuits or changes in the neuromodulators of the brain. 
  

• Increasing research through the National Institute of Health is now geared toward understanding the biological mechanisms of interoception. For instance, some active areas of investigation include how alterations in gut functions affect mood or if changes in heart rate functions can alter activity in brain areas that regulate emotions, or the brain region like the insular cortex that receives interoceptive information can be altered to in turn affect mood and reactions to stressors. 

• Interoception plays a crucial role in emotional awareness and regulation. Being attuned to internal bodily signals allows us to recognize and manage emotional responses, allowing for adaptive coping strategies.

• The brain and body work together at all times, with the bodily organs sending signals from environmental or internal changes to the brain. The brain regions, in turn, work together to coordinate the incoming information from the body, allowing decision-making and appropriate actions.

• Increasing scientific evidence indicates that regular yogā and meditation can alter mood, heart rate, rumination, and blood pressure. Hence, through cultivating self-awareness, yogā, and meditation affect physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. 

Interoception in Yogā

Authentic tradition-vetted yogā is rooted in interoception as a foundational practice for transcendence.

Moment-to-moment awareness of interoception allows us to notice how our perceptions change the experience of our body. We develop the ability to reframe our perceptions and shift our body's experience.

Developing interoception in yogā is the way to transcend the limitations of our biology. This is, in part what is referred to in common parlance, as "realizing our full potential".

How yogā practices develop interoception?

We often say yoga is a work-in, not a work-out. This is a brief overview of the intelligent process of yogā and how it supports the development of interception and why.

• Before practice, lying on the mat, we scan the body, observing sensations of heaviness, lightness, pain, and ease, while tuning into the breath. These actions lead us straight into interoceptive awareness, shifting our focus from the mind and overthinking to the body and the present moment.
  

• Once established in the physicality of asana, we deepen our focus on regulating our breath through various practices, activating the pons in the brain stem where breath is regulated. This enables us to observe and regulate the breath, creating a sense of safety and balance in the nervous system. Interoception assists in monitoring these changes.
  

• In Āsana or yogic postures, we progress from gross to subtle interoceptive awareness. We begin with physical awareness, focusing on balance, movement, alignment, and length. We then shift to a deeper awareness of breath, aligning it with movement. The subsequent stage involves reflecting on the asana experience, allowing its effects to penetrate the soma and nervous system. Finally, we delve into contemplation and self-inquiry, exploring deeper subtleties. For instance, in shoulder stand, we may question, "What responsibilities am I shouldering that aren't mine to carry and why?"
  

• These initial yogic practices aim at pratyāhāra, drawing the senses inward. Why? To cultivate nuanced internal awareness, paving the way for dhāraṇā or concentration through focus on interoception. Once established, we can delve deeper into dhyānā or meditation. Meditation offers heightened clarity by transcending the dichotomy of left-brain-right-brain thinking. It frees perception from the limitations of conditioning and self-image.
  

• In daily life, off the mat, cultivating moment-to-moment interoceptive awareness helps us observe how our perceptions influence our body's experience. We may enquire "Does this thought create a sense of safety in my body?" This practice empowers us to skillfully reframe our perceptions, positively shifting our body's experience.

Integrating interoception

As we unravel the science behind interoception, the next step is to integrate it into our lives. Sign up for our meditation course to embark on a journey toward enhanced interoceptive awareness. It's time to prioritize your well-being and unlock the potential for a healthier, more fulfilling life.

In just three minutes, you've gained valuable insights into the importance of interoception. Now, take the next step towards a healthier and more connected you.

Sign up today!

About the authors

Dr. Abha Rajbhandari is a neuroscientist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City.

At Icahn Abha studies the brain, vagus nerve, and body mechanisms of fear, stress, and energy metabolism to understand how the brain and body interact with each other in regulating these functions.

Her research focuses on developing novel therapeutic avenues for post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Mirabelle supports brave and busy people to experience clarity, vitality, and contentment through lifestyle changes, breathwork & co-meditation.

She draws on 20 years of experience in lineaged yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, and biometric techniques for stress management, supporting people to overcome insomnia, anxiety, depression, mental fog, and chronic fatigue.

Read more about her on her website.

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