We talk about fitness. We talk about mindset. But what if the missing piece to movement, resilience and health is something we barely think about?
Interoception, the sense of what’s happening inside our bodies, shapes how we think, feel and move. It’s why gut feelings exist. It’s why chronic pain can persist even when injuries heal. It’s why some people can read a room before a word is spoken.
In the final episode of the 4th season of the ‘Make Movement Matter’ podcast, I’m joined once again by my first ever podcast guest, science journalist Caroline Williams to talk about her fascinating new book, ‘Inner Sense: How the new science of interoception can transform your health”. We explore the hidden power of interoception and how tuning into your internal signals can change everything from movement to mental health. We talk about vibrating pills (yes, really), flotation tanks, gut-brain science and how elite professionals use body awareness as their secret weapon.
This episode may make you rethink everything you thought you knew about ‘listening to your body.’
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Interoception
02:59 The Importance of Interoception in Health
06:12 Research Journey and Personal Experiences
09:11 Flotation Therapy and Body Awareness
15:03 Chronic Pain and Interoception
18:05 The Vibrating Pill Experiment
21:03 Movement and Interoception Connection
32:37 Understanding Body Awareness and Movement
35:19 Tools for Enhancing Interoception
39:00 The Benefits and Risks of Cold Water Exposure
41:46 The Societal Impact of Emotional Awareness
44:26 Linking Interoception and Emotions
46:57 Stress and Its Effects on Health
49:02 Movement Practices for Enhanced Awareness
50:57 The Role of the Vagus Nerve
53:15 The Importance of Gut Feelings in Decision Making
58:18 The Broader Implications of Interoception
About this week’s guest:
Caroline Williams
Caroline Williams is a science journalist, editor and author based in the UK. She is a consultant and regular contributor to New Scientist magazine, covering neuroscience, health and nature-based stories. Her work has also appeared in the Guardian, The Times, The Telegraph, BBC Future, BBC Earth and the Boston Globe, among others.
She is the author of two books: Move! and Override, and is the editor of two of New Scientist’s Instant Expert Guides: How Your Brain Works: Inside the most complicated object in the known universe and Your Conscious Mind: Unravelling the greatest mystery of the human brain. She also edited New Scientist’s Essential Guide to the Brain.
Caroline has spent the past few years researching how body movements can dramatically change the way we think and feel, visiting scientists in their labs all over the world and meeting expert movers, from yoga gurus to stuntmen and from dancers to ultra-marathon runners.
She gets her own movement fix from yoga, paddle-boarding, mountain biking and walking her New Zealand sheepdog cross, Jango.
Caroline’s third and latest book “Inner Sense: How the new science of interoception can transform your health” is available for pre-sale now, wherever you buy your books.
Connect here:
Website: carolinewilliams.net
Instagram: https://instagram.com/carolinewilliams_science
X: https://x.com/sciencecaroline
If you enjoyed this conversation with Caroline, you can listen to our previous conversation: Episode #1: How Movement Impacts the Mind; Exploring the Science Behind this Key Connection with Caroline Williams
