What are the common barriers to body wisdom?
What is body wisdom?
- Body wisdom is our ability to be aware of and respond adaptively to our body’s inner experiences.
- Unlike the mind that communicates through thought and imagery, human bodies communicate through felt-senses.
- Felt-senses are feelings, sensations, states and signals that indicate we are having an experience.
- Interoceptive awareness is a sensory function that allows us to feel our feelings. You can read more about interoceptive awareness here.
- An example of body wisdom is experiencing dryness of the throat or noticing an urge to drink liquid, then recognising this as thirst and responding by having a drink.
- Another example of body wisdom is feeling withdrawn or noticing a sense of emptiness, then recognising this as sadness and responding by having a cry or seeking comfort from a loved one.
What are the effects of being connected to our body?
When we are connected to our body, it has powerful effects on our general wellbeing including:
- Enhanced physical health as we accurately identify and meet our body’s needs.
- Improved emotional regulation as we notice our feelings and learn to soothe them.
- Balanced and healthy thought processes as we recognise how thoughts affect our functioning.
- Authentic decision making as we make choices that align to what feels right for us.
- Better sleep quality as our brains are not trying to sort out our problems as we sleep.
- Increased self-compassion as we develop an understanding and respect for our humanity.
- Resilience to pain and trauma as we give our body the rest and care it needs to heal.
What are the common barriers to body wisdom?
Body wisdom has clear benefits for our wellbeing but here are some common barriers to tuning into our bodies:
Difficulties with body awareness-
Many people have difficulties with interoceptive awareness and so can’t always pick up on their body’s states or sensations. Individuals who are neurodivergent often experience this difficulty. Also when people experience painful or traumatic events, it can shut down bodily signalling and produce a pervasive sense of numbness or detachment from what is going on in the body.
Behavioural conditioning-
From infancy, we are conditioned to respond to our body based on what we learn from our interactions with others in the world. This starts most notably with our parents, siblings and extended family and as we get older, it continues with teachers, peers, coaches and the media. Conditioning takes place by making associations, being positively reinforced or receiving negative consequences. Examples of behavioural conditioning include doing more sport to receive praise or eating less to avoid being teased.
Disconnection from the present moment-
When we are distracted by our fast-paced, technology-fuelled lifestyles, or preoccupied with the multiple demands of work or family life, it can disconnect us from the present moment. This can make it difficult to hear what our bodies are telling us or can cause us to delay our response to subtle body signals until they become more urgent or impact our functioning.
Information overload-
We are well and truly in the age of information and constantly exposed to conflicting advice, opinions, and theories about health, diet, and well-being. This flood of information can create confusion and decision paralysis as we struggle to work out what information is most relevant to meet our unique needs. This can impede how we respond to our body if we feel overwhelmed by choice and don’t want to get it wrong.
Influencer or media appeal-
Similar to above, there is no shortage of influencers who constantly peddle different products or services in the name of weight loss, wellness or beauty. It can be incredibly valuable to seek out guidance from appropriately trained professionals or reliable evidence-based sources (e.g. books, podcasts) but it needs to be balanced out with the opportunity to listen to one’s body. For example, a popular exercise regimen may have an evidence base for improving a certain health condition, however if the regimen causes undue stress for your body, then it’s not the right one for you despite the evidence.
Fear or anxiety-
Fear of body change can make us resistant to listening to what our bodies need. We may fear losing control or becoming complacent about our health or weight. We may then fear our predicted catastrophic outcomes such as being humiliated or rejected. These fears can override our body’s cues and influence us to choose what is controllable or familiar. As an example, a fear of gaining weight may mean that we stick to the same daily intake, even if on certain days our body needs more or varying fuel.
What can happen if these barriers continue to hinder body wisdom?
These are some possible outcomes of continually having our body wisdom blocked:
- Increased susceptibility to illness and/or injury
- Increased stress and decreased immunity
- Experience of mental health conditions
- Increased chance of using unhelpful coping behaviours
- Loss of motivation with work, family or life goals
- Strained personal or professional relationships
- Disenchantment with our lives or pervasive feelings of existential emptiness
- Missed opportunities for self-discovery and personal growth
Key points
- Body wisdom arises from our awareness of and response to our body’s felt senses and is essential for our general physical and mental wellbeing.
- There are many internal and external factors that can act as barriers to accessing our body’s wisdom.
- Internal factors include our capacity for interoceptive awareness, our conditioning and our fears. External factors include our use of technology, information overload and the influence of media influencers.
- If your body wisdom is continually blocked, it can have detrimental effects on your health and functioning.
