Interoception
The hidden sense that tells you what's happening inside your body — hunger, thirst, temperature, heartbeat — and some brains read those signals differently.
The sense that tells you what is happening inside your body — hunger, thirst, temperature, heart rate, the need for the toilet, tiredness. A 'hidden' sense that most people take for granted. In autism and SPD, interoception often works differently — signals may be muted (not noticing hunger until faint) or amplified (overwhelming awareness of heartbeat).
How it works
Your brain receives signals from inside your body through a network of internal sensors. When interoception works differently, you might not notice hunger until you're shaking, or miss signs of illness until they're severe. This also affects emotional awareness, since many emotions are felt as body sensations first.
Think of it like
It's like having a dashboard with some gauges working perfectly and others stuck or delayed — you're driving fine, but the fuel gauge surprises you.
What it feels like
You forget to eat, don't realise you're cold, or can't tell if you're anxious or just hungry. Your body sends signals, but they don't always arrive clearly.