How Yin Yoga trains your sense of interoception
One of the most profound yet often overlooked ways to restore balance and regulate our nervous system is through interoception—our ability to sense and interpret internal bodily signals.
There are many practices that help refine interoception, but the practice of Yin Yoga really stands out for me. As a deeply meditative, somatic approach that encourages listening to our internal landscape, Yin Yoga is an effective tool to develop this awareness.
What exactly is Interoception and why should I look into it?
Interoception is our ability to perceive and interpret sensations from within the body, like hunger, thirst, heartbeat, muscle tension or simply the need to take a deep breath. Just as we rely on external senses (sight, touch, hearing, etc.) to navigate the world, interoception helps us navigate our internal environment.
By recognizing and responding to physiological needs (like drinking water when you are thirsty rather than waiting until you feel dried up) we are in touch with our bodies, give our bodies what they need, which in turn tells our nervous system that we are safe. In this state, we can recognize and regulate our emotions easily and make decisions based on our body’s response.
How often do we do things because we THINK we should, because others do it too... we are overriding our body’s signals, or maybe we don’t even notice as we solely live in our heads, completely out of touch with our body’s sensations.
Interoception is a tool for Nervous System Regulation
The nervous system’s job is to constantly interpret signals from the body to determine whether we feel safe or threatened. With a poor interoceptive awareness you might override your body’s signals, and your nervous system notices this. If you do this on a regular basis, you move into a state of dysregulation, with a sense of disconnect between mind and body.
As you improve your interoceptive awareness, you shift to responding with awareness, you foster a sense of safety and presence in your body. You will recognize stress signals early and respond in ways that bring you back to balance.
How Yin Yoga Enhances Interoception
Yin Yoga is a mindful practice that develops interoceptive awareness. Yin slows us down and invites deep, subtle listening to the body as we linger in long, passive holds. We get the invitation to develop a heightened sensitivity to bodily sensations, such as the quality of stretch or the areas of deep-seated tension. With no outward distraction, we send our awareness in.
We learn to sit with discomfort rather than immediately reacting to it. This strengthens our ability to stay present with subtle bodily cues and emotions, rather than suppressing or avoiding them - an essential skill for nervous system regulation.
Long-held postures in Yin Yoga work on fascia and other connective tissues, where a lot of stress and emotions are stored. As we soften into a pose, sensations may shift, intensify or even come to the surface as the texture of these tissues changes. Our fascia is highly sensory and communicates with your nervous system.
The moment you become mindful of your body’s sensations, you are practicing interoception. Practice mindful Yin with me and explore your body’s language:
After all, the Yin practice is so valuable for a lot of us as we can finally relax into a pose and be with ourselves without distraction. When in your day do you get that?
How can we bring more of this interoceptive awareness into daily life?
Besides practicing Yin Yoga for refining interoception, you can also cultivate it in everyday life by:
Pausing to check in with your body throughout the day:
- what can you see, hear, smell?
- become aware of your breath – as you release a sigh look around and notice
- what is the sensation of the air touching your skin?
- can you soften your jaw and allow a gentle smile to appear on your face?
- Give yourself a hug feeling the touch or a gentle massage (temples, neck, jaw…)
Practicing mindful eating and drinking:
- noticing hunger / thirst and feed your body (not wait for hours)
Engaging in a body scan:
- when you wait for the bus/tram, wander through your body to explore sensations without judgment
- when you sit in the office, turn your head from side to side, feel the skin on the neck turn and notice
what you can see
- can you feel your feet on the earth?
If you’re looking to feel more embodied and emotionally regulated, add Yin Yoga to your evening routine. It doesn’t have to be a full hour, I usually practice around 30min at night. And I can tell you, your nervous system will thank you!