Ironically, even those who do not exercise regularly are well aware of the mental, physical and physiological benefits of it. Benefits of exercise is one of the well-researched, extensively documented and widely acknowledged facts. Tossed in everyday conversations almost like a cliché. However, a new study goes a step ahead and claims that physical movement does far more than just enhance our overall health. As per the study published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise, regular aerobic exercise can sharpen what experts call “the eighth sense.”
What exactly is the eighth sense?
Eighth sense is the ability to detect and understand signals from inside one’s own body. While pain, numbness, difficulty of movement or external inflammation can be easily seen, felt and perceived by a human mind, the eighth sense sharpens and deepens a person’s connection with their body. It is the ability to feel the hidden or what’s inside the body that humans rarely talk about. The signals from inside the body, can be intuitively perceived by mind and this skill is known as interoception. This skill of interoception, scientists say, could be the missing link between physical activity and better mental health.
While the sixth sense is widely accepted and acknowledged in pop culture, experts say we also have other senses. The seventh sense is balance (vestibular sense) and the eighth sense is interoception, the ability to feel what’s unfolding within the body.
The study, in nutshell
The study specifically pertains aerobic exercise, continuous physical movement that increases heart rate, oxygen levels and engages large muscle groups. The findings further suggest that just three sessions a week of moderate aerobic exercise contributes to increased interoceptive abilities.
The researchers ran a 12-week study with young adult participants who were not physically active by dividing them into two groups — those who cycled thrice a week and others who continued with their routine.
The exercise programme was split into two phases; while the first six weeks consisted of moderate activity, the second phase involved intense activity. After the first phase of the programme, the researchers made the participants try and count their own heartbeats without checking the pulse. Notably, the participants who exercised were able to gauge their pulse count far more correctly. They also felt more confident and aware of their body functions.
Can the eighth sense be instrumental in timely diagnosis?
This has not been the only study to be conducted into investigating the eighth sense. Back in 2014, a paper by renowned psychologist Vivien Ainley noted that subjects with high interoception were quick to copy the hand movements of those they were in conversation with, also known as mirroring.
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But perhaps, among the first few studies on the subject was the one by German psychologist Rainer Schandry in early 1980s. He wondered whether some people were better equipped at perceiving their bodily processes than others. He asked a group of participants to count their heartbeats simply by sensing them. It was found that some of the participants could sense their heartbeat rate far more accurately. Interestingly, it was also found that those who did so were more likely to report anxiety.
Understanding of one’s health and internal awareness is crucial for regulating health, timely medical intervention and making better decisions. When eighth sense is not as astute, health issues like anxiety, depression, eating disorders can show up. Being better equipped to know what’s going on inside the body is the key to informed, timely medical decisions.
“For a long time we knew almost nothing at a molecular and cellular level about interoception,” Harvard Medical School’s magazine quotes Stephen Liberles, professor of cell biology in the Blavatnik Institute at HMS. Researchers are increasingly exploring the molecular underpinnings of mind-body links. These reshape how we understand ourselves and our physique and eventually it matters.
With several studies having been conducted into the subject, cognitive-behavioural therapists are also increasingly using a technique called interoceptive exposure to induce physical sensations of a panic attack, thereby allowing the therapists to train patients on what to do and how to cope when a real one arises. By understanding our bodies, human beings can be better equipped to deal with physiological and psychological triggers and learn how to regulate them.
Neuroscience journals have been dedicating special issues to interoception and research is piling up fast. That “listen to your heart” statement could have a far deeper and literal meaning than just maudlin advice. It could be lifesaving too.
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