#Interoception

A groundbreaking exploration of intuition reveals why that flutter in your stomach might actually be your brain’s sophisticated early warning system — but Thai health experts urge caution before abandoning logic for gut feelings.

Picture this familiar scenario: You’re walking through Bangkok’s crowded Chatuchak Market when suddenly your heart races and you feel an inexplicable urge to step aside. Seconds later, a motorcycle taxi speeds past exactly where you were standing. Was this mystical intuition, or something your brain detected before your conscious mind caught up?

A new wave of science suggests that the flutter in the stomach may be more than nerves—it could be the brain’s early warning system. Thai health experts urge caution, advising readers to blend instinct with evidence, especially in matters of health and safety.

Imagine strolling through Bangkok’s Chatuchak Market when your heart suddenly races. Moments later, a motorcycle whizzes past where you stood. Is this intuition, or did your brain sense danger before you consciously registered it? New research indicates both ancient Thai wisdom and modern neuroscience may be catching the same signal in different ways.

A groundbreaking new study published in the European Journal of Neuroscience is reshaping our understanding of how anxiety affects bodily awareness—especially among women. According to the research, women who experience high levels of anxiety are significantly less able to accurately interpret signals from their own bodies, such as subtle changes in breathing. This gender-specific effect is not seen in men, underscoring the need for more nuanced approaches to mental health, and has important implications for how Thai society addresses anxiety among women (source: Vice).

A new European study reshapes how we view anxiety’s effect on bodily awareness, especially among women. The research finds that high anxiety makes it harder for women to accurately interpret subtle bodily signals, such as small changes in breathing. Men did not show the same pattern, highlighting the need for gender-sensitive mental health strategies. In Thailand, these findings offer a scientific explanation for a common feeling many women describe—being “out of tune” with their bodies when stressed—and underscore the importance of inclusive screening and support within Thai health care.

A recent international study reveals that women experiencing moment-to-moment anxiety may have notably less insight into their internal bodily signals, such as breathing, compared with men. Published in the European Journal of Neuroscience and summarized by PsyPost, the findings offer fresh clues about why anxiety manifests differently across genders and could influence mental health approaches in Thailand and beyond.

In Thailand, anxiety rates are rising amid economic pressures, intense academic competition, and rapid social change. The World Health Organization notes that women are nearly twice as likely as men to develop anxiety disorders. Data from Thai health research mirrors this pattern among young people and working adults. The new study adds depth by showing that, beyond prevalence, women may struggle more with interoceptive insight—the ability to link internal sensations with emotions or mental states.

A groundbreaking international study has found women experiencing moment-to-moment anxiety may have significantly less insight into their own bodily sensations—specifically those related to breathing—than men do. The research, recently published in the European Journal of Neuroscience and highlighted by PsyPost, offers new clues into why anxiety feels and functions differently in men and women, raising important questions for mental health treatment in Thailand and beyond (PsyPost, 2025).

The significance of this finding comes as anxiety rates continue to soar in Thai society, amplified by the ongoing pressures of economic uncertainty, academic competition, and the social changes that come with a rapidly modernizing culture. According to the World Health Organization, women are already nearly twice as likely as men to develop anxiety disorders—an observation mirrored among Thai adolescents and working-age adults (WHO). Yet, this new research reveals that not only does anxiety’s prevalence differ by gender, but women may also uniquely struggle with “interoceptive insight”—the ability to connect their internal sensations, like breathing difficulty or chest tightness, with emotional or mental states.