High Sensitivity: Understanding the Body's Signals

The Signals Are There. Have You Learned to Read Them?

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Body Awareness in High Sensitivity: Recognizing Signals

In the first part of Highly Sensitive Mini Series: High Sensitivity: Discovering and Embracing Your True Self, I shared my journey of discovering high sensitivity and how it has shaped both my life and my approach to parenting.

High Sensitivity: Discovering and Embracing Your True Self

Becoming aware of my high sensitivity has profoundly changed the way I understand my body and its responses. I now recognize that the physical discomfort and pains I’ve experienced for so long are my body’s way of telling me that something needs to change, either within me or in my surroundings. My body sends strong, clear signals when things are out of balance, guiding me back to equilibrium.

What I’ve learned is that my body acts almost like a highly sensitive receptor, alerting me to even the smallest disturbances. In the past, I would push against these uncomfortable sensations—pressing or stretching areas of pain, believing that I needed to endure them. However, I’ve since realized that doing so only aggravated these sensitive spots. Instead, I’ve come to understand that my body is asking for gentleness, for less force and more attention to its needs.

One common sensation I’ve described to my therapists is the feeling of tension throughout my body, almost as if I were being pulled inward—my back constricting, urging me to make myself smaller than I truly am. This ongoing tension made me realize that I was pushing my body too hard, mentally and physically, and that it simply could not handle the constant strain I was placing on it.

My body wasn’t built to withstand the demands I had placed on it—mentally and physically, both consciously and those imposed by society. It needed rest, time, and my permission to recover.

Resilience Through Rest and Recovery

After becoming more aware of how my body was reacting, I consciously allowed myself a period of rest—a whole winter where I prioritized my well-being over my usual activities. I no longer forced myself to keep going. I gave myself permission to say no to certain obligations, to lie down in the middle of the day, and to let go of the constant pressure I had placed on myself. This break from my usual routine was not something I felt guilty about—it was necessary for me.

Mentally, I made significant progress through therapy during this time. Allowing myself to step back from the usual demands of life enabled me to listen more deeply to my body and respond to its needs without hesitation. And this approach truly helped. As a highly sensitive person, I realized that I feel fatigue earlier, or perhaps more intensely, than what might be considered the norm. But I no longer see this as a burden. Instead of pushing my body to perform beyond its limits, I now listen and respond before the signals become too loud to ignore.

Being highly sensitive has given me the gift of early awareness—my body speaks before it reaches the point of illness or severe pain, and I now choose to listen.

Navigating Emotional Boundaries as a Highly Sensitive Person

In addition to the physical aspects of high sensitivity, I’ve also come to understand the emotional impact. My sensitivity allows me to be a good listener; people naturally confide in me, sharing their problems and their deepest feelings. And while I try to approach every situation with understanding, I’m not a therapist, and sometimes I realize that I quickly form opinions about what could help them. However, the deeper challenge lies in my ability to absorb others’ emotions as if they were my own.

I describe my personal experience with this also in previous posts, such as: Contact Parenting: Supporting Your Child Through New Experiences.

I’ve often found myself completely immersed in someone else’s emotional world, to the point where their pain, stress, or joy feels like my own. This is particularly true within my family, where the emotional bonds are strongest. It’s as if I take on the full weight of their feelings, mixing them with my own emotions and experiences. The result is a tremendous internal pressure that I didn’t even realize was building for much of my life. Only recently have I become aware that this way of deeply experiencing others' emotions can be harmful to me. Taking on others' emotions creates not only an emotional burden but also a physical one. I’ve found that when I absorb others’ emotional energy, it sometimes manifests in physical symptoms such as tension or fatigue. It’s as though the emotional weight transfers into my body. I might feel heaviness in my shoulders or lower back, tense muscles, headache or feeling too big for my body.

For most of my life, I absorbed others' emotions without realizing it, never knowing that this could be damaging.

But it’s not only the difficult emotions that affect me. I’m easily moved by joy, celebrations, and even the happiness of strangers. Whether it’s watching a major sports victory or seeing a crowd filled with excitement, I can feel the emotions intensely, even if I have no direct connection to the event. This sensitivity extends to my child as well—feeling her emotions allows me to respond appropriately and offer her the support she needs. People tend to feel good around me, and this has drawn many close relationships into my life, while also helping me distance myself from those who aren’t a good fit for my emotional world.

Honoring Emotional Health

In my journey as a highly sensitive person, I’ve come to realize that maintaining emotional health is just as important as physical well-being. Absorbing others' emotions can take a significant toll, so I've learned to honor my own emotions first. It’s about recognizing that, while I can be empathetic and supportive, I must protect my own emotional space to avoid being overwhelmed. I often have conversations with myself, asking which feelings are truly mine and what state I was in just before the other person or situation came into play. This helps me maintain distance and understand myself better.

Protecting Personal Energy: Setting Emotional Boundaries

One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to learn is how to protect myself by setting emotional boundaries. I now understand that I don’t need to carry the emotional weight of others, even though I naturally empathize with their experiences. Instead, I focus on finding a balance between offering support and preserving my own emotional health. This recognition has been a critical step toward a healthier emotional life, and while it’s still an ongoing process, it has brought me a new sense of balance. I still struggle with being aware of my need for boundaries but not always being able to place them firmly between myself and the other person. I’m still on my way, though.

Learning to prioritize my emotional well-being allows me to be there for others without losing myself in their experiences.

How Do You Navigate Sensitivity and Resilience?

• Have you experienced similar challenges with emotional or physical boundaries as a highly sensitive person?

• How do you maintain balance in your daily life?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and insights. Let’s continue to share our journeys as we learn how to thrive in a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming.

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Stay Tuned for the Final Part of This Series on High Sensitivity and the Importance of Solitude

In the final part of Highly Sensitive Mini Series I’ll explore the vital role that solitude and self-care play in maintaining balance as a highly sensitive person. I’ll share how embracing alone time has become essential for my emotional and mental well-being.