Why ‘Listen to Your Body’ Doesn’t Work for ADHD Women

“Listen to your body” sounds great—until it doesn’t. Here’s why ADHD women struggle with body cues, and how to rebuild trust your own way.

And how to build real trust with your body—on your terms.

“Just listen to your body.”
If I had a dollar for every time I heard that in a yoga class, a wellness post, or some self-help guidebook, I’d never worry about rent again.

It’s meant to sound simple. Empowering, even.
But for those of us with ADHD, that advice often leaves us feeling confused, ashamed, or like we’re somehow failing at being “in tune.”

When the Signals Are Muffled or Missing

I can’t count how many times I’ve sat at my desk for hours, completely absorbed in something—only to snap out of it and realize I haven’t moved, eaten, or had water all day. My shoulders are locked. My jaw is clenched. I’m fried.

And I teach yoga.

You’d think I’d be “good” at this. But the truth is, most wellness advice doesn’t account for how ADHD brains actually work.

Why “Listening to Your Body” Isn’t Always Accessible

We’re not broken. But we are wired differently—and the usual advice assumes we:

Notice signals in real time
Know what those signals mean
Are able to act on them immediately

That’s a big ask for a brain dealing with:

Time blindness
Executive dysfunction
Sensory overwhelm
Chronic masking or shame

Why We Tune Out

For many of us, ignoring our bodies isn’t failure—it’s survival.

We were taught to override signals in school, in family dynamics, in work culture.
To sit still when we needed to move.
To keep going when we were exhausted.
To be “good girls” or “focused workers” instead of full humans.

That survival mode becomes muscle memory.
Our bodies stopped trusting that we’d listen.
And we stopped trusting what they were saying.

For ADHD Brains, Signals Are Unreliable—Or Just Loud in the Wrong Places

You might feel everything all the time… except hunger. Or thirst. Or pain.

That’s because ADHD women often experience:

Interoception difficulties (missing or misreading internal signals)
Sensory overload (external input drowns out the body’s cues)
Stress-induced numbness (your body doesn’t register needs until it’s too late)

So when people say, “Just listen to your body,” and you can’t?
It’s not you. It’s not failure. It’s the gap between intention and access.

So What Does “Listening” Actually Look Like?

It’s not about tuning in perfectly.
It’s about rebuilding a language—slowly, without pressure.

Here’s how I help myself and my students start:

Micro Check-Ins

Once a day, pause and ask:

“What’s one thing I notice in my body right now?”
No fixing. No judgment. Just noticing.

Body Mapping

Instead of asking, “What hurts?” ask,

“What feels neutral?”
The weight of your feet. The texture of your sweater.
Neutral awareness builds trust—without triggering panic.

Sensory Rituals

Hold a warm mug.
Touch something textured.
Take one sip of water and actually feel it.

These are not wellness hacks.
They’re invitations back to yourself.

Wellness Isn’t a Test. It’s a Relationship.

I used to think I was broken because I couldn’t do things the “right” way.
The meal plans. The morning routines. The meditation apps.
But I’ve learned that ADHD women don’t need better advice—we need permission to do it differently.

No rigid schedules.
No shaming your restlessness.
No forcing your body to whisper louder just so you’ll finally listen.

Try This Today

Don’t try to hear your body all at once.
Just try to hear one thing.
One feeling. One sensation. One honest moment of connection.

That’s how it starts.

You’re not out of sync.
You’re not behind.
You’re just relearning the rhythm in a world that taught you to silence it.

Categories: : ROOT → Body & Energy, RISE → Intuition & Self-Trust