47 People Who Felt A Sensation Something Was Off And They Were Right

We often don't realize just how hard our body and brain are working to keep us alive. One of the things at play is our gut instinct. It's been that way since the dawn of time.

“Long before we had the ability to rationalize or weigh up pros and cons, our ancestors relied on fast, instinctive responses to threats,” explains psychologist, Smriti Joshi. “Today, we still benefit from that wiring. Gut instinct helps us respond quickly when something feels off, even if we can’t immediately explain why.”

Joshi and other experts say that gut instinct is your brain’s way of processing information quickly and subconsciously to ensure your survival.

“[It’s] processing all the things in the environment; the time of day, how well it’s lit, how well it’s not lit, the pace the person’s walking, for example, the shadows, the tone and a hundred other things," says Joel Pearson, a neuroscientist and psychologist at the University of New South Wales.

Pearson has been studying intuition for more than 25 years and is the author of a book called The Intuition Toolkit. He says our intuition is hard at work even when we don't realize it. For example, when deciding whether or not to eat at a certain restaurant.

According to the expert, your brain makes predictions based on prior learning, situations you’ve been in, and even movies you’ve watched, along with everything that you’ve been through in your life.

“You’ve been to hundreds of cafes before and your brain’s processed all those things – the temperature, the music, the hairstyles, the coffee machine, the this, the that, how clean the floor is, how clean the windows are – and you just learned that some of those things predict better food and better coffee,” he explains.

Joshi has a similar explanation. She says intuition is shaped by a combination of biological wiring and life experience.

“We often think of it as a feeling that comes from nowhere, but in reality, it’s your nervous system picking up on subtle cues — changes in facial expression, tone of voice, body language — and matching them to patterns stored from past experiences," the psychologist told Refinery29.com.

When it comes to keeping us out of dangers, Joshi says our brains create shortcuts based on what has felt safe or unsafe for us in the past. "That’s why gut instinct feels so personal: it’s not just general intuition, it’s your intuition, shaped by your own story,” she reveals.

Because your gut instinct is unique to you and your own lived experiences, there are times it might lead you astray. For example, those who've suffered past trauma, or those with anxiety or unconscious bias, could find their intuition going into overdrive and sending sirens for for all the wrong reasons. "It’s also possible for gut instinct to misfire when we’re overly stressed or tired,” reveals Joshi.

However, she adds that it is possible to fine-tune your gut instinct. This takes introspection and self-awareness. Joshi suggests asking yourself, "Is this feeling rooted in fear, in pattern recognition, or something else?”

Even some police officers and society/">crime experts advise that we listen to our inner voice. “Gut instinct is a powerful thing and we often hear of women who felt a sense of danger or unease in situations when they were right to listen to their gut and get help,” reveals Maggie Blyth, a temporary chief constable in Britain who has been recognized for was recognised for her work in tackling violence against women and girls.

Blyth says it's important to inform police if something "doesn’t feel quite right” so they can investigate it themselves. “It’s never wasting police time,” she adds.

Your intuition is one of the most powerful tools when it comes to self-defence, say the experts at Synergy Martial Arts.

"Your intuition is your body’s natural alarm system, alerting you to potential dangers before your conscious mind even recognizes them," notes the site. "For women, understanding and trusting this instinct can be a crucial factor in avoiding dangerous situations."

Synergy's team advises that if you ever find yourself in a situation where you feel uncomfortable or uneasy, it’s essential to pay attention to those feelings.

"Your body and mind are picking up on something that might not be immediately obvious, and trusting that instinct can be the difference between staying safe and encountering danger," they warn, stressing that when it comes to your personal safety, it's okay to excuse yourself from a situation.

"[It's] not an overreaction—it’s a smart and proactive choice," reads the site.