What Is Gut Feeling?

Have you ever sensed something you believe is true even without proving it? If yes, then what you had was gut feeling.

A gut feeling is an instinctive emotional reaction towards a certain person, object, or situation. A person who has a gut feeling over something couldn't point out the reason why he feels that way. He just does. Gut feelings are thoughts coming from the brain's insular cortex and are not generated by consciousness. They are described as reflections of intuition.

Moreover, gut feeling can also pertain to common sense and perception of what is the right thing to do. For example, an individual's instinct is to stop a person from crossing the street when a vehicle is coming. Or, a person would typically avoid walking in dark alleys as precautionary measures. Those instincts are also considered gut feelings.

Why is it called a gut feeling? This is a question asked by many and to answer this is to explain the origin of the phrase. The term originates from the fact that people who are having strong feelings and emotions often feel the impact on their gut, or their stomach area. The gut is also an area where a network of interconnected neurons can be found. This network is the nervous system's second-largest such network, next to that located in the brain.

Many people rely on their gut feelings to make a decision. They often follow and act on these feelings because they strongly believe in them.

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