There are moments when something just doesn’t feel quite right in your body. You might feel unsettled, overwhelmed, or disconnected, without a clear reason why. And when you try to explain it, it can feel difficult to put into words.

For many people, particularly those who are neurodivergent or have ADHD, this experience is not uncommon.

What’s often missing from the conversation is how much of this might not just sit in the mind, but in the body too.

What Is Hypermobility?

When people hear the term hypermobility, it’s often associated with flexibility. Being able to do the splits or bending joints further than expected. But hypermobility is about more than that.

It’s a difference in connective tissue, which is found throughout the entire body. This means it can influence not just joints, but also:

• The digestive system
• The cardiovascular system
• The nervous system

And importantly, how the body sends and processes internal signals.

The Connection Between Hypermobility and Neurodivergence

Research is increasingly exploring the relationship between hypermobility and neurodivergence, including ADHD and autism.

For some individuals, this connection may show up through:

• Increased sensitivity to internal body sensations
• Difficulties identifying or interpreting those sensations
• Fluctuations in energy, focus, and emotional regulation

This is where the idea of interoception becomes important.

What is Interoception?

Interoception is the ability to notice and interpret internal body signals. This includes sensations such as:

• Hunger and fullness
• Heart rate
• Temperature
• The need to rest

For many people with ADHD or other forms of neurodivergence, interoception can feel inconsistent. You might not notice hunger until it feels urgent or feel overwhelmed without being able to identify why.

When these internal signals are difficult to interpret, it can lead to a sense of uncertainty, which can then feel like anxiety or distress.

Where Eating Disorders Can Fit Into This Picture

When we start to consider the overlap between hypermobility, neurodivergence, and ADHD, it becomes easier to understand how eating patterns might also be affected.

For example:

• Eating may feel unpredictable or difficult to regulate
• Hunger cues may not feel reliable
• Food may become a way of managing internal discomfort

For some, restrictive patterns can temporarily reduce overwhelming internal sensations. Not because they are helpful long-term, but because they change how the body feels in the moment.

Without understanding the underlying mechanisms, this can feel confusing or even frustrating.

Proprioception and Feeling Out of Sync

Alongside interoception is proprioception, which relates to how we understand where our body is in space.

Some people experience a sense of being:

• Out of sync with their body
• Unsure of how much space they take up
• Disconnected from physical sensations

This can also impact body image, movement, and emotional regulation.

Activities that support proprioceptive awareness, such as swimming or climbing, are sometimes recommended as part of recovery or support, as they can help reconnect the body and mind in a more grounded way.

Bringing the Pieces Together

When we look at these experiences separately, they can feel confusing.

But when we start to view them together as hypermobility, neurodivergence (including ADHD), interoception and proprioception differences, and eating behaviours, a more coherent picture can begin to form. This doesn’t mean there is a single explanation for everyone. But it does offer a framework that can help make sense of experiences that previously felt disconnected.

Why This Awareness Matters

Understanding the overlap between hypermobility, ADHD, and eating disorders is not about creating labels. It’s about making sense of patterns, reducing self-blame and supporting more tailored approaches to recovery.  For many people, simply recognising that these connections exist can feel validating.

It creates space for curiosity, rather than criticism.

If any part of this resonates, you’re not alone in that experience, and while there may not be one clear answer, there is growing awareness and research helping to bridge the gap between brain and body.

Sometimes, understanding even a small piece of the puzzle can begin to shift how everything else feels.

Listen to the full episode with Dr Jessica Eccles here.