Yes, You Can Read People's Vibes (and Get Better at It)

Source: Image by Helmut Strasil from Pixabay

Ever get a strong feeling or vibe around someone and wonder if it’s real? We’ve all been there—those moments when something just feels off. Often, we’re told to ignore these gut instincts, but the truth is, our bodies are actually wired to pick up on subtle signals long before our minds catch up. It’s part of being human, and it’s something we share with animals.

The Science Behind Gut Feelings

Research shows our bodies can sense emotions before our brains can make sense of them. Let’s say you’re talking to someone who’s hiding anger. Their face looks calm, but underneath, they’re upset. Research conducted in James Gross' lab at Stanford shows that when someone you're talking to is hiding their anger, your heart rate goes up. Even though your mind hasn’t caught on, your body starts reacting—your sympathetic nervous system is activated, your stress levels increase, you feel tense. That’s because your nervous system is picking up on something off, even if your conscious mind hasn’t yet.

This reaction is protective. It’s like an early warning system that helps you tune in to what’s really going on, even if you can’t put your finger on it right away. And it's instinctual—similar to what we see in the animal kingdom.

The Horse’s Instinct

You can see this phenomenon clearly with horses. In equine-facilitated therapy, for example, a patient works alongside a therapist and a horse.

If the patient is afraid of the horse but tries to hide it, the horse becomes visibly anxious, moving around restlessly. But as soon as the patient admits, “I’m scared,” the horse immediately calms down.

Why? The horse doesn’t understand words, but it’s instinctively tuned to pick up on nonverbal cues. Like all prey animals, horses are constantly on high alert for signs of danger.

Both animals and humans share a similar response to inauthenticity: we perceive it as a potential threat. When the patient hides their fear, the horse’s sympathetic nervous system (the "fight or flight" response) kicks in.

Just like horses, our bodies and nervous systems are finely tuned to detect emotions and energy—whether we're consciously aware of them or not.

How Our Bodies Tune Into Others

Humans are wired to pick up on these signals too. Empathy, or the ability to feel what someone else is feeling, is something we do all the time, often without realizing it. Psychologists call it “psychological resonance”—the emotional exchange between people, even when no words are said.

Our bodies are constantly processing cues: facial expressions, body language, tone of voice—all of which send powerful signals. That’s why we can feel stressed around someone who's anxious or calm around someone who's relaxed. We're picking up on these nonverbal cues whether we know it or not. This is not just about negative cues: we also pick up positive feelings that signal safety and warmth.

Trusting Your Intuition

Your “gut feeling” is a kind of instinctual intelligence. It’s not slow and analytical like your thinking mind—it’s fast, instinctive, and based on the subtle information your body is picking up. When you have a gut feeling, your body is processing all sorts of nonverbal signals and reacting before you even consciously realize it.

The interesting part? When you’re with someone you trust and feel comfortable with, your body starts syncing up with theirs. Your heart rate and breathing align, creating a sense of calm and connection. That’s a sign your body feels safe and at ease in that moment.

Becoming More Aware

The key to making your gut feelings work for you is awareness. The more present you are, the better you can pick up on these subtle cues. It’s also important to stay grounded. If you’re already stressed or upset, your body might project that onto others, reading situations more negatively than they really are.

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Fine-Tuning Your Intuition

Luckily, you can train yourself to be more in tune with your body’s messages. Practices like meditation and breathing exercises help you stay calm and centered. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at reading situations and people with clarity—without overthinking.

So, the next time you get a gut feeling about someone, trust it. Your body is picking up on things you might not even be aware of, and it’s helping guide you through the world around you. With a little practice, you can use that intuitive sense to create stronger, more authentic connections.

For more ways to cultivate intuition, see Your Intuition Is Real. Here's How to Access It.

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