Body Scan Meditation
We spend so much time in our heads that we can forget we have a body at all. Until it aches, tightens or tells us, loudly, that it’s had enough.
Body scan meditation is a way of checking in. Slowly, kindly, one part at a time.
What is it?
01A body scan is a meditation where you move your attention gradually through your body, usually from your feet to your head, noticing whatever sensations are there.
You might notice warmth, coolness, tingling, heaviness, tension or nothing much at all. You don’t need to change anything. You’re simply paying attention, the way you might listen to a friend.
It’s one of the core practices in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and it’s often practised lying down, which makes it a lovely way to end the day.
What may it help with?
02People often come to body scan when they feel tense, wired or disconnected from their body.
Why do I carry so much tension without noticing? Why is it so hard to switch off at night? Why do I feel like I live only from the neck up?
Body scan is commonly explored for stress, tension, sleep, feeling numb or disconnected, and as a gentle companion to pain.
Tags: Stress · Anxiety · Feeling numb · Overwhelm
How does it work?
03Body scan gently reconnects your attention with your body.
- Noticing sensations. As you move through each part of the body, you begin to sense what’s there, including tension you didn’t know you were holding.
- Listening without fixing. Rather than trying to make discomfort go away, you notice it with curiosity. Often that alone allows something to soften.
- Letting go a little. Many people find muscles release as their attention arrives, especially in the jaw, shoulders and belly.
- Building body awareness. Over time, you may notice stress or exhaustion earlier, before it builds into something bigger.
It can also be deeply restful. For many people, it’s the first time all day their body has had their full attention.
What does the evidence say?
04Body scan is most often studied as one part of mindfulness programs such as MBSR and MBCT, which have strong research behind them. Our Mindfulness meditation page explores that research.
On its own, body scan has been studied less. A 2022 review of 14 trials found it modestly increased mindfulness. Its effects on wider health outcomes were less clear, and the studies varied in quality. [1]
A 2023 study from the University of Oxford compared four practices used in MBCT, including body scan. All four helped people feel more mindful, more self-compassionate and more at ease in the short term, and body scan worked about as well as the others. [2]
The research is still growing. Many people find body scan one of the most restful ways to meditate, and a gentle way back into their body.
How to practise
05Try this: a fifteen-minute body scan
- Lie on your back on a bed, mat or the floor, or sit comfortably in a chair. Let your arms rest by your sides. Close your eyes if that feels okay.
- Take a few slow breaths. Feel the weight of your body being held by what’s beneath you.
- Bring your attention to your toes. Notice whatever is there: warmth, coolness, tingling, pressure, or nothing at all. All of it is fine.
- Slowly move your attention up through your body: the soles of your feet, your ankles, your calves, your knees, your thighs, your hips.
- Continue through your belly, chest and back, then your hands, arms and shoulders.
- Finish with your neck, jaw, face and the top of your head. Notice any places that feel tight. Imagine breathing into them, and see if they soften even slightly.
- Finally, feel your whole body at once, breathing. Rest here for a few moments, then gently wriggle your fingers and toes, and open your eyes.
If your mind wanders, simply notice and come back to the part of the body you’d reached. There’s no rush.
Finding a guided version
Guided body scans are easy to find online, from five minutes to forty-five. Search for “guided body scan meditation” and try a few until you find a voice and pace that feel right. Many people like a guided one at bedtime.
Considerations
06Falling asleep happens. If you drift off halfway up your legs, your body probably needed the rest. If you’d like to stay awake, try sitting up or keeping your eyes slightly open.
Go gently with painful areas. If a part of your body hurts, you can notice it briefly and move on, or skip it altogether.
Some sensations can feel strong. For some people, especially after trauma, focusing on the body can bring up difficult feelings or memories. If that happens, open your eyes, feel your feet on the floor or move a little. Shorter scans, or focusing only on hands and feet, can feel safer to begin with.
Choose a comfortable position. Lying down, sitting, or with a pillow under your knees. There’s no right way, only what feels supportive for you.
Make it a ritual. Practising at the same time each day, such as before sleep, can help it become a habit.
You’ve read about it. Now what can you actually do?
You don’t need to have the perfect plan. Choose the next step that feels most useful for where you are right now.
Always speak with a qualified health professional before starting something new. If you are struggling right now, find immediate support.
Want to keep exploring?
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This is educational information. It is not a recommendation that this approach is right for you. Always speak with a qualified health professional.
