Body Scan — 10 Minutes
remaining
Systematic attention to each part of your body, releasing tension as you go. Ideal before or after cold exposure to deepen body awareness.
Type
meditation
Best Time
Before bed or after exercise
Duration
11 min
Mode
Guided
Phases
Benefits
About This Practice
Systematic attention to each part of your body, releasing tension as you go. Ideal before or after cold exposure to deepen body awareness.
Benefits
When to Practice
Before bed or after exercise
How to Practice
Lie down if possible — on a mat or a firm bed. Sitting works but the body releases more fully when horizontal. Warm clothing or a blanket is helpful; body temperature drops slightly during deep relaxation. The session moves systematically from feet to head, naming each region (feet, legs, hips, abdomen, chest, back, arms, hands, neck, face, whole body) and inviting attention and softening. Follow the voice. When the mind wanders, return to the region being named. Expect sensations you had not noticed: subtle tensions, temperature gradients, the weight of your own body. The practice is awareness, not change — but softening often happens as a by-product.
Science & Research
Body-scan meditation is the core practice of Jon Kabat-Zinn's MBSR protocol and has the strongest evidence base of any meditation style for chronic pain, insomnia, and somatic symptom relief. The mechanism is interoceptive: systematic attention to body signals strengthens the insula, reducing the amplification of pain signals at the cortical level. Unlike analgesia, the practice does not dull sensation — it clarifies it, which paradoxically reduces suffering.