The Body Scan

How to complete The Body Scan

A body scan walks your attention slowly through every region of the body, noticing and softening tension you didn't realize you were holding. It's one of the fastest ways to drop out of a racing head and into the physical present, and it doubles as a reliable tool for falling asleep.

1. Lie down or sit somewhere you won't be disturbed and close your eyes
2. Start at your toes: notice any sensation, then deliberately relax those muscles on an exhale
3. Move slowly upward through feet, calves, thighs, belly, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, and forehead
4. Pause a few breaths at each area you find clenched, especially shoulders and jaw, and let it go
5. Finish by sensing the whole body at once, heavy and settled

Tips

• When your mind wanders, just return to the last body part; drifting is expected, not failure
• Exhale as you release each muscle group; the out-breath naturally cues letting go
• A guided audio track helps the first few times until the route feels automatic

What counts as done

You moved attention deliberately from toes to head, relaxing each muscle group along the way, and finished noticeably calmer or looser.