This practice is part of the
Time Required
5 minutes, three to six days per week. Research suggests that people who practice the body scan for longer reap more benefits from this practice.
How to Do It
The body scan can be performed while lying down, sitting, or in other postures. The steps below are a guided meditation designed to be done while sitting. You can listen to audio of this three-minute guided meditation, produced by UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC), in the player; if it doesn't play, you can find it here or download it from MARC's website.*
Especially for those new to the body scan, we recommend performing this practice with the audio. However, you can also use the script below for guidance for yourself or for leading this practice for others.
- Begin by bringing your attention to your environment, slowly looking around and noticing that you are safe in this moment.
- Bring your attention into your body.
- You can close your eyes if that’s comfortable for you or maintain a soft gaze, with your eyes partially closed but not focusing on anything in particular.
- You can notice your body seated wherever you’re seated, feeling the support of the chair or the floor beneath you.
- Take a few deep, long breaths, within the range of what is comfortable for you.
- And as you take a deep breath, bring in more oxygen, enlivening the body. And as you exhale, you might experience a sense of relaxing more deeply.
- You can notice your feet on the floor, notice the sensations of your feet touching the floor. The weight and pressure, vibration, heat.
- You can notice your legs against the chair, pressure, pulsing, heaviness, lightness.
- Notice your back against the chair, supporting you. If you are not able to notice sensations in all areas of the body, that is OK. We are more connected to certain areas of the body than others, at different times of the day.
- Bring your attention into your stomach area. If your stomach is tense or tight, can you allow it to soften? Take a breath.
- Notice your hands. Are your hands tense or tight? See if you can allow them to soften.
- Notice your arms. Feel any sensation in your arms. Do your best to allow your shoulders to be soft.
- Notice your neck and throat. Try to allow them be soft. See if you can invite a sense of relaxation in.
- Try to soften your jaw. Do your best to allow your face and facial muscles to be soft.
- Then notice your whole body present. Take one more breath.
- Be aware of your whole body as best you can. Take a breath. Slowly open up the eyes, without focusing on anything in particular. Allow the head and neck to gently rotate, taking in the space you are in. When you feel ready, you can return to your normal gaze.
* You can also listen to a 45-minute version of the Body Scan that the UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness uses in its trainings in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.
Why You Should Try It
This exercise asks you to systematically focus your attention on different parts of your body, from your feet to the muscles in your face. It is designed to help you develop a mindful awareness of your bodily sensations, and to relieve tension when possible. Research suggests that this mindfulness practice can help reduce stress, improve your well-being, and decrease aches and pains.
Why It Works
Our body can sometimes be a source of pain and negative emotions, whether they are caused by injury or disease, or experiences of discrimination and prejudice. The body scan provides a rare opportunity for us to experience our body as it is, including any difficult feelings that come up, without judging or trying to change it.
It may allow us to notice and release a source of tension we weren’t aware of before, such as a hunched back or clenched jaw muscles. Or it may draw our attention to a source of pain and discomfort.
Our feelings of resistance and anger toward pain often only serve to increase that pain, and to increase the distress associated with it. According to research, by noticing the pain we’re experiencing, without trying to change it, we may actually feel some relief. Even if the pain doesn't go away, we can take steps to shift our relationship to pain and our relationship to our body in general.
The body scan allows us to work with these types of negative feelings. This practice may also increase our general attunement to our physical needs and sensations, which can in turn help us take better care of our body and make healthier decisions about eating, sleep, and exercise.
Evidence That It Works
Carmody, J. & Baer, R. A. (2008). Relationships between mindfulness practice and levels of mindfulness, medical and psychological symptoms, and well-being in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 31(1), 23-33.
Participants who attended eight weekly sessions of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MSBR) program showed increases in mindfulness and well-being at the end of the eight weeks, and decreases in stress and symptoms of mental illness. Time spent engaging in the body scan in particular was associated with greater levels of two components of mindfulness—observing thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, and non-reacting to stress—and with increased psychological well-being.
Sources
Diana Winston, Ph.D., UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center
Steven D. Hickman, Psy.D., UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness
Quick Description
The Body Scan Meditation helps us become more aware our bodies, an awareness we often neglect. Are you attuned to the present moment? Take our Mindfulness quiz to find out:
Comments
and Reviews
Banban Li
This practice is fantastic, I love it. it is easy to do, and quite effective in calming myself down. Love it.
noeleen Donachie
great feel so calm and focused now
Kym Grey
The script is easy to follow and portable. The recording is great, but not able to use in all setting, i.e. in a crowded space. Thank you!
Roland Darroll
As indicated, great
Lisa Siegel
Fine
Susan Ann Rapport
Lovely. When I FINALLY OPENED MY EYES, the world seemed cleaner and sharper.
Linguere Badier
I had benefited alot from it. Thanks for the support and please keep it up??
Linguere Badier
I had benefited al ot from
xxsam1950@yahoo.com
good but with audio would be better
Carol-Anne
Since I started meditating I notice my pain has improved and I am coping better. I also feel a sense of calm and the world is a better place to live.
Denice Young_1
It was actually very effective, even being just a few minutes I definitely am looking forward to the next.
vallefloresl@gmail.com
Very poditive and relaxing
Carol-Anne
After this meditation I felt really relaxed. I normally don’t like bird scans but this one I enjoyed - soothing voice. Also I normally like music in background but when the meditation isn’t too long I stay focused. Getting easier each time I do it. Have done it 3 times now and my mind doesn’t wander quite as much.
Carol-Anne
After this meditation I felt really relaxed. I normally don’t like bird scans but this one I enjoyed - soothing voice. Also I normally like music in background but when the meditation isn’t too long I stay focused. Getting easier each time I do it. Have done it 3 times now and my mind doesn’t wander quite as much.
Carol Anthony-Gartlan
I didn’t do it this week but I used to teach it to others
Cyndi glassauer
Very relaxing. I enjoyed it. I will try to continue doing this. The audio really helps staying focused.
Judy Patricia Broeckel
I find the body scan relaxing. I also find that after completing a body scan I find it easier to focus on tasks at hand. It seems to help me feel calmer and more comfortable.
Erin Moore
A solid overall meditation. I like that it gave me flexibility of different comfortable positions instead of just sitting or just laying down. I tried it both laying down and in a seated position. It allowed me to focus a lot on my breath.
Jeanne Langenberg
I get a lot out of a body scan practice. I've tried a few different ones before. The brief body scan above is shorter than I like. The 45-minute one was longer that I can easily find time for. I settled on a 15-minute Body Scan with Kindness by Susan O'Grady, long enough that I could patiently scan what I was feeling, and short enough that I could easily find time to do it.
Cyndi glassauer
Very relaxing. It's helps to hear the voice on the recording. I will try to incorporate this into my daily practice.
Kimberly Barrow
I did the body scan twice this week and it made me realize How I like to be still and be in harmony with my body.
najah f. ahmed
I need to do this regularly!
josephine
Great experience, very relaxing, I really enjoyed it!
Jaclyn Daiches
Didn’t realize how tense my arms were until I was asked to relax them
Eddie neal
Ok, I had to struggle to remain awake at times
Kathryn M Jones
Lovely practice. I enjoyed the brief guided meditation . I will continue to practice again tomorrow morning. And where do I fine the 45 minute version of the body scan? That is not clear to me. Thank you. Kate J.
Naranjan Dev Makker
We have been practicing in a similar way but your sequential narration and description have helped me to appreciate the built carity. Please accept my sincere gratitude for your help.
Andrea Foster
I love how I noticed each part of my body tensed as she was speaking about it. This exercise was wonderful.
Karambir Khalsa
I am curious if there are recordings with other voices? I play these in my clinical practice and one thing that comes up for me is that many of my clients are people of color and also men. It would be interesting to be able to play this for them recorded by someone with whom they identify more closely.
Kamran Haider
Is it ok and equally effective if we do body scan meditation prior to sleep?
Kira Newman
I find this much more relaxing than focusing on my breath.
Irving Gualberto Euan Dzul
Thanks
Troy
This is essentially Vipassana, a.k.a. Insight Meditation, right?
Siaw Young Lau
I highly recommend the audio guide.
The Greater Good Toolkit
Made in collaboration with Holstee, this tookit includes 30 science-based practices for a meaningful life.
The Greater Good Toolkit
Made in collaboration with Holstee, this tookit includes 30 science-based practices for a meaningful life.