Body Scan Meditation Technique for Stress Relief
- Anam
- Jun 6
- 4 min read
Body Scan Meditation technique has proven to be efficacious in moving the mind from sympathetic nervous system to parasympathetic mode.
Imagine this! After a long day of work and routine, you go to bed with the desire to shut your eyes and get a restful night of sleep. Then you start to think about an event that occurred a decade ago, and you start contemplating what your future holds. Your body is exhausted, but your mind is not ready to sleep! You beg your mind to take a break so you can recharge for the next day. But now that you've disconnected from all simulations, your mind is free to process all the dormant thoughts in your subconscious, waiting for an opportunity to surface. The poor, anxious mind wants to solve all the problems even when the body has given up.
This kind of anxiousness stems from an overcharged nervous system, which is basically a fight or flight response of your body to stress. Your body is signaling to you to address your anxiety, which you may have been ignoring.
In this article, we will share an effective meditation technique that has proven to be efficacious in moving the mind from sympathetic nervous system to parasympathetic mode, which works as a rest and digest mode for the body. Though you can practice this technique at any point of the day whenever you need to ground yourself, practicing it at night in your bed can help you sleep, calm your nervous system, and improve your sleep quality.
Body scan meditation technique alone won't immediately melt away your stress. But when practiced regularly and combined with other mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, you can address anxiety, relieve stress, and improve your overall well-being.
“It’s all about slowing things down and figuring out what you’re feeling,” Dr. Young says. “We don’t usually pay attention to sensations in our body, and because some of those sensations are unpleasant, we try to push them away.” So the best way to practice body scan techniques is to practice slowly and stay aware of each and every sensation on your body.
Here are the simple steps to follow.
Begin with sitting or lying down in a comfortable place or your bed if you are practicing this technique before sleep.
Gently close your eyes and take a few deep calming breaths. Slowly breathe in through the nose, then out through the mouth. Do this a few times, letting your shoulders relax and getting settled into your body.
Then return to your natural breathing.
Once you are fully present in your body, start at the bottom of your feet. Pay attention to your feet, toes, soles, ankles, and bridge.
Ask yourself what sensations you feel in this part of your body. It could be tension, it could be heat, it could be a pulsing quality. There’s no need to have any judgment about it—just awareness.
Breathe into this area of your body with the intention of releasing the tension and stored energy.
Once done, move your awareness up into your lower legs and then to your thighs. Concentrate on the sensations that come to you without passing judgment. Make note of any tightness, tiredness, tingling, or other sensations in this area. To make scanning easier, divide your legs into lower and upper parts based on their mass.
Move your attention into your hips, where usually the tension is stored. As you inhale and exhale, imagine your hips expanding and relaxing. Observe the sensations in your hip joints, pelvis, and the surrounding area. Breathing into your body consciously can relax the nervous system. Spend some time in this area of your body until you feel all tension from your hips release.
After completing that, spend a moment observing your entire lower body and experiencing deep relaxation.
Go up to your belly and observe it without judgment, just like the rest of your body. Sometimes, it is possible for some emotions to represent themselves to you instead of a bodily sensation. Either way, stay nonjudgmental and simply observe what represents itself to you with an open mind. Breathe in and out, gently expanding and relaxing your belly.
Slowly move your awareness into your heart center, your chest. Notice what you’re feeling in those areas, emotionally or physically. If you’re sitting in a chair, pay attention to the sensation of your body in the chair; if you’re lying down, notice the feeling of your back on the floor or bed. Just go through that inventory; where are you at that moment.
Continue the process by focusing on your shoulders, neck, and head. Become aware of any knots or tightness in your shoulders, neck, or any stress around your head. You may feel a cooling or tingling sensation around your head as you relax the muscles around your head area, which is normal for this practice.
Lastly, move your attention into your arms, with the rest of your body relaxed. By this time, you may feel that your arms are relatively relaxed. Stay connected to your nonjudgmental observation regardless. Breathe into your arms, allowing them to relax further and release any stored tension, just like the rest of your body.
The body scan process requires undivided attention and a few minutes of your time. With practice, you can become better at it and make it a part of your daily wellness rituals. It is not a magic pill, but it definitely helps with becoming grounded in the body and reducing stress. Over time, you gain a deeper understanding of your body's responses, develop a deeper connection with it, and learn how to activate your parasympathetic nervous system in stressful situations.
If you are a HerMeNow participant or alumni, book your free coaching session now through the HerMeNow website https://www.hermenow.com/wellness.
Anam Anjum
Wellness Consultant
+971 52 629 9656
