For a lot of us, stress isn’t just an emotion or feeling, it has physical symptoms too, like headaches, back pain and tummy troubles. Body scan meditation is a great way to check in with our bodies and reduce stress and tension. That in turn has many positive benefits on our bodies, such as reducing inflammation and anxiety and improving sleep.
Body scan meditation is also a great way to become more grounded; allow your body and mind to become more in sync and feel more present or in the moment. And through regular practice, we can actually teach our bodies to handle stress much more effectively.
Body scan meditation
This is a great exercise to do as part of your morning routine or to help you unwind before you sleep at night.
- Lie on your back with your legs extended arms at your side and your palms facing up.
- Close your eyes.
- Breathe in and out deeply.
- Slowly and deliberately focus your attention on every part of your body. Start with your head, working down body part by body part to your toes.
- Become aware of your body and how it feels, noticing any tension, pain or discomfort.
Practising mindfulness
Practising mindfulness can be as simple as focusing on your breathing or just living in the moment. It’s about directing your attention away from your thoughts and instead focusing on the world around you to quiet your mind and relax your body.
If you’re looking for more structured meditation exercises, check out our posts on sitting meditation and walking meditation.
And remember to let us know how these exercises help you.
