Body Scan: This is how it works when meditating

A body scan is a meditative exercise that can help you reduce stress and calm down more quickly. You can find out exactly how the method works and what you should pay attention to here.

If you find it difficult to switch off after a stressful day, a body scan can provide more relaxation. The mindfulness exercise has a calming effect on the mind, leads to deeper insights and improves the mind-body relationship, according to the German Center for Mindfulness (DFME). In this article you will learn how a body scan works, what you should pay attention to and how to carry out the exercise step by step.

What is a body scan?

The body scan is a central exercise in the MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, according to Netdoktor. This program comes from the field of mindfulness, which has its origins in the Buddhist tradition. You direct your attention to all parts of your body one after the other, from your feet to your head, and notice feelings and thoughts that arise without judging them. So you enter a meditative state. You can either do the exercise in isolation or integrate it into a meditation sequence.

According to Netdoktor, studies show that regular mindfulness exercises such as the body scan can not only reduce stress, but also strengthen emotional stability and alleviate symptoms of chronic illnesses such as pain or sleep disorders. In addition, the body scan helps you better perceive your body’s signals and promote calm and serenity. For example, it is ideal as a break during a stressful day at work or as an aid to falling asleep in the evening. The exercise is also often used in therapy programs for depression or anxiety disorders.

Depending on how long you focus on each area of ​​your body, a body scan can take ten to 45 minutes. For beginners, it is often easier to start with a short sequence and slowly get used to the exercise.

It is advisable to carry out the body scan regularly, ideally daily or several times a week. This way you will benefit from the positive effects in the long term.

Body Scan: The preparation

Before you start the body scan, you should ensure a calm and relaxed atmosphere.

1. Make yourself comfortable, wear comfortable clothing and use a yoga mat and possibly blankets and pillows. If you want, you can have calm meditation music playing in the background.
2. It is best to do the exercise while lying on your back. If there is no other option, you can also do it while sitting. In both cases, make sure you adopt a relaxed posture.
3. If you are lying down, place your arms loosely next to your upper body. Your legs are hip-width apart and your feet point outwards.
4. Slowly close your eyes.
5. To get in the mood for the body scan, you can now take a few deep breaths and exhale slowly. Breathe into your stomach and notice how your abdominal wall rises as you breathe in and falls again as you breathe out.

Body Scan Instructions: From Toe to Head

To perform a body scan at home, you can follow the instructions below:

1. First, direct your attention to your right foot. First concentrate on the back of your foot and then mentally feel the soles of your feet and your toes.
2. Now imagine your foot becoming heavier with every breath. You may now feel that your foot tingles slightly or becomes a little warmer.
3. Now mentally go through your lower leg, your knee and your thigh one after the other and then repeat this process on the left side.
4. Now direct your attention to your entire lower body and feel how all your muscles are completely calm and relaxed. Maybe some areas still feel uncomfortable. Don’t push this feeling away, but accept it without judgment.
5. Now focus on your bottom and your intimate area and mentally feel your upper body over your back, stomach, chest, shoulders and neck.
6. Then feel into both of your arms one after the other until you reach your fingertips.
7. At the end of the body scan, you focus your attention on your face and notice your facial features. Maybe they are completely calm, but maybe they are still a little tense.
8. To complete the body scan, you can once again perceive your body as a whole. Feel your back resting on the floor and breaths coming and going. Now you can breathe deeply in and out a few more times and then slowly open your eyes again.
9. Then slowly stand up and sit upright for the first time and stay in the position for a moment before standing up – to avoid feeling dizzy.
10. If you want, record the experiences in a journal. This will help you better track your progress over time.

Important tips for meditation

In order to perform the body scan correctly, you should also internalize two central principles of meditation:

• Give up control! Don’t obsessively try to control your thoughts or, if possible, not think about anything. Especially at the beginning, thoughts will often arise during the body scan that briefly distract you from the exercise. This is completely normal and an important part of the exercise. As soon as you feel a distraction, simply imagine letting the thought pass and consciously bring your focus back to the corresponding area of ​​your body.

• Don’t judge or analyze! A body scan is not about immediately exploring the cause of an unpleasant feeling. Instead, just accept unpleasant sensations as they are, without trying to change them right now. Now you just have to be and feel and not immediately start acting.

Is a body scan suitable for everyone?

In principle, the body scan can be carried out by most people. However, the exercise may be unsuitable for certain mental illnesses. According to DFME, in such cases the treating therapist should decide whether a body scan makes sense.

The Tagesschau also reports that intensive meditation can, in rare cases, trigger or worsen psychological problems. In a ten-year long-term study, the American psychologist Willoughby Britton from Brown University was able to prove that around one in ten people who meditate develop side effects that can have a significant impact on everyday life. The most common include anxiety, traumatic flashbacks and increased sensitivity.

If you are unsure or already have psychological problems, you should seek medical advice before starting or carry out the body scan under professional guidance.

Edited by Melanie Grünauer

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