A Body Scan Meditation to Help You Connect and Ground from an Anxiety Therapist in Boca Raton

Notice your shoulders. Right now, just notice. Are they tense? Tight? Relaxed? Just notice how your shoulders feel.

We live in a very busy, distracted world. We don’t know what feel. We tend to not pay attention to our bodies until our body gives us reason, usually through discomfort or pain. Our body often somatizes emotions showing up in our body with various symptoms as back pain, headaches or digestive issues. We carry so much stress and absorb so much tension and rigidity that can reveal itself physically, mentally and emotionally.

A way to reconnect with the body and tune in is by practicing the body scan. Though many find the body scan relaxing, that is not necessarily the goal. It is to be fully where you are with acceptance. As Jon Kabat-Zinn notes, “it is only through acceptance of the actuality of the present, no matter how painful or frightening or undesirable it may be, that change and growth and healing can come about.” The practice of the body scan is a way of being with your body as it is, a way of being with yourself as you are in this moment, a way of being whole right now. Imagine that!

When I was first introduced to the body scan in a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course (MBSR), I found it quite uncomfortable. I wanted to “get it,” whatever that meant. My judge was loud. i wanted to do it right and get what I thought I was supposed to get. I learned that it’s not about getting anything or anywhere. It’s simply about noticing. It’s about being with your body in the moment and accepting what is. Once I let go of any expectations, I found it to be a great way to simply know myself. Consistently practicing the body scan, I connected with my body in a very different way. I was in awe of the changes inside of myself. It helped me notice sensations which before would show up behaviorally in unhealthy ways. I felt empowered. It is.a daily practice, and each day is a different experience. I have gained body awareness which helps to alleviate stress since often the signal is in the body before it’s in the mind.

Some benefits of the body scan are reducing stress and anxiety, help with managing chronic pain and getting better sleep.

The body scan mediation helps reduce anxiety and stress.

Emotion, like anger and sadness. have a correlating body sensation. That might be tightness in your chest, tension in your jaw, or a knot in your stomach. The body scan is a good way to release tension you didn’t know you were experiencing. When you can notice your body sensations, you will learn your body’s physical signals and improve your ability to cope with anxiety and stress by giving yourself a choice rather than over (fight) or under (flight) reacting to a trigger or experience. The practice trains you to stay with physical sensations even when they are uncomfortable. It is known that avoidance makes anxiety spiral so noticing and accepting what is in the moment, calms the nervous system, alleviating anxiety and stress.

The body scan helps manage chronic pain.

Learning to breath with the pain relaxes the body which reduces the pain. Studies have shown that the body scan reduces cortisol levels which is the stress hormone that increases pain. It reduces muscular tension and tightness in the body alleviating pain. Rather than fighting against your pain, the body scan offers more acceptance, compassion and gentleness.

The body scan improves sleep.

Scanning the body allows tension to alleviate and prepares the body for sleep. The simple act of breathing, focusing and noticing promotes relaxation. With consistent practice, the body knows to calm down to sleep.

How to do the body scan:

1. Lie on the floor or sit in a chair. If you feel you might fall asleep, it might be better to sit up.

2. Focus on how you feel. Notice any sensations or lack of sensations without judging. Notice how your body feels on the floor and take a few deep breaths.

3. Move your attention to your body starting with your feet. It’s simply scanning the body from your feet, legs, torso, shoulders, back to the top of your head and noticing any sensations as you slowly and gradually scan each part. Notice any tingling, tightness, pressure, pulsing, heaviness or lightness.

4. When thoughts come in and take you away - and they will! - just bring yourself back to your breath and your body.

5. Be open and curious to what you are noticing without judgment. When your mind wanders - and it will! - just bring your attention to your body sensations and breathing.

5. Take your body in as a whole. When you have scanned each part, notice how your body feels as a whole. Take a few deep breaths and slowly open your eyes and wiggle your fingers to conclude the meditation.

How long should a body scan take? That depends how much time you have. Just ten minutes a day can be valuable, but thirty to forty minutes is recommended. Practicing mini body scans throughout the day is beneficial. It is a good way to reset a crazy busy day by letting the mind rest while you tune in to your body. Set a reminder on your phone to check in and scan your body. Just a few minutes to scan how your shoulders feel and even your face and jaw (many hold feelings in their jaw) while taking a few deep breaths and just noticing.

Practicing the same time everyday helps create a habit. With daily practice, the body scan promotes body awareness and stress awareness. It is shown to reduce stress and anxiety which in turn can reduce inflammation, fatigue and insomnia as well as help with chronic pain..

Since the body scan mediation is not easy to do on our own as we are not used to being with our body this way, try listening to a guided meditation.

If you’re seeking ways to calm your nervous system, I’m an anxiety therapist in Boca Raton who wants to help! Contact me here.