When anxiety or tension builds up, we often become “all in our head,” disconnected from our bodies. A Body Scan is a mindful relaxation technique that gently guides you to bring attention to each part of your body, from head to toe, and release physical tension. It’s like a mental X-ray or an internal journey through your body. By scanning your body, you tune into sensations you might normally ignore – tight shoulders, clenched jaw, fluttery stomach – and allow them to soften. This practice is commonly used in DBT’s mindfulness module (and in many meditation traditions) to calm the nervous system and ground yourself in the present moment. A Body Scan can be done anytime you need to unwind stress or when you’re having trouble sleeping due to a racing mind. It promotes a state of relaxation by uniting mind and body.

The Body Scan originates from mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) practices, but it’s embraced in DBT and other therapies as a way to cultivate awareness and self-soothing. The idea is that by systematically focusing on each region of your body, you activate the relaxation response – slowing breathing, releasing muscle tension, and quieting the fight-or-flight response. Research shows that regular body scan meditation can reduce stress, anxiety, and improve sleep. When you’re anxious, you might not realize you’re, say, squeezing your belly or shrugging your shoulders to your ears; body scanning helps catch those things. In DBT, mindfulness of current body sensations is a key skill for staying grounded. A body scan usually involves lying down or sitting comfortably, closing your eyes, and spending a few moments on each body part – noticing any sensations (tingling, warmth, tightness, no feeling at all) without judging them – and then intentionally releasing any tension there. It teaches you to relax on purpose. As physician Edmund Jacobson, creator of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, famously said: “An anxious mind cannot exist in a relaxed body.” By doing a body scan, you’re working from the outside in to create calm: relax the body, and the mind will follow. Culturally, variations of body-scanning appear in yoga nidra, and many relaxation tapes start with “Relax your toes… now your feet…” etc. It’s a fundamental relaxation skill that can be learned by anyone.

Steps to Do a Body Scan

• Get Comfortable: Find a quiet place to sit or lie down for 5–20 minutes. Loosen tight clothing, rest your arms by your sides, and let your legs fall naturally. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Take a few deep breaths to settle in.
• Start at One End: Begin at either your head or toes. Focus on a small area—like your left toes—and simply notice any sensations. There’s no need to judge or change what you feel. Imagine sending your breath to that area, and let go of tension as you exhale.
• Move Through the Body: Slowly bring awareness to each area in turn: feet, legs, hips, stomach, back, chest, shoulders, arms, hands, neck, face, and scalp. Pause with each for 20–30 seconds. If discomfort arises, gently observe it and breathe into it without forcing anything to change.
• Relax as You Go: With each body part, invite a sense of softening. You can briefly tense and then release each muscle, or visualize tension melting away with each breath. Use gentle cues like silently saying “relax” or imagining warmth flowing through the area.
• Finish Gently: Once you’ve scanned the whole body, take a moment to feel your body as a whole. Let the sense of ease spread from head to toe. Wiggle your fingers and toes, slowly open your eyes, and notice how you feel. Take your time getting up—carry the calm with you.

Example Scenario

Alicia has trouble sleeping because of anxiety. Each night, she lies in bed with her mind racing and her body tense. She decides to try a 10-minute body scan meditation at bedtime. She lies on her back and plays a guided audio on her phone that softly instructs her to focus on each part of her body. She notices her jaw is clenched and shoulders are practically touching her ears. Following the guidance, she consciously relaxes her jaw and lets her shoulders sink into the mattress. As the scan moves along, she realizes she had been holding her breath in shallow patterns – now she’s breathing deeply into her belly. By the time she gets to scanning her legs and feet, her thoughts have significantly slowed and she feels heavy and relaxed. Alicia actually falls asleep before the audio even finishes. The next day, she wakes up feeling more rested. Over the week, she practices the body scan whenever panic starts creeping in. For instance, before a big presentation at work, she sits in her car and does a quick body scan – it lowers her heartbeat and she goes in feeling steadier. The body scan became a reliable tool for Alicia to calm her anxious mind by calming her body first.

Resources

Article: “Body Scan Meditation: Benefits and How-To” by Healthline (2021). Explains the benefits of body scan meditation—such as anxiety and pain relief—and provides a simple how-to guide.

Article: “Body Scan Meditation: Why and How It Works” by Arlin Cuncic, Verywell Mind. Covers what a body scan is, how to practice it, and why it can be beneficial for mental and physical well-being.

Article: “Teaching Progressive Muscle Relaxation to Anxious Clients” by Matthew McKay, PhD, New Harbinger. A professional resource for therapists that also explains how progressive muscle relaxation enhances body awareness and emotional regulation.

Video: “9-Minute Body Scan” by Therapy in a Nutshell (2019). A short guided body scan exercise.

Audio: “Body Scan Meditation GUIDED MEDITATION” by Jon Kabat-Zinn. A classic mindfulness exercise in which Kabat-Zinn gently guides listeners through a calming body scan.

App: “Body Scan Meditations” by Headspace.
Offers a range of body scan meditations (3–30 minutes), perfect for beginners and those wanting gentle, guided support.