Scan
Body scan, step by step: a timed walkthrough from feet to head
Move your attention through eight areas of the body at your own pace, and read what the research on body scans shows, what it does not, and who should be careful.
ScanBody scan
Exercise, not treatment
Ready
Move your attention through eight areas of the body, noticing sensations without trying to change them, and skip any area you prefer.
Source of these settingsCleveland Clinic and Greater Good in Action (UC Berkeley) body scan guides, which describe noticing sensations without judging them
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The exercise above steps through eight areas of the body, from the feet to the head, giving each a set number of seconds. The aim is to notice what is there rather than to change it. A body scan is a mindfulness practice, and like other mindfulness practices it is an exercise, not a treatment.
Before you start
Paying close attention to the body can bring up uncomfortable feelings. Cleveland Clinic advises people with severe anxiety or a significant trauma history to proceed carefully, and to work through strong feelings with a therapist. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) notes rare reports that relaxation techniques may cause or worsen symptoms in people with a history of abuse or trauma, and the Greater Good in Action guide from UC Berkeley says pain may surface during a scan. The editors' advice is simple: you can skip any area, keep your eyes open, or stop at any time. See a doctor or mental health professional if distress or pain is persistent. The page mindfulness: risks and limits covers this in more detail.
How a body scan is done
Cleveland Clinic describes a body scan as checking in with sensations in each part of the body in turn, with no need to judge them or change them. Its version starts at the head and works down. The Greater Good in Action version starts at the feet and moves up to the face. The tool above follows the feet-first order, and either direction is a matter of preference.
The Berkeley guide suggests noticing contact with the floor or chair, along with weight, pressure, warmth or heaviness. It says that if you cannot notice sensations in every area, that is OK. A short scan can take about 5 minutes, and a longer one is used in mindfulness-based stress reduction programmes (see MBSR and MBCT).
What the research shows, and what it does not
A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of body scan meditation pulled together 14 independent randomised-trial articles. It found that a body scan on its own had a small effect on mindfulness compared with a passive control group, but the quality of the studies was low and results varied a lot. Its authors concluded that a body scan alone is not effective enough to improve health-related outcomes. Cleveland Clinic similarly says a single scan will not melt your stress away, and that regular practice alongside other mindfulness techniques may help with anxiety and stress.
The Berkeley guide adds that studies of the body scan have involved particular groups, with mixed results, and that more research is needed. So treat this as a way to practise noticing, not as a remedy. For breath-based attention, try the paced breathing timer, or read what happens when you do mindfulness meditation?.