So what is a body scan?

If I asked you how does your right big toe feel to you? You are probably now thinking about your right big toe and whether there is any pain or pressure, whether it is warm or cold, how the floor or your footwear feels against it. This is you. Scanning your big toe, checking in and drawing your awareness to how your toe feels.

You can complete a simple body scan of the whole body by checking in and noticing how it feels, noticing any areas of tension, pain, heat, or any other sensations. Start at the top of the head and work through each area of the body all the way down to your toes.

What is the purpose?

For you to reestablish conscious connections with your body and what it is trying to communicate to you.

Do you need more sleep?
Do you need to drink more?
Do you need to move more?

Your body knows and is trying to tell you- this will help you to listen better.

Once you have scanned your whole body the idea is rescan to promote a sense of calm and relaxation. Move back to the head and and imagine that it feels calm, warm and relaxed. Move down through the body imagining each area feels calm, warm and relaxed. Once you get down to your toes, your whole self should feel warm, calm and relaxed. Takes around 5 minutes and you can do it at your desk.

Watch the video for how you can do it: