The Body Scan

A well-developed sense of body awareness and high cognitive flexibility in handling both internal and external perceptions – as well as in the interplay of awareness and attention – are key mental skills for athletes. These abilities enable precise control over training and allow for flexible responses to unpredictable, dynamic developments when it matters. In particular, cognitive flexibility makes it possible to adjust one’s mental state in the exact way a given situation requires. Physical signals are considered an expression of emotional intelligence and play a crucial role in developing intuitive competencies for managing these mental challenges.

Body and mind form an inseparable unit – understanding mental processes is impossible without considering the body, just as evaluating physical performance without acknowledging mental states falls short. This principle applies not only in theory but, more importantly, in practice. In mental training, the gradual integration of physical aspects is essential. This integration creates the foundation for a dynamic approach that seamlessly connects mental strength with athletic movement. An “agile approach” like this fosters a deep bond between mental resilience and physical performance. We achieve this by increasingly incorporating the body into mental training, bringing us closer to real competition conditions. One key exercise in this process is the body scan, which helps us recognize how physical sensations influence our thoughts and decisions – and vice versa, how our emotions and thought patterns manifest in the body.

We usually think of our skin as the boundary of our body. However, this boundary is far from absolute – our sensory organs extend well beyond it. For practical purposes, though, it makes sense to distinguish between interoception (internal sensations that influence our awareness) and exteroception (external stimuli that shape our perception and how our body interacts with the outside world). In daily life, external stimuli often dominate, directing our attention outward. When this happens excessively, we lose touch with our own body. The body scan reverses this by deliberately shifting our focus inward to perceive bodily sensations more consciously.

This inward focus sharpens our body awareness. With practice, the brain’s neural maps – which represent both the body’s surface and internal organs – become more refined. Brain regions associated with body perception, such as the somatosensory cortex and the insula, are activated and expand with continued training, increasing both the density and diversity of neural connections.

The body scan is a powerful technique for enhancing both concentration and attentional flexibility. Unlike seated meditation, where focus remains still, the body scan keeps attention in motion, guiding it systematically from one body region to another. The goal is to fully experience bodily sensations, acknowledge them with complete awareness, and then release them.

Certain body regions serve as anchors and focal points for meditation. While overall body awareness is maintained throughout the practice, attention is deliberately directed toward specific areas. The focus shifts dynamically – ranging from broad, expansive awareness of the entire body to a sharp, localized focus on individual body parts. Attention moves like a spotlight, illuminating different regions one after another.

The body scan demands a high level of body awareness – the ability to perceive subtle sensations. Some areas may be more easily sensed than others, influenced by both nerve density and mental training. Many practitioners report that this heightened perception leads to increased sensitivity and clarity, particularly in recognizing subtle interoceptive signals.

In the body scan, we work with the natural flow of inner experience. Sensations continuously arise and fade without our active interference. The goal is to observe these sensations openly, without judgment or mental analysis. If your mind drifts, gently redirect your attention to the raw, unfiltered sensory experience. Like other meditation practices, the body scan encourages us to adopt the role of a neutral observer, mindfully witnessing internal experiences without attempting to control them.

The body scan is typically performed lying down, guiding your awareness systematically through different body regions. Once you’re familiar with the technique and have developed your mental skills, you can also practice it while sitting or even in motion.

Before you begin, take a moment to shift from an active doing mode to a state of observation and conscious release. This transition should become a consistent part of your training. Allow yourself a few minutes to mentally tune in before each session:

• Close your eyes and focus on the sensations of breathing at the tip of your nose.
• Take 5–10 deep breaths, then shift your attention to your abdomen.
• Observe how the sensations change as your belly rises and falls with each breath.
• Take another 5–10 deep breaths before moving on.

Once your breath awareness is stable, start scanning an isolated body region, such as your foot. There is no fixed order, but establishing a consistent sequence can help automate the process and save mental energy, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the sensations.

A six-zone sequence has proven effective in practice:

1. Right leg – Toes, sole, top of the foot, ankle, Achilles tendon, calf, shin, knee, front and back of the thigh, hip.
2. Left leg – Same sequence as the right leg.
3. Right arm – Fingers, palm, back of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder.
4. Left arm – Same sequence as the right arm.
5. Torso – Lower abdomen, chest, ribs, collarbones, back (upper and lower), shoulder blades.
6. Head – Neck, throat, jaw, mouth, nose, eyes, forehead, skull.

For each region, pause for a few breaths, fully experiencing the sensations. At the same time, keep the awareness of your breath in the background of your attention.

As you move from region to region, notice the different qualities of sensations – you may feel softness or firmness, warmth or coolness, heaviness or lightness, vibration or stillness. These sensations can be symbolically linked to the elements: Earth (solidity, heaviness), Fire (warmth, intensity), Water (fluidity, movement), Air (lightness, expansion).

This elemental connection is a simple yet powerful way to deepen your understanding of your body and cultivate a more profound sense of self-awareness.

• Practice Tip #1: Overcoming Initial Fatigue. At first, the Body Scan can feel exhausting because your mind is learning to perceive subtle sensations in areas you may have never consciously noticed before. This requires active mental engagement. At the same time, your body releases tension, leading to deep relaxation – which makes it easier to drift off or even fall asleep. Like breath meditation, the Body Scan is initially challenging because your sensitivity to fine stimuli needs to be trained. Since the body is in a relaxed posture, a certain level of stimulus intensity is needed to keep awareness sharp. This skill develops with practice, but lying down and deep breathing naturally promote sleepiness.
• Practice Tip #2: Sharpening Your Awareness. Over time, your ability to perceive bodily sensations will become sharper and clearer through regular Body Scan practice. Expanding your attention intensifies your conscious perception, making you more sensitive to both physical and mental states, no matter where you direct your focus. If this heightened awareness becomes overwhelming, briefly shift your attention to the breath at the tip of your nose. Notice how much sharper and more vivid your breath sensations become – and how clearly you can observe your mental state in the process.
• Practice Tip #3: Using Guided Instructions (With Caution). You can practice the Body Scan with a spoken guide, similar to a guided meditation. This helps prevent distraction because the voice continually brings you back to the exercise. However, external guidance creates a level of dependence, which contradicts the goal of self-regulation. To develop true mental control, it’s best to use guided sessions only as a starting point and transition to self-guided practice after a few sessions.
• Practice Tip #4: Customizing the Sequence. Most Body Scan instructions follow a strict order and timing, but you can explore your own internal body map at your own pace. You might spend more time in some areas while moving faster through others. Alternatively, you can focus intensely on specific body regions, scanning them with greater precision and extended duration. This approach is particularly useful for athletes, who may want to deepen awareness in key muscle groups that are critical to their sport.
• Practice Tip #5: Adjusting Duration for Mental Stamina. A Body Scan session typically lasts between 10 and 30 minutes, depending on how many regions you include and how deeply you explore them. Although the technique appears simple, it is mentally demanding. To avoid fatigue, start with 5-10 – minute sessions and gradually increase the duration. Just like in meditation, real mental shifts don’t happen after a single session. Consistent practice is key. Research suggests that just one week of daily Body Scan sessions can lead to measurable cognitive improvements.

The body scan moves along a fine line between wakefulness and sleep. In fact, its instructions and protocols closely resemble those of techniques like Yoga Nidra or Non-Sleep Deep Rest, often differing only in subtle details. However, these small differences can have significant effects on both body and mind. One key distinction is the level of attention directed toward the body: In the body scan, you remain alert and focus intensely on different body parts. In Yoga Nidra, by contrast, attention is more diffuse and general, making it easier to slip into a sleep-like state.

This fine balance between techniques – and between wakefulness and sleep – explains why practitioners often drift into deep relaxation or even fall asleep during the Body Scan. With experience and improved concentration, however, you will be able to stay more alert. The body scan is often considered a state of wakeful awareness, while Yoga Nidra is described as conscious sleep, where the body rests but a subtle state of awareness remains active.

The key lies in attention: If you wish to deepen relaxation or even fall asleep, you can intentionally reduce the level of focus during the body scan.