A guided mindfulness meditation that helps you release physical tension and shift the body into a state of deep relaxation. It works by anchoring attention in the body, away from thought.
This guided body scan meditation involves slowly moving your attention through different parts of the body, noticing sensations and consciously allowing each area to soften. It's a core guided mindfulness meditation technique, used for both anxiety relief and as a guided sleep meditation before rest.
By bringing gentle awareness to the body, the mind begins to quiet, muscle tension starts to release, and the nervous system receives signals of safety. The practice also strengthens interoception, your ability to sense internal bodily states, which improves self-regulation and supports a smoother transition into rest.
Body scan meditation activates the interoceptive network, the brain's system for sensing internal body states. Studies show it reduces cortisol, lowers heart rate, and decreases activity in the default mode network (the source of rumination and anxious thinking). Regular practice improves emotional regulation and supports deeper, more restorative sleep.
Read more about the science behind Soma →Takes 2 minutes. No account required to start.