welcome wellness: the 10-minute stress relief body scan
Many of us are familiar with the tension or discomfort that can be the result of stress. A body scan practice once a week, for ten minutes, is a very useful tool for releasing stress and invoking relaxation.
Sit in a comfortable chair. Remove your shoes and plant your feet on the floor. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Each time you exhale, let your body relax a little more into the chair.
Turn your focus to your head, and feel its weight. Move your focus down your body to your neck and shoulders. Release any tension you feel as you exhale.
Extend your focus to your arms, elbows, wrists, hands, and fingers. Inhale and exhale, releasing tension in these areas as you exhale.
Bring your focus to your chest. Relax, exhale, and feel your body resting into the chair.
Place your hands over your belly and inhale and exhale feeling your breath move under your hands. Take several deep breaths.
Move your focus to your legs, thighs, and ankles, relax and breathe in and out as you relax these areas.
Focus on your feet – gently move your toes and release tension from your feet. Breathe in and out and feel your breath come in through your nose and move down to your toes. Feel your breath move up through your body and release tension as you exhale.
Take several deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling as you feel the relaxation throughout your body. Spend a few minutes quietly feeling relaxed and renewed.
