Somatic Body Scan For Deep Relaxation

In this guided practice, you’ll gently pair breath with subtle movements to open a quiet, two-way conversation with your body. Instead of just observing sensations, you’ll signal safety to your nervous system, by gently contracting and relaxing muscles, allowing tension and stored emotions to release naturally. Perfect for winding down in bed, this meditation helps you soften, reconnect, and drift into deep, restorative rest.

Transcript

Welcome to this somatic body scan meditation. Lay down in your bed with your lights off. You may lay underneath your covers or on top of them, Whatever feels most comfortable for you. Lie down on your back. Use a thin pillow underneath your head and if your lower back feels uncomfortable, Please place a pillow underneath your thighs. Take care here and make sure you are completely comfortable. Now close down your eyes. Relax the area in between your eyebrows. Release any tension in your ears. Unclench your jaw. Let your shoulders melt down into the bed. Relax your neck and shoulders. Release your glute muscles. And let your legs go heavy. We are going to start this process from the head and move all the way down to the body, To the feet. Let's begin with the head. Slowly and lazily start to turn your head from left to right, Left to right. Head completely heavy. Using almost no force. And let your head lull, Rocking gently from left to right. As you turn your head from side to side, Let it become heavier and heavier. Feel the heaviness of your skull. As you continue this rocking motion, Notice how the muscles in your face and neck start to relax on their own. And bring your head back to center. Head completely still. Allow your face to relax. Now slowly open your jaw as wide as you can. Contract all the muscles in your face. Pulling your lips back. Relax your neck to expose your teeth. And relax your face. Close your jaw. And again. Open your mouth as wide as possible. Imagine all of the tension leaving your body through your mouth. As you exhale. And relax. Closing down your jaw. One more time. Open your mouth. Pull your lips back. Contract the muscles of your face. Relax your neck. Allow yourself to look ugly. Express any frustration or stress. Breathe out any tension. Do not worry what you look like. And close down your jaw. Let your face slowly relax back into its neutral position. And feel that wave of relaxation. Come down your face. Through your skull and neck. Bring your attention to your shoulders. Notice any holding patterns of tension through the front of the chest. Notice any tightness in your trapezius muscles. Just note. Take an inhale through your nose. And exhale through your mouth. And as you exhale. Gently push your shoulders backwards. Down into the bed. A small activation. At around 50%. Notice how this opens up through the front of your chest. How this expands the space for your heart and lungs. And relax your shoulders. We're going to move gently with the breath. Inhale and press your shoulders back into the bed. Exhale. And gently relax the shoulders. Inhale. Press the shoulders backwards. Exhale. Relax. Continue breathing and moving at your own pace. This is a gentle contraction of the shoulders. No more than 50% effort. Allow your body to settle into a rhythm. Opening through the chest and heart. Enjoying this tiny micro-movement. Mind and body. Fully absorbed in this moment. And this movement. One last breath. And relax your body completely. Note the feeling in your chest. Shoulders. And trapezius muscles. You may notice your breath feels easier and deeper. Perhaps a relaxation of the muscles that were tight before. Now bring your attention down to your hands. Feel the weight of them on top of the bed. Feel the pressure of the blanket on top of them. Or the temperature of the air. Feel the slight tingling in your hands. As you focus your energy here. Take an inhale. And spread out your fingers. As wide as they will go. Like your hands are starfish. Feel the stretch of the little muscles inside your hands. On your next exhale. Relax your fingers and palms. Letting your fingers curl in as much as they need. Stretch the fingers. Stretch your fingers into starfish. Exhale. Relax. Starfish. Continue breathing and moving in rhythm. Contracting and relaxing. All the tiny muscles of the hands. Our hands do so much for us during the day. And we very rarely give them the attention and love they deserve. Feel every movement of every joint. As you stretch and relax. All of the joints that make up your hands. Send them love. And completely relax. Feel the tingling on your palms and fingertips. Feel your fingertips. Enjoy this sensation. Everything is energy. And you can direct your own energy. To different parts of the body. Feel how powerful you are. And now bring your attention. Down the spine. Into your pelvis. Notice any holding patterns. Any tension. In your lower back. Your glutes. And your legs. A lot of the time we hold stress in this area. We contract these muscles. And hold them in this contracted state. Without even realizing. Simply notice your body's patterns. Take an inhale. On your exhale. Very gently. Squeeze your glutes together. Like you're squeezing a coin. In between your butt cheeks. Just using 50% or less. Of your effort. And on your next exhale. Slowly relax. Exhale and squeeze. Inhale. Relax. Continue breathing. And moving. Notice how your breaths have deepened. Feel your glutes. Relax completely. Every day. After every contraction. Your glutes are one of the biggest muscles. In your body. When we consciously contract. And then relax a muscle. It sends signals of safety. To the nervous system. This allows for the body. To completely move. Into an overall. Relaxed state. Feel the rhythm of your breath. And movements. Get lost in it. All thoughts. Of the past and future. Melted away. The only thing that exists. Is this moment. Last squeeze. And completely relax the glutes. Feel the heaviness of your pelvis. And legs. And draw your attention. All the way down to your feet. Feel their temperature. Are they warm? Or cold? Notice any tension in your calves. On your next inhale. Pull your toes. Up to the ceiling. Flexing your ankles. And stretching through. The soles of your feet. Feel the stretch of your calves. And the contraction in the muscles. In front of your ankles. On your next exhale. Relax. Let's move in time with the breath. Inhale. Toes up. Relax. Inhale. Toes up. Relax. Continue breathing and moving. Pulling your energy down into your feet. Just like the hands. The feet often get ignored. Feel every movement in your ankle joints. Feel the stretch. Through the arches. And soles of your feet. Allow your breath. To guide every smooth. And slow movement. With every inhale. See the energy. Move in through your nose. Down your spine. All the way. Into your feet. Allow your body. To release. Any unprocessed emotions. Or tension. And last. Pump. And completely relax. Your body. There is nothing else to do. Nowhere else to be. Enjoy this moment. Let yourself sigh. Or yawn. And if you feel comfortable here. On your back. Remain. Otherwise you may roll. Onto your most comfortable side. And simply rest here. Feeling so safe. And cosy. The only movement. Coming from your body. Is from your breath. Feel the depth of your inhales. How your breath travels. All the way from your nose. Into your ribs. And your belly. And you now have. Permission. To gently. Drift off to sleep.