Body scan for fatigue: 5 minutes, as sleep prep

About this practice

A 5-minute body scan session for fatigue, as sleep prep. No app, no account — press start. A guided session of about 5 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: fatigue

Fatigue is deep tiredness of the kind that sleep does not fully clear, usually after a stretch of sustained demand.

It tends to show up as:

Tired behind the eyes all day
Heavy limbs
Rest that does not refresh

Here the practice should be restful rather than stimulating. Quiet and unambitious is the right dose.

Doing this before sleep

Dim the lights and put the phone out of reach
Do it in bed if that helps you stay there
Let yourself fall asleep rather than finishing it

Checking anything afterwards undoes most of it. Let this be the last thing.

How body scan works

A body scan moves attention systematically through the body, region by region. It does not try to change what it finds — it builds a map of what is actually there, which is often different from what you assumed.

Move slowly, head to feet or feet to head, and do not skip the uncomfortable areas
Meet each region with plain curiosity rather than a verdict
Numbness and absence of sensation are findings too

What happens, minute by minute

0:00Sit however you were already sitting. You don't have to straighten up first.
0:13Your only job is to notice what is there, region by region, without fixing anything.
0:27Settle into the fact that for the next few minutes, nothing is required of you.
0:41We'll be quiet for a bit longer than usual. Stay with whatever shows up.
0:55Notice the breath you're taking right now. That's the only one that exists.
1:08Notice the difference between the breath at the front of your nose and the breath in your chest.
1:24Feel your palms. Warm or cool, either is fine.
1:35Start at the top of your head. Notice the scalp, which you almost never notice.
1:49Feel your forearms, from the elbow down to the wrist.
2:01Let the quiet do its work.
2:11I'll leave a gap here. Use it however you like.
2:23We will travel down through the body, one region at a time, and leave each one softer than we found it.
2:40Notice any urge to check something. You can wait two more minutes.
2:53You are allowed to be unimpressed by the bone-deep tiredness. Indifference is a legitimate response.
3:07Feel the weight of the heaviness behind your eyes somewhere specific, then let the floor take a share of it.
3:24Notice the first breath of the day versus this one. They're the same mechanism.
3:38Nothing about the end of the reserves has to be explained or justified in this room.
3:53Notice any part of you that wants this to be over.
4:05Quiet for a moment. No need to fill it.
4:16If a region feels numb, that is a finding too. Note it and move on.
4:30Take one more breath at your own pace, then let your attention come back to the room.

Questions people ask

What does this session help with?

Fatigue is deep tiredness of the kind that sleep does not fully clear, usually after a stretch of sustained demand. Here the practice should be restful rather than stimulating. Quiet and unambitious is the right dose.

Where and when should I do this one?

Dim the lights and put the phone out of reach. Checking anything afterwards undoes most of it. Let this be the last thing.

What actually happens during the 5 minutes?

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.