Body scan for tension headaches: 7 minutes, in the air

About this practice

When tension headaches shows up in the air, this 7-minute body scan session gives you somewhere to put it down. A guided session of about 7 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: tension headaches

Tension headaches follow a band of tightness across the forehead and around the skull, usually the product of long staring, jaw clenching and neck position.

It tends to show up as:

• A band of pressure across the forehead
• Pressure behind the eyes
• Ache worsening through the day

Softening the jaw, eyes and neck interrupts the pattern early. Once a tension headache settles in it is harder to shift.

Doing this on a plane

• Use headphones, and keep the seatbelt on
• Bring a layer — being cold works against settling
• Skip alcohol; it makes the alertness worse

Cabin noise is constant and will mask the audio more than you expect. Try the headphones before you settle in.

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

1. 0:00Notice the temperature of the air on the backs of your hands.
2. 0:13Nothing here needs to be efficient.
3. 0:23Settle into the fact that for the next few minutes, nothing is required of you.
4. 0:37If some part of you is resisting this, that resistance is worth noticing too.
5. 0:51Let the out-breath be a little longer than the in-breath, without forcing it.
6. 1:04Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose, if that's comfortable.
7. 1:17Feel the back of your neck. That's a place that holds a lot.
8. 1:30Notice your shoulders, one at a time. The left one first.
9. 1:42Feel your heart somewhere in there, doing its work without instructions.
10. 1:54You are allowed to be unimpressed by the ache from a long staring day. Indifference is a legitimate response.
11. 2:10You do not have to solve the band around the forehead in these few minutes. Your only job is to keep breathing while it is here.
12. 2:29Feel your calves, front and back.
13. 2:39Nothing changes for a moment.
14. 2:48Let your breathing be boring. Boring is good here.
15. 2:59Move to your forehead. Let it be smooth instead of gathered.
16. 3:11Let this be easy, if easy is available.
17. 3:22If your mind has wandered, that's not a mistake. Noticing is the practice.
18. 3:35A short silence. Let it be empty.
19. 3:45Small efforts are the whole method.
20. 3:55Notice how you're sitting. Adjust if you need to. Then settle again.
21. 4:08Let the breath be shallow if shallow is what your body wants.
22. 4:21Let's rest here in silence. It's short.
23. 4:31Notice the space around the pressure building behind the eyes. It is there, even if it is small. Put your attention in that space.
24. 4:50Give the ache from a long staring day a shape, a colour, a temperature. Turning it into something specific makes it easier to hold.
25. 5:09Follow three breaths and let the fourth one go unobserved.
26. 5:21Notice if you're being hard on yourself about any of this.
27. 5:33If you're sleepy, sit up a little. Or let the sleepiness be there.
28. 5:46I'll stop for a moment. Take the pause at your own speed.
29. 5:59We'll keep it quiet and unhurried.
30. 6:09Let your shoulders come back up to their usual place, if they want to.
31. 6:23Come back slowly. There's no prize for finishing fast.
32. 6:34Remain here for a few more breaths.

Questions people ask

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