anxiety · 3 min
Body scan for worry: 3 minutes, as sleep prep
3 minutes to meet worry with less of a fight. A body scan practice, as sleep prep.
Press start. This is a quiet space — no music, no ads, just a voice and some room to breathe.
A quiet voice reads the session aloud in your browser — nothing is recorded. You can switch the voice off and follow the text instead.
About this practice
3 minutes to meet worry with less of a fight. A body scan practice, as sleep prep. A guided session of about 3 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.
What this works on: worry
Worry is rehearsal for a future that has not arrived. The body responds to the imagined event as if it were happening, so you pay the cost twice.
It tends to show up as:
- What-ifs lined up in a queue
- A knot low in the stomach
- Rehearsing bad outcomes before bed
You do not have to resolve the worry. Noticing it as a mental event, rather than an accurate forecast, loosens its grip.
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
- 0:00Begin with the simple fact that you got here. That already happened.
- 0:13We'll keep it quiet and unhurried.
- 0:23Notice whether your breathing is high in your chest or low in your belly. Just notice. No fixing.
- 0:39Let each breath out be a small letting go of the muscles around your ribs.
- 0:53Let your ribs widen on the in-breath instead of your shoulders lifting.
- 1:06Let your throat soften. There's nothing to swallow right now.
- 1:18Notice where the knot of worry low in the stomach lives in your body. Chest, throat, stomach. Rest your attention there without trying to change it.
- 1:37the mind rehearsing bad endings may quiet down, or it may not. Either is fine. We are practising staying, not performing calm.
- 1:55Let the exhale empty you a little more than usual, but not to the point of strain.
- 2:10If the what-ifs lined up like worries shows up, let it be there without arguing with it. You are not trying to remove it, just to sit beside it.
- 2:31If nothing much is happening, that's not a problem. Nothing much is often the point.
- 2:45There's no need to try harder than this.
- 2:56Let the quiet end on its own rather than cutting it off.
Questions people ask
What does this session help with?
Worry is rehearsal for a future that has not arrived. The body responds to the imagined event as if it were happening, so you pay the cost twice. You do not have to resolve the worry. Noticing it as a mental event, rather than an accurate forecast, loosens its grip.
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 3 minutes?
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.
Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.