Dedicating a little time to tune into your body fortifies you to better handle the stresses of daily life.

How to Do This Practice:

1. Find a quiet place where you feel safe and comfortable.You can be standing, sitting, or lying down. Make sure that you feel relaxed.

2. Close your eyes, and take a few deep, long breaths.

3. Move your attention through your body slowly, part by part. Focus on your feet, then your calves, knees, and so on, until you get to the top of your head. Without judgment, notice what sensations you can identify in each part of the body.

4. When your mind wanders, gently and with self-kindness, guide your attention back to the part of the body you’re focusing on in the present moment.

Find the full Body Scan Meditation practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/body_scan_meditation

More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

• Listen to a Science of Happiness episode on the body scan meditation with Daniel Wu: https://tinyurl.com/hn6vhx4b

• How a Body Scan Can Help With Strong Emotions: https://tinyurl.com/57sdek76

• How Tuning In to Your Body Can Make You More Resilient: https://tinyurl.com/328scfjj

• What Self-Compassion Feels Like in Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/426hfnjj

• Compassionate Mind, Healthy Body: https://tinyurl.com/5n79ary9

• Your Anxiety Might Be Coming From Your Body: https://tinyurl.com/4j9ynwr9

• Why Yoga Is Good for Your Body and Brain, According to Science: https://tinyurl.com/ynja9f22

We love hearing from you! Tell us about your experience with the body scan meditation. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod.

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We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.