How can i relax my shoulders during a guided body scan before sleep?

[David_B]

I've been trying to use a guided body scan meditation to wind down before bed, but I keep getting stuck at my shoulders—they just won't relax no matter how much I focus on them. It ends up making me more tense and frustrated. Is the point to actually release the physical tension, or just to notice it without judgment?

[Steven66]

That sounds familiar. In a body scan meditation the goal isn't to magically melt away every knot but to notice where tension sits and give your body a gentle invitation to soften. Sometimes the shoulders just want a moment of permission to loosen, not a big release. Do you want to keep the practice but shift the goal toward ease rather than release?

[BrandonPS]

Could be the same pattern for many folks: fixated on release creates more tension. Try a breath-led approach: inhale to the chest and exhale long through the shoulders, just to loosen them a bit. If you still feel stuck, just observe and move on to a different area. Could you try that for a minute?

[EthanM]

A practical tweak: after a minute of scanning, switch focus to breathing the shoulders loose for a few cycles, then return to the body scan.

[Aubrey69]

On days when tension won't budge, remember that awareness itself has value—even if the release seems stubborn.

[Zoey10]

Try a tiny fallback like a shoulder roll just before you begin; the extra release cue can help if the practice otherwise feels stuck.

[Scarlett_R]

Often the effect improves when you stop forcing it; the mind relaxes into the exercise. What cue do you notice first when you start to walk into the sensation?