Start by finding a place to lie down flat. Perhaps your bed might be a good place.
Choose the length of time you want to practice:
You will need to choose how long you want the practice session to be. You should start with a short time duration (e.g. 5 minutes) and slowly build up your relaxation practice duration. You might prefer to aim to eventually practice for 10 or 15 minutes which will give you an idea of how to manage on the day or your real MRI scan.
If you are up to it, you might want to eventually reach a practice duration to equal roughly how long your actual scan will take. If you do not know how long your MRI scan will take, call and ask the staff at the place you are going to have your scan. However, practising for the full duration of the scan might be quite tedious, so a shorter practice time may well be enough.
To make your relaxation practice sessions more realistic, I have made free MRI practice sound samples of varying lengths that you can play on your phone when you practice. You will find these sample MRI sounds on the next page.
Adjust sound volume:
Once you have chosen an MRI practice sound sample of appropriate length in the next page, you will need to adjust the sound volume. Start the audio sample so that you can hear the MRI sounds and adjust the volume to a level you find comfortable. Please make sure that the volume is not too loud, otherwise it will just unnecessarily put you off rather than help you practice keeping your mind busy. If in doubt, use a low volume rather than a high one.
On the day of your scan, you will be given ear protection that will muffle the sounds that the MRI scanner makes.
If you use headphones to not disturb others around you, take extra care to make sure the volume is very low and comfortable.
When you first listen to MRI sounds, you may get alarmed. Do not worry, you will soon get used to it once you start practising. It is impossible to perfectly mimic at home the sounds that you will hear on the day of your MRI scan. There are a variety of MRI scanner models, each with unique sounds. So there is a chance that your actual MRI scan sounds may be more “pleasant” than the one you practice with! The purpose of the sound samples that I provide is to just help you imagine that you are in an MRI scanner.
Now that you have adjusted the volume, return the MRI practice sound sample to the start position. You are now ready for your practice session!
Start your relaxation practice session:
Lie down (e.g. on your bed), keep your body straight and play the MRI practice sound sample from the start position. Gently close your eyes and imagine that you are in the scanner. Lie as motionless as you can for the whole duration of the scan. At the end of the scan, I will announce that the scan is over.
As you lie there with your eyes closed, listening to MRI sounds, your mind will go all over the place. This is now the time to practice all the various methods we discussed before (“managing your mind”) that you can use to keep your mind busy. Try as much as possible to do this till the practice scan ends. When you do a practice session, after a while, you may find that the method you have chosen to manage your mind is no longer working well. When that happens, practice switching to another method. As you gain experience, you will find yourself able to use the methods more effectively and also find it easier to switch between them.
It is common when one starts to practice, that one will feel some increased anxiety. Do not feel dejected, as over time, this anxiety will lessen. This change may not be immediate. However, if you find that after a few practice sessions, your anxiety is not decreasing or perhaps even increasing, please stop immediately. This kind of relaxation practice may not be suitable for everyone. If you are in that category, it may be better not to practice and you may find the scan ok without practice.
The sounds that the MRI scanner makes are very varied. Sometimes there can even be quiet periods, where the scanner is adjusting itself. Remember, unless you are told to, do not move during the quiet periods. During the quiet periods, the MRI scanner is making important adjustments, which still require you to be still. In the MRI practice sound samples, I will tell you when the scan is over, so do not move till then.
When you have your real MRI scan, the MRI staff will often communicate with you. They may ask how you are feeling and may tell you information about time, e.g. “10 minutes left” or “the next scan sequence will last 3 minutes”. At times, depending on what part of the body is being scanned, they may even ask you to very briefly stop breathing to help them get clear pictures. To keep things simple, I will only talk to you at the beginning and end of the practice session.
Interestingly, sometimes people can become too relaxed during MRI scans, and move because of boredom. Imagine, from being anxious about the MRI scanner, you can even end up being bored of it! So during your practice, if you manage to get bored, remember to remain still.
After you have done a practice session, the next time you may want to choose a longer duration. However, please progress at a gentle pace so that you do not get overwhelmed. In the beginning, you may manage for only a few minutes. That is okay. Over time, you will be able to slowly increase the time you can manage your mind.
Once you get comfortable with your practice sessions, and you are up to it, you may want to mimic the MRI scanner “tunnel” by lying on the floor, with your head under a chair, or perhaps your body under a table. Some beds may be high enough for you to lie under it. Please make sure to use your common sense and not injure yourself!
In the next section you will find free MRI practice sounds that you can use to do your relaxation practice.