Flotation therapy may help treat:

• Whiplash syndrome
• Headaches, especially those caused by muscle tension
• Addiction, reducing withdrawal symptoms
• Depression, anxiety, and other mood-related disorders
• Chronic fatigue and low energy
• Fibromyalgia (R)
• Brain-fog and restlessness
• Insomnia
• Obesity (R)
• Jet Lag
• PMS symptoms

Anti-anxiety medications like Lorazepam target the amygdala.

The amygdala is the area of the brain associated with emotions and stress response.

Flotation therapy benefits have a similar effect on the amygdala, as noticed by neuropsychologist Justin Feinstein, who runs the Float Clinic and Research Center at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In their preliminary studies, images taken of the brain post-float were similar to those of patient’s treated with lorazepam. (R)

A study conducted by the Swedish Resource Council concluded that flotation therapy benefits patients by improving sleep quality and decreasing anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.

Patients also reported increased feelings of optimism.

Levels of the health-promoting hormone prolactin increased as well.

Other studies produced similar findings regarding less anxiety. Like this one conducted way back in 1984. (R)

Click here to learn about over 50 natural anxiety remedies supported by science.

The most consistently reported benefit of flotation therapy is reduced stress.

In a 2014 study involving 65 adult participants (14 men, 51 women) researchers reported therapeutic benefits of flotation therapy at reducing stress, depression, anxiety, and pain.

Participants also reported an increase in sleep quality and feelings of optimism.

Researchers noted a significant correlation between increased mindfulness in daily life and the degree of altered states of consciousness experienced during flotation therapy.

No significant results were seen in the control group.

The floatation-REST group floated for a total of 12 sessions over the course of a seven-week period.

Before the study, research focused on treating pre-existing conditions, but little had been done to document flotation therapy’s benefits on healthy individuals. (R)

23-year-old soldier Michael Harding was medically discharged from the Australian military in 2012 with severe PTSD.

He was no longer the same person that he once was.

Withdrawn, unemotional, and suffering from stress-induced seizures, Harding tried every treatment he could find.

Nothing worked.

Yoga, meditation, four different kinds of prescription drugs, marijuana, healthy nightly helpings of scotch and Coke, and talk therapy all had little to no impact.

Then he discovered floating. Harding started poking around forums and stumbled upon flotation therapy.

Benefits described in the forums he read sounded like the perfect match for his symptoms, and Harding began making frequent trips to the nearest float center.

After only three floats, Harding’s anxiety and hyper-vigilance subsided.

He still suffered from night sweats, but after three months of floating regularly, those too abated.

“I’m not really sure how it does it, but I do know that floating has allowed me to feel in a more confident, comfortable headspace,” Harding said in an interview with Time Magazine. (R)

Flotation therapy may improve athletic performance.

In two independent studies involving three college basketball teams, participants in the flotation-REST groups outperformed those in the control group. (R), (R)

Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors tries to float once every two weeks, although it can be difficult with a busy NBA schedule.

“It’s an opportunity to just relax,” Curry told ESPN in an interview at Reboot Float Spa in San Francisco.

Steph isn’t the only professional athlete whose added flotation therapy to his competitive toolkit. (R)

Flotation therapy benefits from such high-profile endorsements, but they’re just a small piece of the wave of popularity that’s been building around flotation therapy over the last decade.

Reaction times sharpen as your ability to focus improves and muscle fibers become more responsive.

In a study conducted by Washington State University, rifle marksmanship scores were higher in the flotation-REST group than the control.

Researchers tested subjects for shooting accuracy before and after float sessions. The flotation-REST group also showed greater improvement before and after the floats sessions than did the control.

Flotation therapy can improve gymnastics performance as well. In a 1987 study, novice and intermediate gymnasts were evaluated for performance before and after a six-week flotation program.

Participants floated once a week for 40-minute sessions. During the floats, participants also went through guided visualization exercises.

Compared to the control group, which did visualization exercises only, the flotation-REST group performed better and showed greater improvement.

A 1998 study performed by the University of British Columbia examined the performance of collegiate rowers on an ergometer (rowing) machine.

Previous studies had analyzed the effects of flotation-REST therapy on rowing performance in conjunction with visualization exercises, but none had tested flotation therapy benefits on its own.

Once again, the flotation-REST group out-performed the control.

Findings published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology suggest that flotation therapy can increase productivity by improving focus and creative problem-solving.

The study involved five psychology members, all of whom displayed improved creative thinking. Creative thinking with novel ideas peaked within the first 30 minutes after a float. (R)

Observing that this study involved only a small and select sampling pool, a follow-up study was conducted in 1992 involving a larger group of male and female university student students.

The study incorporated more rigorous control factors and evaluated participants before and after each float session.

When compared to the control groups, the people that floated were more successful in creative thinking tests. (R)

We all want to feel less pain, and that’s one of the main benefits of flotation therapy.

Participants in flotation therapy studies consistently report feeling less pain after floating.

Researchers suspect that this is due to a reduced stress response.

After laying in the darkness and silence of a float tank, users perceive less pain and reduced feelings of anxiety and depression. (R)

Out of all kinds of pain, chronic pain, especially that associated with stress or traumatic injury is the most affected by flotation therapy.

Flotation therapy benefits sufferers of chronic whiplash syndrome, as shown in this 2008 study.

Results show that flotation therapy is an effective treatment for pain associated with symptoms of chronic whiplash disorder. (R)

Another study looked at the potential difference between how men and women respond to flotation therapy as it related to pain reduction.

No difference was found between the sexes as both showed a similar improvement in the tolerance of experimentally induced pain. (R)

Evidence supporting the benefits of flotation therapy to treat addiction has been around for some time.

A study published in 1988 in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment concluded that flotation therapy is an effective treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, smoking cessation, and obesity. (R)

People who suffer from addiction are usually also highly arousable and toxic to be around.

Addicts experience a higher stress response throughout the day and use substances to mask the anxiety they feel.

Flotation therapy seems to lessen addictive compulsions by making participants less emotionally reactive.

Other studies also support flotation therapy benefits as an effective tool for treating addiction through a variety of mechanisms. (R), (R)

Flotation therapy benefits are rooted in its stress reducing qualities. We live in a world of hyperstimulation.

There’s so much noise pollution, people, and advertisements all vying for our attention that it can be overwhelming.

Having to be constantly vigilant of excess stimuli over activates the sympathetic nervous system, otherwise known as the fight-or-flight response.

The naturally calming effects of flotation therapy benefits your brain and body by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. The “para” in parasympathetic means to return to normal.

Flotation therapy reels in your overreactive stress response, launching a string of benefits.

An overactive stress response means raised levels of stress hormones like cortisol.

Flotation therapy is proven to reduce blood cortisol levels, thereby balancing hormone levels, calming your nervous system, and making you feel less stressed out.

Your digestion normalizes, your heart rate lowers, and respiration slows. (R)

The first ever flotation tank was developed in 1954 by neuropsychiatrist John C. Lilly as part of a neurophysiology research program for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

If you’ve ever seen the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, this should sound familiar.

Writers based the plot loosely on Lilly’s earlier research involving flotation therapy and the administration of Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).

Lilly was curious what would happen when all external sensory input was cut off from the brain, occasionally throwing a little acid into the mix.

Throughout the 1970s and onward, float tanks were strictly part of underground culture in the US and had occasional surges in popularity in Europe without ever taking hold. That is until recently.

Every year, Ashkan Jahromi and Graham Talley host The Float Conference in Portland, Oregon.

At their 2013 event, Ashkan asked when audience members first discovered flotation therapy.

Almost nobody raised their hands until he reached the year 2011.

Today, you can find float centers in major cities around the world.

When you step into a float tank and close the lid, you’re entirely cut off from the world outside.

As you go about your chaotic day, it can be hard to calm your stress response with so much sensory input to process.

Getting rid of these distractions gives your brain a break to focus its energy on rest and recuperation.

The water inside the tank will be a balmy 93.5 degrees or roughly skin temperature.

As long as the air isn’t too cold, you shouldn’t be able to tell where the water ends and your skin begins.

Earplugs cancel out any noise seeping into the tank, and once the lights are turned off, you’ll be entirely alone with your thoughts. People with high anxiety can struggle to get comfortable in the coffin-like environment, and it’s always okay to leave if you feel overwhelmed.

It’s only natural to be wary of dark, enclosed spaces.

Know that it’s an overactive survival mechanism and try to push through your fear.

People with anxiety have the most to gain from floating, and it would be a shame to quit before getting a taste of the full benefits flotation therapy has to offer.

While many users do report spiritual experiences on their first float, it can take a few sessions before you start to feel comfortable.

Floats last anywhere from 45 mins to 2 hours depending on the float center and personal preference.

Some hardcore practitioners float for 8 hours and sleep in the tank overnight.

Prices range from $80 to $150 if you’re purchasing individual floats, but most float centers have introductory offers and monthly membership programs.

I had a monthly membership at Urban Float in Seattle for several months, and my membership was only $99/month for unlimited floats. There were limitations to when I could float (no weekends and I had to go before 2 pm), but it was still quite the deal.

Other float centers in the area couldn’t come close to this price point.

In addition to you, 10-inches of water and 800-1000lbs of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) will be joining you in the float tank.

Some float centers can have a hard time getting the water temperature and air temperature right, especially on colder days. If you’re planning to float in the morning, the water can be warmer due to the heat being trapped in the tank overnight.

Chlorine levels vary from tank to tank and float center to float center. When the water is first replaced chlorine levels are at their lowest.

Over time more gets added for sanitation.

Don’t take too hot of a shower beforehand. All float centers ask that you shower off before hopping in.

Hey, it’s only polite.

If you take too hot of a shower, the water in the tank will feel too cold.

The worst-case scenario is it’ll take you a few minutes to warm up, but the best floats happen when you feel comfortable right out the gate.

Dry off your face and hair thoroughly before getting in. Moisture will want to roll down your face (itchy) and into your eyes (ouchy).

Stretch a little beforehand. You don’t want to be fidgety when you start drifting off into meditation land.

One forgetful turn of the head or scratch to the face can get salt water in your eye.

In the tank, this is worse than you’d think. Laying there on your back, covered in salt water, it can mean having to get out to rinse off in the shower.

Some float centers leave a spray bottle of fresh water hanging in the tank with you, but such efforts can be futile.

Some float centers offer to play meditation music in the background, and waterproof headphones are also an option.

Music can soothe anxiety about being in the tank and can help you get acclimated.

• Float therapy is an effective treatment for reducing pain, anxiety, depression, and addiction as well as enhancing both physical and mental performance.
• Researchers suspect that the majority of flotation therapy benefits can be linked back to its effect on calming the activity of the fight-or-flight response and the reduction of stress hormones like cortisol.
• When you go in for your first float, make sure the facilities are clean and follow the float center’s pre and post-float protocols.
• Be conscious of the fact that it’s normal to have anxiety the first few times you float. Some float centers offer open-air tanks, and you can always leave the lid open otherwise, although the air might be too cold when you do.
• With so many potential benefits of flotation therapy and so little downside, floating might be worth a shot. It’s helped me reduce my own anxiety.

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