THE BENEFITS OF FLOATING?
Physical Benefits
Everyone can remember how it feels to almost be in a car accident. Flip that feeling around, imagine your near miss in reverse, and you can begin to understand how your body will respond to flotation therapy.
Being so relaxed, and so removed from external sensory stimulus, your sympathetic nervous system is inhibited while all the resources of your brain and body go to rest and recovery (parasympathetic nervous system).
From arthritis to fibromyalgia, misaligned spines to back soreness, inflammation to injuries, studies demonstrate that flotation therapy reduces both chronic and acute pain. When combined with additional modalities such as massage the effects are compounded.
While in a completely relaxed and restful state, your body has the time it needs to recuperate. You will reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels, strengthening your body’s immune response (which aids in insulin sensitivity, digestion, and proper recovery).
The relentless compressing force of gravity wrecks havoc on your muscles, joints, and tendons. The removal of that force alone provides a near miraculous opportunity for rapid physical rejuvenation. When combined with the synergistic effects of increased blood flow and circulation to the extremities, you are provided with an unparalleled physical advantage.
Many of us can also suffer from overuse issues both physical and central nervous system; time in a float tank will reduce a lot of the associated adrenal strain.
The near zero-gravity environment of the float tank allows the muscles and joints of the body to fully relax which increases blood flow and helps to more quickly repair muscle tissues and heal the body. This is especially beneficial for clients suffering from chronic pain or a nagging injury.
Body awareness is the body’s ability to know where it is in space. This includes slick dance moves. Floating will give you an increased understanding of your body, its muscles, how it helps you move, and muscular imbalances. We can’t promise that you’ll be a better dancer, but we still think you should try
Hormonal health when ignored can lead to many damaging imbalances in the body. Float therapy naturally regulates hormones and increase production of endorphins. Endorphins are our natural pain killer and feel-good hormone. Endorphins help influence a better mood, help us deal with anxiety, and leave us in a much clearer, calmer headspace.
Mental Benefits
The benefits of a consistent meditation practice are immense, well researched and well documented. Floating in a float room provides an unprecedented opportunity to easily and consistently experience deep states of meditation without substantial effort or formal training.
Float therapy is immensely successful in increasing the accomplishment of deliberate behaviour change, especially when used in conjunction with other interventions. People have successfully overcome obesity, smoking, and drug addiction with assistance of flotation therapy. Increased awareness and understanding of behaviour patterns in conjunction with physical relaxation and comfort provide a safe opportunity to explore and understand yourself with boosted objectivity.
Float therapy has been used as a way to effectively remediate many symptoms of PTSD an often debilitating condition. One of the postulated explanations for the effectiveness of this treatment is the release large amounts of endorphins and dopamine. The environment in the float tank also provides a safe space to process experiences and can aid the integration of difficult experiences.
Float therapy has been extremely successful in the treatment of insomnia. The R.E.S.T (restricted environmental stimulation therapy) environment provides your brain with a natural “calm-down” period which is helpful for those who have trouble achieving this experience naturally. Time in a float room or float tank can even be used to help with feelings of jet-lag. Between managing stress, reducing/removing aches and pains, and cultivating a healthier physical and mental body, spending time in a float room can drastically help with the quantity and quality of sleep.
When removed from external sensory stimuli, your mind enters a dreamlike state – the theta state. Most people only experience this state when they are on the cusp of sleep or directly after waking in the morning. Theta waves are lower frequency brain waves and are primarily generated by the right hemisphere (associated with creative, non-linear thought). There is evidence, both anecdotal and clinical, to support the increase in feelings of creativity accompanying theta waves.