Float therapy is a luxurious and effective way to de-stress and ease your mind and body. The process gives you the silence you need, so you can find your way back to your old self who is healthy, happy and peaceful.
Living in the most fast-paced generation the world has ever been, anxiety and stress can get the better of everyone. It is no wonder that more and more people are seeking out complementary and alternative therapies that would bring the focus back to holistic care and mental health.
Often mistaken as a new age technique, float tank therapy has been around for more than 60 years and it will not be disappearing anytime soon. It is one of the most reliable and best therapies that alternative medicine has to offer. The whole process involves isolation from elements within a sensory deprivation tank to give you the opportunity for complete calmness and relaxation.
If you haven’t tried a float spa yet, you will soon understand why you need one. Read on to understand why more and more people are choosing this relaxation treatment today.
What is Float Therapy?
Float therapy is a form of Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST). When a person has been bombarded with stimuli, the senses experience and overload that the brain cannot keep up with the process.
This results in irritation, anxiety, and stress. This can also lead to high blood pressure, mental disorders, overeating and obesity, among other things. When you are feeling any of these, you should consider a float pod therapy. This particular therapy is a luxurious way to soothe and heal your body from stress and pressure and it happens inside a float tank.
Whats a float tank? An isolation float tank, also known as a sensory deprivation chamber is a lightless, soundproof tank. It’s like an enclosed jacuzzi.
Can you picture it out? If you can’t you can find tons of float tank images or float tank pictures online.
The tank is filled with 6 to 10 inches of clean water and salt. How much salt in a float tank? An isolation float tank contains a whopping 800-1000 pounds of Epsom salt. That is why some people also refer it to as Epsom salt float therapy. The water is warmed to skin temperature or around 34 to 35.5 degrees Celsius.
Once the tank is set up and ready, you may put on your earbuds and enter the tank naked. It is highly recommended to fully close the hatch of the door behind you to block out the light and sounds from the world outside. You may start to float from there on.
How Does Float Therapy Work?
Have you asked yourself how does a float tank work? Well, it brings you to a similar environment while you were inside your mother’s womb.
It is natural for people to lie down and curl up in a ball to feel a sense of comfort and security. This stems back from our time in our mother’s womb, where we are curled up and floated in amniotic fluid. When you float in a water tank, you experience this same sense of calmness without the distraction of the external world.
Barring all stimuli and gravity, 90% of the brain’s activity is dropped and it can now freely focus inwardly. Once a person is partially submerged and loses contact with the outside world, the brain is temporarily startled due to the lack of stimulants. This is why for the first few minutes, you may experience a state of panic and confusion but the mind is quick to adapt and will begin to generate stimulation from within.
From the state of Alpha waves, the brain is further relaxed into the state of Theta waves. Alpha waves are the frequency the brain works at during our waking moments when the brain is relaxed but isn’t processing any information. Theta waves are achieved during light sleep or very extreme relaxation; and are commonly used for hypnosis and self-programming.
You may experience some pleasant hallucinations from the activity that your brain is generating. Some examples are calming music and dancing lights. You may also start dreaming or recalling pleasant memories. Due to the weightlessness of the body and nothing that can be touched, you may lose a sense of where your limbs are.
This method of relaxation allows you to boost your creativity and engage in a deep meditative state, regardless of your deep meditation experience. In addition, it can enhance your concentration, improve your sleeping patterns and aid your phobias and addictions.
Once the mind and body are completely relaxed, the brain is able to fully sync which each of its physiological layers. The pituitary gland is able to release a good amount of dopamine and endorphins. The body’s internal environment or homeostasis finds the perfect balance and lets all the organs work in harmony.
