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About Floatation Therapy
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What is Floatation Therapy?
Flotation involves floating inside an enclosed tank. The tank is usually about 2.5 metres (8 feet) long and 1.25 metres (4 feet) wide, and contains around 25cm (10in) of water. This water is warmed to body temperature and salted to make it easier to float.
It's dark inside the tank, although a light switch is at hand. Ear plugs may be worn to block out all sound, although some tanks have speakers to allow you to listen to music or educational audio tapes, microphones so you can talk to your therapist and even video screens.
Flotation normally lasts one or two hours, during which time deep relaxation occurs. Endorphins are released from the brain, which promote feelings of wellbeing, relieve pain and can trigger healing. The mind becomes very receptive, so learning may be accelerated and inspiration can occur.
What is it good for?
Flotation is ideal for relieving stress; it's also used to combat pain, arthritis, headaches, heart conditions, high blood pressure and fatigue. Research has shown that levels of stress hormones decrease after flotation and that problem-solving ability and other mental skills are enhanced.
It's not advised for people who suffer from claustrophobia or serious mental disturbance.
History
Floatation therapy was developed in the 1950s at the National Institute of Health. The concept is similar to the mineral salt baths at the Dead Sea in Israel. Multiple therapies are occurring when you´re in a salt bath. First and most obvious is the elimination of gravity. A 1/2 ton of Epsom salt is dissolved into a shallow pool of skin-temperature water to create this effect. Aside from floating, only deep sea divers and astronauts are able to enjoy this break from gravity´s pressure. I was recently at a seminar on spinal decompression during which the chiropractor said that if we could get free of gravity, we could eliminate back pain. I used the low gravity environment of the float tank to accelerate the healing process. Within three days, I brought six years of debilitating back pain to a complete stop. That was four years ago. After recently looking at my x-rays, my chiropractor concluded that I should still be in constant pain. He also attributes my recovery to float therapy.
Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) is a mild muscle relaxant, which contributes to the deep relaxation experienced while floating. When you float, your brain responds to this deep relaxation by releasing endorphins, which help to relieve pain, improve mood and boost the immune system.
Third and most unique is the fact that floating quickly changes brainwaves from beta to theta, which is where accelerated healing occurs. If someone suffers chronic pain, hypertension or insomnia, they´re probably not getting the benefits of theta when they´re sleeping. This is the reason why many users claim that 1 hour in the float tank feels like 4-8 hours of quality sleep -they´re enjoying the theta state in a fraction of the normal time needed.
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