Introduction
Floatation tank or sensory deprivation tank is a unique and luxurious way to shut out the world and relax. The idea is that you float effortlessly in a salty pool of water that is weighted to your body temperature, and the surrounding environment is completely dark and silent.
The purpose of this article is to explore the experience of floating from a personal, historical, and scientific perspective. We will share our own personal experiences of floating, look at the benefits of floatation, get insights from floaters, and understand the science behind it.
Sharing Personal Experiences
First and foremost, The experience of floating is incredibly personal and subjective. From our personal experience, we can say that floating offers an enveloping feeling of weightlessness. As soon as you enter the tank, it is like your senses reset, and you are aware of nothing else but the feeling of floating in the water.
We cannot describe the feeling of floating in words, but it is comparable to a dreamlike state where your body feels heavy, and your mind is at peace. We often walked out of floating centres feeling light and refreshed, ready to take on the world.
Benefits of Floating
The benefits of floating are numerous, and they come from both physical and mental aspects of the experience. Here are a few of the benefits that people can experience while floating.
Physical Benefits
The weightlessness of floating eases muscle tension and relieves fatigue throughout the body. Here are a couple of other physical benefits:
1. Muscle relaxation:
The weightlessness allows muscles not to have to work as hard, and therefore, they can relax. This relaxation helps heal and repair the muscles, which benefits post-surgery or injury recovery.
2. Pain relief:
Floatation also helps to reduce various types of pain, from arthritis to menstrual cramps to back pain. Sensory deprivation allows your body to relax fully, helping relieve pain and tension throughout it.
Mental Benefits
The mental benefits of floating are equally beneficial to those of the physical variety. Here are a few:
1. Anxiety relief:
Floating allows you to disconnect from the outside world, providing a peaceful environment where your mind can’t be occupied with distractions. This creates an ideal environment to alleviate anxiety, stress, and depression.
2. Improvement of mood:
Floating provides an unrivalled environment for meditation. It’s an excellent way to empty the mind of thoughts, promoting tranquillity, calm, and leading to improved awareness and concentration.
Quotes from Floaters
Here are a few quotes from individuals who regularly float. These accounts give a more balanced understanding of what this experience feels like:
“It’s my getaway from the world. I feel at One, connected to myself, and it helps me with the day-to-day flow of life.” – Kira J.
“After floating, your mood uplifts, and you feel ready to tackle anything! It’s an excellent way to start, end or break up your day.” – Daniel H.
“It’s like somebody took the weights off my shoulders, and I can breathe freely!” – Jeremy R.
Historical Context
The history of floating and sensory deprivation traces back to the mid-1950s, where John C. Lilly, a neuropsychiatrist, used an isolation tank, to help him with his research on exploring human consciousness. Over time, the experience of floating evolved into a therapeutic healing technique, and many spas and float centres now offer this service.
The historical context is interesting because it shows how this concept has grown and evolved to be appreciated by mainstream culture.
Scientific Research
There is plenty of scientific research to back up the mental and physical benefits of floating. Research conducted has shown that sensory deprivation can acutely affect muscle tension, cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and immune function.
A study concluded that “floatation can be of value in treating certain health conditions, such as arthritis, asthma, migraines, as well as many psychological disorders, including anxiety and depression.” It concludes that floatation can be a therapeutic technique to improving overall levels of stress and anxiety in patients.
The Sensory Experience
The sensory experience of floating is entirely unique. Sight, sound, and the tactile sensation all melt into one experience. Without any external stimuli, the mind is allowed to wander freely and is completely relaxed without the need to focus on the senses.
You can expect to feel complete weightlessness as the salty water resets the body’s natural buoyancy. When the light above the tank is switched off or the lid is closed, the outside world is shut away. In this environment, all that’s left is the calming sound of the water.
Conclusion
All in all, It is a unique way of achieving total relaxation and providing a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It’s an excellent way to unwind, relax and reap the benefits of weightlessness. We encourage anyone who may be curious to give floating a try. The benefits are more profound than we could capture in this article. We hope this article has provided insight and raised awareness of this fantastic modality for those who want an all-natural way of achieving physical and mental relaxation.