Float therapy has been gaining popularity over the last couple of years. It’s a fantastic way to relieve stress and anxiety while improving overall well-being. Float therapy is a new form of relaxation that can effectively relieve stress. The mind and body are placed in an environment without outside stimulation, and the brain can then shift into a different mode, allowing it to relax and recover from the stresses of daily life.
Float therapy was initially developed as a treatment for people with chronic pain or other health issues like PTSD, anxiety, or depression. It is helpful for many people who suffer from these conditions because it allows them to relax in a way that is often difficult for them to do on their own. They find it easier to let go and allow themselves to be wholly submerged in water, making them feel safe and secure.
How Does Float Therapy Work?
Float therapy works by reducing stimulation from your senses. When you step into the float tank, it’s completely dark, quiet, and warm — just like being inside the womb! Your body reacts by producing endorphins, chemicals that make us happy and relaxed.
Float tanks are filled with water heated to body temperature so that when you lie down in it, you will float easily without effort at all. The tank also contains Epsom salts, so you become buoyant and feel weightless while lying in the tank. While floating in this environment, most people report that their thoughts slow down and feel extremely relaxed — almost as if they are sleeping but never actually fall asleep. This state of relaxation allows your mind and body time to heal naturally without any additional effort on your part at all!
Did you know that floating has been used for decades by NASA as a way for astronauts to relax during extended space missions? Floating also helps reduce pain and inflammation, boosts immunity, and improves sleep quality!
Stress Relieving Benefits of Floatation Therapy
When stressed out, it’s hard to imagine that something as simple as floating in a pool could help. But floatation therapy has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and pain relief, and even increase creativity. Here are some of the most significant benefits that floatation therapy has to offer:
Improves Sleep
Floating has been shown to improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and increase relaxation. The body floats in the water and releases muscle tension, reducing physical stress. Floating also lets you let go of your thoughts and worries because when you’re in a float tank, there are no outside stimuli for your mind to focus on. Instead, you can clear your mind and let go of things that are causing you anxiety or stress.
Reduces Stress Hormones
Floating has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, a hormone associated with stress and anxiety. Cortisol levels tend to rise as we age due to our bodies becoming less efficient at producing it naturally; this contributes to health problems like high blood pressure and heart disease later in life. Floating can help lower cortisol levels by allowing the body to rest and recover from daily stresses.
Floating Relaxes Muscles and Accelerates Recovery
Floating is a form of sensory deprivation that allows your body to recalibrate by shutting down outside stimuli and encouraging the release of endorphins — your body’s natural painkillers. During a float, you float in a saltwater solution so dense that you are suspended in place and have no feeling of gravity. The result is a deep state of relaxation that allows you to clear your mind and release muscle tension.
Floating Relieves Pain
Floating also helps relieve pain by relaxing muscles, reducing pressure on overused joints such as the back or shoulders. Additionally, floating promotes circulation by increasing blood flow to muscles and tissue throughout the body. This increased circulation can help alleviate inflammation in joints, tendons, and other areas, reducing pain caused by arthritis or injuries like sprains or strains.
Enhanced Creativity
When you enter the float room, you can see nothing but blackness. You may also hear music playing in the background and water splashing around you. However, when you enter this room, your brain starts to focus on whatever thoughts it has been having lately, and it will start to replay them again and again until they are released from your head ultimately. Therefore, removing external stimuli from your body and mind allows your brain to focus solely on what thoughts it has been having lately. This helps enhance creativity and solve work or personal life problems better than ever!
Is Float Therapy Better than Meditation?
So what does float therapy offer that meditation can’t? The appeal of floating is the physical benefits, which are real and undeniably fun—a buoyancy that makes you feel like a kid again, an increased sense of well-being, and even an endorphin release. Meditation doesn’t offer any of this. However, it has proven psychological benefits and the potential to help you deal with stress and depression without any physical pleasure involved. It also allows you to learn self-discipline, which may be more valuable than the novelty of floating around on your back in the water!
Is one better than the other? The answer depends on what you’re looking for. Both are great ways to relieve stress and feel better about yourself—the choice comes down to whether you want to get out of your comfort zone or not!
Floatation therapy could be a great choice if you’re looking for a way to de-stress with minimal effort. You’ll get comfortable with little effort required from yourself, but you also won’t have to force yourself into a meditative state which can take time.
Conclusion
Float therapy includes several benefits. It reduces cortisol levels, reducing stress and anxiety, allowing your body to heal more quickly. Float therapy also increases dopamine levels, leading to a feeling of well-being. This can contribute to excellent emotional stability and help you focus on the present moment instead of worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. These results cause an overall feeling of relaxation and stress relief.