There are anti-acne LED masks, weird ingredients in cosmetics so now time has come for floatation therapy. It’s like taken out of the outer space, looking like some NASA trainings. What do you do during this therapy? Nothing actually. Are there any benefits of this doing-nothing-session? Quite a lot!
What’s floatation therapy?
Also known as REST (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy), it’s an unusual form of relaxation offered in spa resorts. You are locked in a special tank filled with water and magnesium sulfate. The concentration of the salt is so high that your body easily floats on the water. The therapy also involves sensory deprivation, that is the reduction or removal of stimuli which affect one or several senses.
The first floatation tank was designed by a neurologist and psychoanalyst J.C. Lilly. The scientist wanted to check how human psyche behaves when it’s not affected by any external stimuli. His research showed that the gravity, light and sounds largely overload the human nervous system. The floatation therapy aims at reducing the overload and introducing your body into the relaxation mode.
Who is floatation therapy?
Floating is good for everyone yet it is especially recommended to treat certain ailments. It’s the best choice for those of you who:
- are stressed-out, nervous and have depression symptoms;
- suffer from painful muscles and joints;
- suffer from migraine and tension headaches;
- have back problems (e.g. moms-to-be).
Being closed in a floatation tank might be very challenging for people who suffer from claustrophobia or are afraid of darkness.
Floatation therapy: effects
During the session, the brainwaves switch from beta to alpha, turning on the rest mode which usually occurs right before sleep or immediately after waking up. The most desired effect of the therapy is shifting the brainwaves to theta characteristic for the hypnosis.
Additionally, floatation therapy has a great effect on skin. Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), used in the treatment, reduces magnesium deficiency and prevents muscle cramps, nervousness and sleep-related problems. Sulfate, on the other hand, improves condition of hair and skin.
What’s the exact procedure?
One session lasts for approx. sixty minutes. You are closed in a tank with delicate LED light; the technician may play some relaxation music if you like. If not, you can relax without music or light. The water is extremely buoyant so you can lie down and feel like in a zero-gravity state. At the end of the session, the intensity of music and light is increased so as to help you wake up and get out of the relaxation mode.
