Alternative Therapies: Float Therapy & Sensory Deprivation

What is Float Therapy

           Float therapy is also referred to as sensory deprivation. According to a study by Kjellgren and Westman (2014), floating is an effective method that encourages positive outcomes in the management of stress, energy, anxiety, depression, optimism, sleep quality, and pain. There have been many studies to support floating, but like most alternative therapies, more research needs to be performed to measure efficacy.

Why did I try it?

I tried floating therapy, or sensory deprivation, about five years ago and have been a fan since. I initially tried it to see if it would help to relax sore muscles from rock climbing and was pleasantly surprised when it resulted in a profound spiritual experience with my mind and body.

What has the experience been like?

           Upon entering the spa, I expect to be taken into my quiet, dark room with a shower, a bench, and a float tank. Then I am directed to please shower before and after floating before the employee leaves the room for the following hour. After showering, I’ll step into the tank, which is a closed dome full of Epsom saltwater.

The water is body temperature and apparently has over 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt that allows the body to float comfortably to the top of the water. Upon closing the top of the dome, the space becomes silent and pitch black. The temperature of the water is undetectable. Once all external stimuli is removed, the only detectable stimuli come from inside the body.

Without distractions, it is easy to feel the breath and heartbeat. With the Epsom salt supporting my body at the top of the water, gravity is removed from playing a role in my musculoskeletal structure. With most sessions, I can feel intricate movement along my spine that feels almost like it is correcting scoliosis and other vertebral damage. Observing structural changes in the body is the most common experience for me in the tank. With other senses deprived, it is quite easy to feel my internal body.

Another experience I have had is sinking deep into a meditation that results in vibrant visuals and often higher guidance. I find that when talking to other floaters, deep meditations and relaxation tend to be the most common experience. One that I am surprised to see professional athletes have high anxiety individuals, as well as people who have never tried meditated.

What did I enjoy most?

After each session, even the first one that resulted in a healing crisis, my body and mind feel extraordinarily relaxed and empowered. Sensory deprivation, often described as the closest thing to being in the womb, seems to allow my body to remember what it was designed to be from conception. Written in our DNA are the codes to being a perfect version of ourselves, and throughout life, those codes become difficult to access in some instances due to external factors or traumatic experiences. By removing the connection to gravity and the outside world, the body can refocus.

What are My Concerns?

After my first experience, I woke up in the middle of the night vomiting with stomach pain. I was told it is not uncommon to have a healing crisis after floating, though I was not warned of this before my session. I think it is imperative for spas to provide this information while also providing contacts for health professionals in case of an emergent crisis.

           The recurring concern I have regarding floating lies with the cleanliness of the tanks. A study from NSF International (2015) confirms that the Epson salt in the tanks can be effective for eliminating only some of the organisms in the water; however, some microorganisms remain in the water and have no reaction to the Epsom salt. The spa where I used to go regularly filtered their water once per week. The thought of bathing in week-old stagnant saltwater haunts me, though the positive experience somehow seems to outweigh the concern of sanitation.

           While at my spa on different occasions, I heard the employees talking about experiences with customers going into their float session on alcohol and other mind-altering drugs. It seemed to happen often. A case review by Lann and Martin (2010) highlights a 50-year old patient who died in a float tank with alcohol and drugs in her system. The risk of complications from using drugs in a float tank should likely be addressed at the first visit.

Do I Recommend it?

I do recommend floating to patients who I think would benefit from it. Generally, the recommendation is given if the patient seems interested in other alternative therapies to manage their symptoms or find relaxation. I find that athletes o patients with a strong constitution respond very well to it.

According to a controlled study published in Health Psychology (Jacobs, et al.,1984), when compared to normal rest with the presence of external stimuli, floatation reduced blood pressure. Another randomized control study (Jonsson et al., 2016) supports floating as an effective supplement for generalized anxiety. More research absolutely needs to be performed, but there is enough to support its efficacy. If my patient expresses interest in floating, I will tell them about what to expect and potential side effects.

           In cases where safety could be a concern, I would consider other therapies first. For instance, If I have a patient who abuses drugs and alcohol, I would hesitate to refer him to a float tank. If I had a patient who has anxiety about germs, I would probably not recommend it.

Conclusion

Through research and personal experience, floating has proven to be an effective therapy for the management of many symptoms, including pain. I feel comfortable recommending it to patients on occasion. While there may be side effects after the therapy, it is important to put more funding into research, improve sanitation, and train spa owners and employees in proper communications in health care while possibly even requiring first aid training.

References

Kjellgren, A., & Westman, J. (2014). Beneficial effects of treatment with sensory

isolation in flotation-tank as a preventive health-care intervention - a randomized controlled pilot trial. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 14, 417. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-14-417

Jacobs, G. D., Heilbronner, R. L., & Stanley, J. M. (1984). The effects of short term

flotation REST on relaxation: a controlled study. Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 3(2), 99–112. https://doi.org/10.1037//0278-6133.3.2.99

Jonsson, K., & Kjellgren, A. (2016). Promising effects of treatment with flotation

REST (restricted environmental stimulation technique) as an intervention for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): a randomized controlled pilot trial. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 16, 108. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-016-1089-x

Lann, M. A., & Martin, A. (2010). An unusual death involving a sensory deprivation

tank. Journal of forensic sciences, 55(6), 1638–1640. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01469.x

Nance, D (2015) Organism Viability Testing in Epsom Salt and Control Solution. NSF

International.