Three Proven Benefits of Floating

I told you so.

That’s what Nadeem had to say to me after my second float because I was in total awe at how much more composed, in control, and calm minded I felt while floating! The interesting thing about my second time around, other than my improved ability to relax, was the fact that I was nursing a muscular injury that seemed to be aided by the float. With that, I decided this months post ought to be reflective of a few proven benefits of floating.

Taking Control of Stress

Go figure right? In a place where the phrase “floating on a cloud” comes closest to fruition, you’d expect floating to aid in stress relief. That being said, let me be clear when I say: stress is not a bad thing.

It’s an evolutionary response our species has maintained that has allowed us to survive for millions of years. In times of stress, our bodies release hormones such as adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol which direct bodily resources to effectively complete the task at hand. Cortisol, in particular, is responsible for stopping digestion, shutting down the immune response, and prevents growth as those systems are not deemed immediately necessary when managing a stressful situation. While these measures are effective for short-term stressful situations, in states of chronic stress, negative health complications ensue.

Fortunately, floating serves as a great avenue to cut cortisol levels in our bodies. A 2005 Meta-Analysis found that subjects who engaged in regular floating had lower blood cortisol levels since hopping into a floatation chamber separates you from the pressures of work, tribulations of relationships, and ailments of health. It’s an opportune time for your body to unwind and allow your parasympathetic nervous system to kick in, resulting in cellular regeneration, relaxed cardiovascular profiles, and growth.

Natures Muscle Relaxant

I had a nasty injury going into my second float. The long head of my triceps was in wretched shape with a gnarly muscle knot near my axilla serving as the prime suspect of my pain and stifled mobility. The day after the float, much to my excitement, there was a significant reduction in muscle tension around the area which fueled the motivation for this post!

Magnesium — of which there is up to 1,000lbs of in a floatation chamber — is a natural muscle relaxant and can, therefore, assist in the recovery of musculoskeletal injuries. When it comes to muscle contraction, Calcium is the mineral that tends to hog the limelight as it’s the one that permits contraction at the cellular level. This is important to understand because the way Magnesium relaxes the muscle is by competing for the same spaces Calcium would bind to, resulting in muscle relaxation.

Anxiety and Depression No More!

I’m not going to pretend like I’m an expert on this section, but, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a condition characterized by persistent and excessive worrying over any number of matters. This condition afflicts a whopping 18% of the US population above the age of 18 and is sometimes seen in conjunction with depression, a diagnosis of individuals suffering from chastising feelings of sadness, loneliness, and seclusion.

While physiological and psychological markers can be identified in those with the disorders, the prime trigger in most cases is our good old friend stress. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, financial worries, or social complications, both GAD and depression can usually be traced back to some form of stress.

The bright side is that both conditions are treatable through conventional medicine, but studies have also shown floating can positively impact remission rates from symptoms. A 2016 study looking at the effects of sensory deprivation floating on the symptoms of GAD highlighted that 37% of participants in the study achieved full remissions from their GAD symptoms. Though thirty-seven percent may not come across as a large amount, it’s critical to understand these individuals achieved full remission. In other words, they were virtually asymptomatic by the end of the study. In addition, the remaining majority of participants experienced significant beneficial results related to sleep, emotional state, and depressive symptoms.

There you have it, three scientifically backed benefits of engaging in regular floating. The best part is, this is not an exhaustive list; several sources will propagate a plethora of other benefits floating can have including enhanced creativity, addiction reduction, and improved sleep patterns to name a few. While the scientific validity of those claims isn’t as thorough as the ones I’ve discussed, it would be sanctimonious to deflect the implications floating has at an individual, case by case basis.

The best way to experience the benefits? Try it out yourself!

Until next time folks,

-Salman