Benefits of Floatation Therapy

If you’re considering floating at Float Milwaukee, here’s what the research has to say about the benefits of floatation therapy.

Relaxation and stress relief:

Here’s an easy question: are you stressed out? Hey, we get it. The demands of modern life can leave us all feeling a little worn down. Thankfully, a massive meta-study showed that unplugging from the over-stimulus of daily life “can be a useful stress management tool,” particularly in cases of burnout or chronic fatigue.

Floating combats stress in two main ways: 

First, the magnesium content in the dissolved salts inhibits a hormone that drives your adrenal glands to release the stress hormone cortisol, which improves sleep quality.

Next, the sensory recalibration component of floating minimizes stress. In a recent study, people who floated eight times over a two-week period saw their cortisol levels decrease by almost 22%. They also showed a more than 50% decrease in cortisol variability, meaning they handled stressful situations better without the cortisol spikes.

Deeper focus and improved ability to learn:

If you think about it, your brain is an organic computer. And, like any computer, it can get sluggish if it’s asked to do too much for too long. When computer users run into performance issues with their systems, the most frequent advice given by IT professionals is: “Try turning it off, and then back on again.” 

So it only makes sense that your brain can also benefit from the occasional reset. By clearing your mental slate of its multiple processes and starting over clean, you’ll enjoy improved clarity and focus. A recent study of the effects of floating on mental well-being showed that participants who undertook a one-hour float emerged with significant reductions in anxiety. 96% of these first-time floaters stayed in their tank for the entire scheduled hour, and a full 100% said they’d want to float again in the future. 

Relief from pain:

It’s not something we usually think about. But the simple effort of carrying our bodies around all day can result in a whole lot of chronic discomfort. Back pain, joint aches, neck strain and even headaches can all result simply from expending the effort to move around, and engage in daily life. We’ve all tried countless ways to alleviate the basic effects of gravity on our systems (e.g. inversion tables, chiropractic, orthopedic treatments, pain medication, etc.) with varying levels of success. 

Floating is the only therapy in existence that allows for a complete negation of Earth’s pull on the body. The dissolved salts in the water afford exceptional buoyancy, rendering a feeling of weightlessness while suspended in the water. This reduces stress on joints, muscle systems, and even organs, leaving floaters feeling as though they’ve completely slipped the bonds of gravitational pull. 

Not only do world-class athletes like NBA star Steph Curry and Olympic track and field gold medalist Carl Lewis swear by float therapy as an essential component of their fitness regimen, a clinical research study demonstrated the positive benefits of floating on long-term chronic pain.

Other potential benefits include:

There is plenty of clinical research to support the long list of benefits floaters have reported from their float experience. These benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Relief from addictions
• Faster recovery from injuries
• Increase in creative outflow
• Reduction in symptoms from jet lag
• Combating of insomnia and encouragement of restful sleep
• Deepening of meditative state by increasing theta waves
• Relaxation, stress relief, deeper meditation
• Reduce or eliminate chronic pain
• Reflection/visualization
• Increase concentration
• Increased absorption of knowledge
• Assist with treating PTSD and anxiety

The bottom line:

No therapy is a 100% cure-all. That said, the extensive research studies that have been conducted on the many benefits of floating have shown it to be extremely valuable in treating a very wide range of common, chronic daily conditions. We encourage you do your own research and consult with your physician to see how floating can help you. 

We’d love to help you see if floating could help you alleviate the pressures of your day. You’re welcome to stop at any time for a complimentary tour of our facility. Our friendly, helpful staff would be happy to answer any additional questions you may have about any aspect of the process.

We’ve also got an incredible and diverse community, who have much experience with floating. You can read their stories here.