In 1954, a young medical doctor and neuroscientist, John C. Lilly, donned a breathing mask and took the first descending steps into a large, fresh-water tank designed to cut out as much light, noise, and general sensation as possible. From that first iteration, it would be 19 years before floatation therapy was offered generally to the public, thanks to the work of Dr. Lilly, along with Glenn and Lee Perry.
Read MoreThe concept of taking time away from obligations to relax and recoup is so foreign in our society that the idea is often met with confused looks; people live in a constant state of motion, often bouncing from task to task with no time to stop, breathe, and enjoy the moment. In society’s eyes, relaxing and doing nothing means wasting time… and wasting time means losing out on both money and opportunities. The guilt that many of us feel for not being productive at all times is something we’re taught when we’re young, whether intentionally or not, and it gets carried with us as we age.
Read MoreTouch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste are what most people immediately think of when asked about the human senses. While these five major senses get the most attention, there are numerous, often-overlooked senses of the body that can add a great depth of information about what is going on inside of us…
Read MoreAs a girl who floats regularly and highlights her hair, I definitely understand concerns about floating with colored hair. Getting the gorgeous hair color you want is no easy (or cheap) feat, so here’s a quick 101 on when it’s safe to hop in the tank….
Read MoreThe idea of yoga in the west often begins and ends with pictures of various movements you do in a cramped studio surrounded by other sweaty people. In reality, this is but one sliver of what yoga truly is. Rather than a physical workout that you do, yoga is more of a way of life that you pursue. It is an internal practice involving the mind and body, working towards alignment.
Read MoreLike many float enthusiasts, if you ask us what floating is good for, our first answer is often, “What is it not good for?” Having witnessed floating help so many people, it’s easy to think of it as a panacea for all sorts of ailments and afflictions. However, despite decades of published research, some in the medical field still look at floating with a side-eye, skeptical of the claims made by floaters.
From curing insomnia to heightening your athletic abilities, there are personal stories from all over the globe of the benefits of floating. Unfortunately, large-scale clinical trials are very expensive and time-consuming, and most of these claims either receive funding for small-scale studies, or aren’t able to be pursued at all with any rigor.
Read MoreThe feeling of getting off a long plane ride, worn out from the traveling you’ve already done, can sometimes stifle the excitement for the trip ahead. For especially long or arduous journeys, entire days can be lost or wasted trying to deal with jet lag and catch up on sleep. The drowsiness and exhaustion can certainly impact how you engage with new environments, and it can lead to seeing the world as duller and less interesting.
It can feel like you need a reset, much like when a computer gets overworked – simply rebooting it can fix a lot of problems, and the same is true for us. Starting your travels with a float can be just the reset you need, and it can help in a big way with alleviating symptoms of jet lag. It also enhances your senses, letting you take in your new surroundings in a fresh and exciting way.
Read MoreThe search for pain relief can drive people in many unexpected, and sometimes downright odd, directions – float tanks among them. With the high concentration of Epsom salt, the tank can fully support the body without any areas of pressure on your back. This alone has been shown to help with inflammation reduction, faster recovery times, and general pain management, which helps explain why many big-name athletes and sports teams (like Steph Curry, Tom Brady, the Seahawks, the Dodgers, the Cubs, and many more) incorporate floating into their recovery programs.
Beyond physical recovery, floating has also been shown to have many positive mental effects, such as reducing anxiety and depression, while increasing energy levels and serenity. These particular benefits have been backed by scientific research, but since floating is still a largely under-researched field, many of the stories that claim benefits from floating haven’t been explored through official studies. There are, however, some benefits that are being explored through smaller scale research programs and case studies that, while not official, show promise and can help lead to new findings and larger scale studies in the future.
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