5 Unique Benefits of Flotation and Sensory Deprivation Therapy

What is it to 'float'? Why would you want to sit in a 'sensory deprivation tank'? Both fantastic questions...  

...by now, if you live in Vancouver, you’ve probably heard of this new and crazy thing called a Float Tank(more commonly known as a Sensory Deprivation Tank).

Vancouver has quickly become the ‘Float’ capital of the world largely thanks to the founders of Float House (Vancouver’s first commercial float center in over twenty years), the Zaremba Bros, Mike and Andy!

When and Where did 'Floating' begin?

The nutty thing is that Float Tanks are nothing new! A neuroscientist by the name of Dr. John C. Lilly invented the Float Tank in 1954 while working for the National Institute of Mental Health.

If this is something completely new to you, a Float Tank is an 8.25 ft. long, 4.5 ft. wide enclosed “bathtub” that is completely light and sound proof that’s filled with 10 inches of water, super-saturated with 900lbs of Epsom salts. The water is heated to 93.5 F  (roughly the temperature of the surface of your skin), which makes the water skin receptor neutral and reduces tactile sensation. Because of the density created by Epsom salts solution, the effects of gravity on your body minimizes and you literally float effortlessly as if you were in you’re in the Dead Sea!

[caption id="attachment_21897" align="aligncenter" width="618"]This is a float tank... awesome, right?[/caption]

Our bodies are essentially giant sense organs. Float Tanks reduce the amount of sensory input being detected by your nervous system.  We are literally bombarded with millions of pieces of information every second. Fortunately, our conscious brain is only aware of a few pieces of information at any given time, however our nervous systems are constantly stimulated.

Without sight, sounds, minimal tactile sensations and gravity, the float tank gives our bodies a much-needed and unique break from the constant stimulation we experience on a day-to-day basis.

Floating offers a variety of benefits to your physical and mental well-being. Here's...

The Top 5 Benefits of Floating

#1. Stress management

We all know stress is a killer.  Research is coming out constantly on the importance of stress management.  In the zero-stimulus environment of Float Tank, one becomes very aware that we are actually creating our own stress.

As Ralf Waldo Emerson stated, “nothing external to us has any power over us.”  This becomes very obvious in a float tank as there is nothing to stress you out in there other than what you’re thinking about!

#2. Pain Relief

The effects of gravity are minimized due to the supersaturated Epsom Salt and water solution.  The body floats effortlessly!  Your body is literally suspended, free of any pressure points.  This allows for every muscle to completely relax, thus allowing your joints to decompress aiding in the release of pressure and reducing pain and muscle tension.

[box type="note" align="aligncenter" class="" width=""]Note from Coach Moose: I'm a huge fan of floating... the Float House in Vancouver is a must visit whether you're local or just visiting. Here's a couple of videos from my first experience floating.






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#3. Meditation aid

The benefits of meditation are being widely publicized and it seems like everyone and their mothers are jumping on this trend.  However, how effective are you at meditation?

With minimal sensory input entering the body, you can become very aware of what’s going on the inside.  You become much more aware of bodily sensations and your thoughts.  Once we cut the amount of “noise” around us, we can really see just how effective we are at quieting the mind.

#4. Altered states of consciousness (Theta brain waves)

Theta brain waves are typically more prevalent in the 15 minutes before we fall asleep and in children.  Theta state is an interesting state of consciousness to say the least.  In theta your brain activity drops to the 4-7Hz.  In this state we can experience dream-like imagery, and is excellent for creative problem solving, insights and intuition.

#5. Visualization techniques

We are now working with the Former Olympic snowboarding coach Leo Addington from Performance Float. Leo is using facilitating visualization coaching for high performing athletes who are looking for that competitive edge over their opponents.  Research has shown that visualization is almost as beneficial as physically practicing your chosen sport.  These techniques are typical used by professional and Olympic level athletes.



Floating offers something for everyone!

This new health trend has taken North America by storm as well over 300 Float centers across the US and Canada.

In our over-stimulated, information-dense world of TV, social media and the glorification of being “busy”, Floating offers a much-needed break .

Almost everything works better after being unplugged.  This is true for yourself.  When you're fully rested and stress-free, you “show-up” better for your friends, family and community!

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want more of that?!

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Author Bio: Andy Zaremba (Co-founder of Float House)

Andy is the Co-host of the Vancouver Real podcast and the co-founder/owner of Float House (Vancouver’s first float center in over 20 years).

No matter which realm he’s playing in, he strives to be the best man he can possibly be, bringing his greatest efforts forth to his family, friends, and community. His precious daughter, Ella Faith, is truly a gift and continues to be a significant inspiration & strength in his life.

Andy has a fascination for learning and a deep passion for personal growth, whether it be through books, courses, public speaking, podcasts, floating, and the like. He believes that growth is infinite and stagnation does not exist; the journey is purely about expansion and living fully with excellence regardless of the “imperfections.”

Andy’s interests include traveling, physical fitness, martial arts, yoga, meditation/floating, music, art, hiking, scuba diving, reading, and having stimulating conversations.

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