3 ways floating helps with stress and anxiety

The mental and physical impact of recent years and the drastic changes to our lifestyles is undeniable. Many who have struggled through challenging times have begun to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety — and these conditions are proven disruptors of sleep. Beyond their serious impact on physical health, wellbeing and quality of life, people with depression and anxiety will most likely experience sleep problems as well.

On the flip side, new ways to manage these continue to emerge. This article is about floatation therapy and its specific impact on our stress and sleep.

For those unaware, floatation REST (reduced environmental stimulation therapy) is a method proven and tested to minimise sensory reception in the nervous system. It's done by floating horizontally in a pool of Epsom-salt (magnesium sulfate) water solution. When you float on this dense solution, you can't quite tell which parts of your body are submerged — meaning your sensory input is reduced greatly.

This sensory deprivation is said to be a comprehensive remedy that improves not only the mental state — reducing stress and anxiety — but overall physical wellbeing too. And while floating may be new to some, it has actually been practised and studied since the 1980s. In 1989, a study involving four two-hour floatation sessions over two weeks showed that the practice greatly subdued symptoms of insomnia: subjects' sleep latency reduced significantly, meaning they fell asleep more quickly. Beyond that, the improvements were found to remain in effect up to three months after the experiment — showing how long-lasting the effects can be.

Here are three of the ways research suggests floating reduces stress and anxiety.

1. It shifts the brain into a meditative state

A 2017 study using EEG to measure brainwaves found that floating sessions were able to quickly and deeply shift the mind into a significantly relaxed state of consciousness. In particular, brain activity in the middle of a float resembled Stage 1 sleep — the lightest phase of the sleep cycle — thanks to floating's ability to lower cortisol and amplify low-frequency brainwaves. For people with high anxiety, floating was found to greatly reduce symptoms such as muscle tension and elevated blood pressure, while boosting interoceptive awareness, which is essential in cushioning the psychological effects of stress, pain and trauma.

2. It can improve mental-health conditions and quality of life

One case study involved a single subject with several concurrent conditions — PTSD, ADHD, autism, anxiety and depression. They initially took up the therapy to relieve headaches from their medications, but after a year and a half of floating sessions, results showed significant progress in their treatment.

3. It can help prevent burnout

Burnout has become a common term, driven by the conditions and adjustments of recent years. Floatation therapy was found to increase a sense of wellbeing and productivity, which in turn improved subjects' daily performance.

An hour of nothing, backed by four decades of research.

If stress, anxiety or restless sleep sound familiar, floating is one of the gentlest, most studied ways to give your nervous system a genuine reset. You can try your first one at our Auckland centre — the intro offer is an easy way in.

— By Katie Pierce