Jennifer Maser's final lecture for HPE 164, Fall 2018.

1. FLOTATION THERAPY
FOR STRESS REDUCTION
Jennifer Maser
HPE 164, Fall 2018

2. • Flotation therapy belongs in the category of hydrotherapy,
alongside baths, jacuzzis, and hot tubs.
• They are moderate sensory deprivation tanks in which a person
floats on his or her back in warm water to calm the nervous
system through decreased simulation (Seaward, 2018).
December 15, 2018 J. MASER – HPE 164 FINAL LECTURE 2
WHAT IS FLOTATION THERAPY?

3. • The first flotation tank was created by Dr. John C. Lilly in 1954 at
the National Institutes of Health (Seaward, 2018).
• Introduced to the American public in 1980 via the cult movie
Altered States (Seaward, 2018).
• An early change in the tank design included the addition of
Epsom salts (Seaward, 2018), which promotes the feeling of
being suspended in the water.
December 15, 2018 J. MASER – HPE 164 FINAL LECTURE 3
HISTORY OF FLOTATION THERAPY

4. December 15, 2018 J. MASER – HPE 164 FINAL LECTURE 4
KEY FEATURES OF A
FLOTATION THERAPY TANK
Pitch black environment
Subtle lighting like what you see here
can be turned on or off by the floater
(and was necessary for the photo!)
Epsom salts
Around 800 pounds of Epsom salt is dissolved in
approximately 10” of waterthis extremely
dense solution enables people of all body types
to float effortlessly.
Water temperature
The water is warmed to match average body temperature, around 98.6°, so as to not
distract the floater by being too hot or too cold.
Pillow/ear plugs
A pillow or ear plugs may be used to
further reduce external sound and help
the floater avoid plugged ears.
Tank size
The tank is large enough and deep enough that
you never touch the bottom and the sides.

5. December 15, 2018 J. MASER – HPE 164 FINAL LECTURE 5
FACTORS AT PLAY DURING
FLOTATION THERAPY
↑ MAGNESIUM INTAKE
The Epsom salts in a flotation
therapy tank deliver an influx
of magnesium to the body.
Low magnesium levels are
associated with hypertension
& cardiovascular disease, type
2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and
migraine headaches
(NIH.gov, 2018).
ANTI-GRAVITY
During a float, your brain
and skeletal system is
freed from gravity,
liberating large areas of
your brain to deal with
matters of mind, spirit, &
enhanced awareness
(Hutchison).
REDUCTION OF
EXTERNAL STIMULI
Without external threats
or pressures to adapt to
outside events, your body
can devote more energy
to restoring itself to a
state of health, vigor, and
pleasure in being alive
(Hutchison).

6. A meta-analysis of 27 studies conducted between 1983 and 2002
encompassing 449 participants showed that flotation therapy has positive
effects on:
•Physiology (i.e., lower levels of cortisol, blood pressure)
•Well-being (i.e., positive affectivity, optimism, anxiety, and depression)
•Performance (i.e., archery and flight performance)
(van Dierendonck & Te Nijenhuis, 2005)
December 15, 2018 J. MASER – HPE 164 FINAL LECTURE 6
RESEARCH ON FLOTATION
THERAPY

7. A 2014 study of 65 participants in a 7-week flotation trial that included 12
flotation sessions concluded that:
“Stress, depression, anxiety, and pain were significantly decreased
whereas optimism and sleep quality significantly increased for the
flotation group. There was also a significant correlation between
mindfulness in daily life and degree of altered states of consciousness
during the relaxation in the flotation tank.”
(Kjellgren & Westman, 2014)
December 15, 2018 J. MASER – HPE 164 FINAL LECTURE 7
RESEARCH ON FLOTATION THERAPY
(CONT’D)

8. A study of 50 participants with a spectrum of anxiety and stress-related
disorders (post-traumatic stress, generalized anxiety, panic, agoraphobia,
and social anxiety), most of whom (46 out of 50) also reported depression,
concluded:
“Participants reported significant reductions in stress, muscle tension,
pain, depression, and negative affect, accompanied by a significant
improvement in mood characterized by increases in serenity, relaxation,
happiness, and overall well-being.”
(Feinstein et al., 2018)
December 15, 2018 J. MASER – HPE 164 FINAL LECTURE 8
RESEARCH ON FLOTATION THERAPY
(CONT’D)

9. December 15, 2018 J. MASER – HPE 164 FINAL LECTURE 9
FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO FLOAT
Joe Rogan (Podcaster &
Stand-Up Comic)
Claims that flotation
therapy is “the most
important tool I’ve ever
used for developing my
mind, thinking, for
evolving…”
Jeff Bridges (Actor)
Has used flotation
therapy as part of his
meditation practices
since the 1970s.
Steph Curry (NBA Player)
Says “It's one of the only
places where you can
really get unplugged
from all the noise and
distractions that go on
with daily life.”
John Lennon
(Musician)
Reportedly used
flotation therapy to
help him kick a heroin
habit in 1979.
Lisa Simpson
(Cartoon Character)
In an episode of The
Simpsons, Lisa
emerged post-float
and mused about
Homer: ‘Gee, I should
cut Dad some slack.”

10. BodyMind Float
• Rochester: 622 Park Ave., (585) 413-0616
• Syracuse: 2949 Erie Blvd. East, (315) 992-8656
• bodymindfloatcenter.com
Live Well Upstate Massage Therapy and Natural Medicine
• Elmira: 408 W. Chuch St., (607) 733-3373
• www.livewellupstate.com
InnerPeace Floats
• Watkins Glen: 111 W. Fourth St., (607) 535-6287
• www.innerpeacefloats.com
December 15, 2018 J. MASER – HPE 164 FINAL LECTURE 10
WHERE TO EXPERIENCE
FLOTATION THERAPY

11. • Seaward, Brian Luke (2018). Managing Stress: Principles and Strategies for Health and Well-Being, Ninth Edition. Burlington, MA: Jones &
Bartlett Learning.
• van Dierendonck D, & Te Nijenhuis J. (2005). Flotation restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST) as a stress-management tool: a
meta-analysis. Psychology & Health, 20(3), 405–412.
• Kjellgren, A., & Westman, J. (2014). Beneficial effects of treatment with sensory isolation in flotation-tank as a preventive health-care
intervention - a randomized controlled pilot trial. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 14, 417. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-417
• Feinstein, J. S., Khalsa, S. S., Yeh, H. W., Wohlrab, C., Simmons, W. K., Stein, M. B., & Paulus, M. P. (2018). Examining the short-term
anxiolytic and antidepressant effect of Floatation-REST. PloS one, 13(2), e0190292. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0190292
• Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (2018, September 26). Retrieved from : https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-
HealthProfessional/
• 10 Celebrities That Use Float Tanks (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.sydneyfloatcentre.com.au/news/10-celebrities-that-use-float-tanks/
• Hutchison, Michael. (N.d.) The Seven Theories of Flotation Therapy. Retrieved from: https://www.hopefloatsusa.com/flotation-
therapy/seven-theories/
• All images provided courtesy of Google images, no rights reserved.
December 15, 2018 J. MASER – HPE 164 FINAL LECTURE 11
WORKS CITED