The Science of Floating
Though they might seem relatively new, floatation therapy tanks (aka sensory deprivation tanks, isolation tanks or float tanks) have been around since the 1950s. There have been numerous studies and articles written in newspapers and magazines to scientific journals, and the body of scientific evidence is growing all the time. Floating has been covered by the Chicago Tribune, Men’s Journal, The Atlantic, to name just a few major media outlets. You’ll see references to float tanks on TV, in several episodes of popular TV shows like Fringe, The Simpsons, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and CSI. It is also featured in the infamous movie Altered States.
Below is just some of the science that is increasingly supporting floatation therapy’s use for management of pain, reduction of stress, and treatment of a variety of disorders, as well as recent news, TV coverage and descriptions of the experience of float tanks.
The Seven Theories of Floating
The body of science on floatation therapy is growing all the time, but there’s already a range of theories as to how floating works as effectively as it does. Michael Hutchison, in The Book of Floating, breaks down the major theories of how floating and sensory deprivation work for the mind, body and spirit: The Seven Theories of Floating.
