Here’s Why Floating Does More for Your Brain Than Relaxing in a Chair
The feeling of sitting in a quiet room to unwind from the chaos is like nothing else in the world. There’s no doubt that this great “unloading” of sensory information is essential for wellness and detoxification. However, simple chair rest may not be enough to induce significant brain benefits. There’s no reason to abandon a daily commitment to sitting in a state of peace and quiet. However, there is a way to go deeper for deeper brain benefits. This is where floating takes the chair right out from under chair rest in terms of benefits.
Why Is Floating Better Than Chair Rest?
Simple chair rest is valuable for bringing down heart rate, reducing blood pressure, easing sore muscles and providing an excellent position for some quiet meditation. However, it isn’t necessarily enough to activate new levels of brain performance. By contrast, floating in a sensory-deprivation tank has been proven to offer many of the same benefits of regular rest while also boosting brain performance. The most important benefit of floating for many people is increased focus. Here’s a look at what studies confirm about the floating-brain connection:
- ● In a study on the beneficial effects of treatment with sensory isolation in flotation tanks for preventative care, researchers observed that stress, depression, anxiety and pain were significantly decreased. This same study found that tank time led to increased optimism and sleep quality.
- ● A study on the effects of light deprivation on the brain found that the visual cortex becomes more active less than 60 minutes into visual deprivation. In addition to creating sharper perception, this boost in activity can make it easier for the brain to receive, segment, and integrate visual information.
- ● Researchers looking at creativity enhancement through flotation isolation found that students who did one hour in a float tank scored higher for creativity on tests compared to students who merely sat in darkness. The truth is that anyone can benefit from flotation therapy. However, people with specific lifestyles or personalities may benefit even more. Overcommitted professionals, tapped-out students, gamers, athletes and parents can all tap into the brain benefits of floating if they have trouble staying focused. Some signs that focus is becoming a problem for you can include:
- ● You feel mentally zapped.
- ● You’re experiencing a decrease in physical energy and motivation.
- ● You’re having a hard time sitting still.
- ● You’re finding it hard to keep track of things.
- ● Your short-term memory is suffering.
- ● You’ve made some careless mistakes at school, work or home recently. If you suspect that lack of focus, mental fatigue and burnout are making you less effective, less creative and less capable to perform at your peak level, it’s time to consider a flotation experience. Floating provides an opportunity for self-reflection while your brain cycles do things they could never do with simple chair rest in a quiet room.