Many people tend to have a negative view of holistic therapy, thinking of it as ‘hippie’ or a pseudoscience. However, this widespread perception does not tell the whole story. Simply put, holistic therapy is the view that the mind, body and spirit must all work together for optimal health and wellness. All three are equally important and interconnected; if one is broken, the other two do not function.
Float Therapy is a Holistic Therapy
Holistic therapy falls under Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), which includes treatments that have been effective for thousands of years. CAM has several categories relating to different areas of wellness, including diet, energy work and traditional alternative medicine, which also includes practices like acupuncture and homeopathy. Floatation therapy falls under the specific body and mind categories due to its numerous physical and mental benefits; float therapy is considered a holistic therapy because of its non-evasive benefits.
Physical Benefits of Float Therapy
Floatation therapy provides great physical benefits for everyone, regardless of fitness level. Lactic acid can build up during intense exercise and lead to painful and sore muscles, extending the time between sessions for those who regularly work out.
Floatation therapy is shown to reduce lactic acid build-up, which can, in turn, alleviate soreness.
However, even if you are not an athlete, there are still documented physical benefits. For example, floatation therapy is proven to reduce chronic pain for long-time floaters due to increased blood flow allowed by complete relaxation of the muscles in a zero-gravity environment.
With each float pod filled with 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts and 180 gallons of water, the body feels like it’s floating on clouds, releasing gravity’s pull on the body. Imagine no more weights on the muscles and joints and just how alleviating it can be if you suffer from any physical pain? This is one of the powers of float therapy as a holistic therapy.
Mental Benefits of Float Therapy
In the category of mental wellness, many people report coming out of the floatation tanks calmer and with a clearer mind. There is evidence that stress levels are actively reduced through floatation therapy. A study also documented how burnout victims in the workforce found renewed vigor after consistent float therapy.
Then, there are other mental components float therapy addresses. For example, one source of stress exasperation in people’s lives is a bad sleep schedule or overall lack of sleep. Lack of sleep makes us less productive and negatively affects our brain’s ability to think, but many members who use this holistic therapy often find that if they float and even take a nap while floating, they achieve better sleep.
Even further, many often report being able to decrease insomnia after multiple float sessions. A study from the International Journal of Stress Management confirms their anecdotal evidence and found that overall quality of sleep improved; simultaneously, stress, anxiety, and depression declined.
Should You Use Float Therapy as a Holistic Therapy?
While float therapy is considered a holistic therapy, and we recommend it to support total body health and wellness, it’s also important to remember that it can be used as a complementary treatment to other therapies, especially if a doctor recommends them. It is important to emphasize that a licensed medical practitioner should treat more serious physical injuries or mental illnesses.
However, holistic therapy, such as float therapy, is an opportunity to continue finding beneficial and healthy ways to recuperate, rest, rejuvenate and connect our mind, body and spirit.
Those interested in learning more about floatation therapy and the possibility of being more rested and relaxed can visit www.truerest.com/float-therapy/#float. To find the nearest True REST Float Spa near you, check out our locations at www.truerest.com/locations.