Tom Brady and other athletes touted floating pools as a way to speed up muscle recovery. Celebrities like Elle Macpherson and Jennifer Lawrence have heralded the calming effects and skin benefits of immersing themselves in salt water.

Even some of your friends and family members may have tried the flotation cell at one of the many spas in Philadelphia equipped with this equipment.

One method of treatment is to float the naked body in a dark, soundproof tank containing less than a foot or less of salt water heated to skin temperature. Epsom salt makes it easier for people to float.

The idea is that once the water tank lid is closed, people will get rid of all sensory stimulation, resulting in a state of deep relaxation. Some studies have shown that an hour-long floating process in these tanks can relieve muscle soreness, improve sleep and reduce stress, anxiety and pain.

Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) ??has been around since the 1970s, but it continues to attract people’s attention due to its claimed health benefits.

What does science say?

The effect of REST therapy on sports performance is Well documented. Allegedly, it speeds up the body’s recovery by reducing blood lactic acid (an indirect marker of muscle fatigue). University of California Davis. In addition, a 2016 study of 60 elite athletes found that it can improve mental recovery.

There is also scientific evidence that it can reduce stress, tension headaches, muscle tension and pain, and help treat anxiety disorders. A 2018 study It was found that only one hour of treatment in the sensory deprivation tank can significantly reduce the anxiety of 50 people with stress and anxiety-related diseases.

Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist at Columbia University Say Although clinical research on REST is limited, it points to possible benefits for people with high blood pressure, chronic tension headaches, and chronic muscle tension pain in the back and neck.

Dr. Nathaniel Morris, a psychiatric researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, personally tried this process in 2018 and found that it was a “calm” experience, but he told Washington post Before larger, higher-quality studies are needed, he advises patients to pay for them. Depending on the location, the cost of a one-hour course ranges from US$50 to US$100.

Just recently, Larger research In nearly 100 people, it was found that receiving REST treatment for three weeks did not relieve their chronic pain in the long term.

One third of the participants were randomly assigned to flotation tanks for REST. One-third of the time is spent in a placebo tank environment, which has less water buoyancy and less control over sound and sound. The third group just continued normal pain control treatment.

“We found that floating has no long-term effect on chronic pain, but there is a significant improvement in the short term,” Say Jorge Manuel, one of the German researchers who conducted this research. “These improvements were similar in the placebo group, suggesting that they may not be caused by previously thought to be hypoesthesia or frivolity.”

He said that given the documented short-term relief, the combination of floating therapy and other interventions may be effective. However, more research is needed to determine which interventions are most effective for chronic pain.

Some data also show that REST treatment can improve concentration and concentration, and enhance creativity and imagination.

Are there any disadvantages?

Although current research shows that flotation therapy is safe for healthy people, research shows that some people may experience hallucinations in sensory deprivation tanks.

A study in 2015 Studies have found that people who are prone to hallucinations and those at low risk have experienced hallucinations in the water tank, although people who are already prone to hallucinations have a much higher frequency.

Some floats Epsom salts in the water may also cause claustrophobia and skin irritation. People with ear tubes may also feel discomfort due to water entering their ears.Although drowning is always risky, even though Rarely.

It is important to visit a spa with a strong medical emergency policy in case people encounter any difficulties in the water tank.

Experts emphasize that REST treatment is not recommended as a treatment for any specific disease, and it should never be used as an alternative to evidence-based treatment options.