What is a sensory deprivation tank (isolation tank)?
A sensory deprivation tank, also called an isolation tank or flotation tank, is used for restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST). It is a dark, soundproof tank that is filled with a foot or less of salt water.
Imagine floating through space, weightless. Imagine that all sensations of sight, sound, temperature—even the light stress of supporting your own body—have simply slipped away.Now imagine that all you have to do to get into that space is to step into our floatation pod. As you slip into the pod, dense magnesium-rich waters support you so perfectly that you float in perfect suspension.
Soon, the water and air temperatures adjust so that you can no longer tell where one stops and the other begins. The effect is peaceful. Calming. Perfect.
This is the point where, relieved of the responsibility of maintaining yourself in three-dimensional space, you begin, from a place of perfect relaxation, to free your thoughts.
What goes in.
Magnesium sulfate, known commonly as Epsom salt, is added to the water in the floatation tank. Of course, this is more than simply adding salt to your bath at home. Floatation therapy uses over 800 pounds of magnesium sulfate. This huge concentration of salt is what gives the water the buoyancy to hold you in a weightless suspension. Throughout your session, the high concentration of magnesium is slowly absorbed through the skin helping to restore and rejuvenate your body.
What goes out.
One of the biggest benefits of floatation therapy is the release of stress and tension. As you spend time suspended in weightlessness, you are able to relax every muscle in your body. Without any gravity to work against, all of the tension built up in your muscles begins to release. The darkness and silence allow your mind to free itself.
Floatation therapy clients often report a feeling of disconnecting from the physical world. This is similar to what happens when entering a deep sleep. Your brain moves from generating alpha and beta waves, to generating theta and delta waves. During this time, the dominant half of your brain relaxes, while the other half sees an increase in activity. This balance between the left and right hemispheres inspires intense creativity and problem-solving.
