Floating
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...escaping the stress and tension of the external world without travel, drugs, or effort with side effect of feeling like you just had the best massage of your life. Vacation to your own inner world much like the euphoric journey of a baby in the mother's womb. Floating weightless and settling your mind and body into states of complete relaxation and then emerging feeling fresh, energized, invigorated, and ready to challenge your reality with confidence and ease.
The pleasures and benefits of floatation are based on a revolutionary scientific approach to deep relaxation called R.E.S.T. (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique). This is the deepest state of relaxation researched on earth and is created through the use of a sound and light proof floatation pod in which you float effortlessly on the surface of 10 in. of water that is saturated with 800lbs of medical grade Epsom salt and 100 million year old Himalayan salt. It is set to your skin temperature to give the sensation of floating "out of body".
Scientists estimate that up to 90% of the brain's normal workload is caused by the effects of gravity on muscles and the nervous system as well as sensory stimuli that needs to be processed.
The float tank screens out these external physical stimuli, creating a pure state of "sensory" relaxation. Under these unique conditions your body has a chance to restore its natural powers of self regulation, while you simply lie back and rediscover the latent abilities of a deeply relaxed mind.
The temperature inside the pod is kept at a constant 94 degrees F - relaxed skin temperature. As a result, the nerve endings which cover the surface of the skin no longer perceive any sense of separation between the skin and the silky mineral solution which surrounds it and gives the person the experience of floating weightless in space.
In the tranquility of the pod, the boundaries of your body seem to dissolve and vanish. As you enter progressively deeper levels of relaxation, even your body seems to "disappear" from conscious awareness.
Free from all external stimulation, your body can achieve a state of relaxation which is deeper, purer and more beneficial than sleep. With the mind and body relaxed, one can achieve single mindedness in thought, which according to wealth and health gurus, is the fastest way to achieving the life of your dreams.
The sudden de-stimulation of large areas of the nervous system triggers a spontaneous chain reaction throughout the body known as the parasympathetic response. Muscle tension, blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen consumption all drop dramatically. The whole chemistry of the body changes.
Blood vessels including capillaries dilate, improving cardiovascular efficiency and increasing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to every single cell in your body. This is called the vasodilatory effect
Stress related chemicals such as adrenaline, cortisol, ACTH and lactate are removed from the bloodstream and replaced by beneficial endorphins. High levels of cortisol and ACTH are known to weaken the body's immune system and create feelings of depression, while lower baseline levels are associated with feelings of confidence.
These biochemical changes occur naturally and spontaneously as by-products of deep sensory relaxation. No training or techniques are required. Just lie back and let it happen.
Although your body enters a level of physical relaxation which is even deeper than sleep, in the tank your mind remains awake and dreamily alert, just above the threshold of sleep Large areas of the brain are suddenly liberated from their normal workload of processing signals from the nervous system and sense organs. There is a sharp drop in the level of electrical activity of the brain (measured on an EEG) from the usual 20-25 Hz down to 4-8 Hz.; EEG readings show a slow, rhythmic wave pattern known as the theta state.
This is where your learning abilities are at their highest and powers of visualization and auto-suggestion are greatly enhanced. Measurements of the brain waves produced by experienced zen meditators in deep satori show large amounts of theta activity across the cortex. For most people, however, the theta state is almost impossible to enter without falling asleep. In the tank you enter this elusive state effortlessly and enjoyably, and stay in it for most of the float session. Time seems to vanish.
EEG measurements on floaters show that the level of activity in the two hemispheres of the brain also becomes more balanced and synchronized. This can produce a subtle shift in awareness away from the normally dominant "left-brain" thought patterns (logical, linear, analytical, detailed) towards the more intuitive, synthetic and large-scale thought modes of the "right-brain". The tank does not inhibit the left hemisphere, but simply changes its role from one of dominance to one of partnership with the other hemisphere, enabling floaters to use all their mental powers.
People who lead demanding lifestyles run the risk of developing high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. This disease has no symptoms, but eventually manifests itself in the form of strokes, heart attacks and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) - all potential killers. Floating can produce an immediate reduction in blood pressure and heart rate; regular floating may maintain this.
Apart from being the ultimate "stress buster", floating has been shown to alleviate asthma, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders. Tension related problems such as migraine, back-ache and insomnia helped enormously.