If you never hear about the benefits of floating therapy, you may be missing out on valuable information.
Thanks to research in which scientists observed how the electrical signals in the brain change during floating therapy, we now have even more evidence of the many ways floating therapy can provide a path to better mental and physical health.
What are brain waves?
The term “brain waves” certainly sounds like something out of a science-fiction movie, yet they are actually quite simple to understand. Essentially, your brain is full of nerves that communicate with one another through chemical and electrical signals. If you were to measure the brain’s activity with an EEG device, you would detect certain signals with a frequency, like waves of different shapes and amplitudes. The shapes of the signals are related to the brain’s current state.
When you are awake and active, the brain produces waves at higher frequencies (Beta waves). The more relaxed you are, the lower the frequency of the waves. The oscillation of signals at lower frequencies is known as “Alpha”, “Theta” and finally “Delta” waves, which are present when we sleep.
Floating therapy changes brain waves
Most people find it hard to reach deep relaxation, and with it the low frequency of brain waves (Theta and Delta), without falling asleep. Floating therapy, however, removes the influence of the many external stimuli that keep our brain constantly awake, and thus makes the path to deep relaxation easier. Research carried out with an EEG device has shown a reduction in brain activity and a lowering of the frequency of brain waves during floating into an “Alpha” and then a “Theta” state.
A lower frequency of brain waves reduces stress and promotes self-healing
So, what is the significance of this deep relaxation?
First, the relaxed state immediately stops feelings of anxiety, which can prove beneficial both for people with moderate stress and for those who struggle with anxiety and panic. It is well known that constant stress can cause countless health problems, from hypertension and heart disease to inflammation, which can lead to certain chronic illnesses.
In addition, the body is more receptive to self-healing when the brain is in a relaxed state. This is because the parasympathetic nervous system can take over and begin the healing process by restoring balance in the metabolism and the chemical state within the body. During floating therapy, pressure on the joints is reduced, the muscles relax and blood circulation improves, which further promotes the self-healing processes.
source: http://northwestfloatcenter.com/floatation-therapy-changes-brain-waves-better/