Flotation-REST, which involves floating in an enclosed tank of buoyant saltwater to minimize sensory input, appears to reduce pain, stress, and clinical anxiety while improving athletic performance and mental well-being. A systematic review of 60 studies with 1,838 participants found limited to no effect on sleep-related disorders and smoking cessation. The evidence suggests benefits for physical and mental health, but more research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms and optimize treatment protocols.
A systematic review of 63 studies involving 1,838 participants examined the effects of flotation-REST, a technique using a tank of buoyant saltwater to minimize sensory input. Flotation-REST was found to bring about positive effects on pain, athletic performance, stress, mental well-being, and clinical anxiety, while having limited to no effect on sleep-related disorders and smoking cessation. The review categorizes applications into nine areas and notes that more research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms and identify optimal treatment protocols.
Neuroscience has shifted from describing the neural basis of mental phenomena to redefining those phenomena based on brain findings, leading some to view it as a missing piece for philosophy. This paper argues against neuroscience replacing philosophy and instead advocates for a collaborative coevolution where both disciplines nourish and influence each other to resolve long-standing questions about human thought and behavior, such as free will.