Beneficial effects of treatment with sensory isolation in flotation-tank as a preventive health-care intervention – a randomized controlled pilot trial
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine October 25, 2014 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-417 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA series of twelve flotation tank sessions over seven weeks significantly reduced stress, depression, anxiety, and worst pain, while increasing optimism and sleep quality in healthy adults. No significant changes occurred in a wait-list control group. A correlation was found between mindfulness in daily life and the degree of altered states of consciousness experienced during flotation. The findings suggest flotation-REST has beneficial effects for relatively healthy individuals.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 65 |
| Population | Healthy adults participating in a cooperative-health project initiated by their companies |
| Duration | Seven weeks with twelve flotation sessions |
| Keywords | Medicine |
| Key finding | Flotation-REST significantly decreased stress, depression, anxiety, and worst pain and increased optimism and sleep quality in healthy participants. |
Abstract
BackgroundSensory isolation in a flotation tank is a method known for inducing deep relaxation and subsequent positive health effects for patients suffering from e.g. stress or muscle tensions pains. Very few studies have investigated this method as a preventive health-care intervention. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects in healthy participants after receiving a series of flotation tank treatment.MethodsSixty-five participants (14 men and 51 women) who were all part of a cooperative-health project initiated by their individual companies, were randomized to either a wait-list control group or a flotation tank treatment group where they participated in a seven weeks flotation program with a total of twelve flotation sessions. Questionnaires measuring psychological and physiological variables such as stress and energy, depression and anxiety, optimism, pain, stress, sleep quality, mindfulness, and degree of altered states of consciousness were used. Data were analysed by two-way mixed MANOVA and repeated measures ANOVA.ResultsStress, depression, anxiety, and worst pain were significantly decreased whereas optimism and sleep quality significantly increased for the flotation-REST group. No significant results for the control group were seen. There was also a significant correlation between mindfulness in daily life and degree of altered states of consciousness during the relaxation in the flotation tank.ConclusionsIt was concluded that flotation-REST has beneficial effects on relatively healthy participants.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12613000483752.