Reduced stress, anxiety and depression
- In 2014 BMC Complementary & Alternative Medicine published a study in which 65 participants were either assigned to a wait list (control group) or a 7-week program consisting of 12 flotation sessions. Questionnaires showed that those in the flotation group had significant decreases in stress, anxiety and pain as well as improved sleep and increased optimism. [Source]
Reduced stress-related pain
- In 2009 Pain Research and Management published a study including 69 women and 19 men diagnosed with chronic stress-related muscle tension pain which showed that both sexes had higher pain thresholds after a 7-week program delivering 12 flotation sessions. [Source]
- In 2001 Pain Research and Management published a study of 37 patients suffering from chronic muscle pain in the neck and back who were either assigned to a control group or a group with 9 opportunities to use a flotation tank over a 3 week period. Severe pain was significantly reduced in the flotation group and patients also had reductions in anxiety and depression and fell asleep more easily. [Source]
Generalized anxiety disorder
- In 2016 BMC Complementary & Alternative Medicine published a study involving 46 patients with generalized anxiety disorder which found that 37 percent of patients assigned to flotation treatment reached full remission. Additional benefits were seen in relation to sleep difficulties and emotion regulation. No negative effects were seen. [Source]
Reduced lactic acid after exercise
- In 2013 the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research published a study in which 24 untrained males had significantly reduced blood lactate when completing a one-hour flotation session after a 2 hours of exercise, when compared to a control group. [Source]