http://www.floatforhealth.net/research.

htm
Patients reported far more relief from anxiety and stress from flotation than any other modality. For depression, flotation was equal to counseling at near 70%, with relaxation training at 53% and physical therapy and medication at 20%. Patients also claimed to have reaped a variety of other benefits from flotation, reporting improvements in sleep (65%), mental concentration (77%), energy (46%), interpersonal relationships (54%), ability to work (35%), ability to cope with pain (88%), ability to cope with stress (92%), and feelings of wellbeing (65%) resulting from flotation REST.

Flotation REST in Applied Psychophysiology

Related Links

Absorption of magnesium sulfate across the skin by Dr. RH Waring Sulfate and Sulfation by Dr. RH Waring Flotation REST in Applied Psychophysiology by Fine, M.A. and Borrie, Ph.D. Health and Therapeutic Applications of Chamber and Flotation REST REST-assisted relaxation and chronic pain REST as a stress management tool: A meta-analysis June 2005 Addictive Behaviors: The Use of Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy in Treating Addictive Behaviors by Borrie, Ph.D. Arthritis: Cortisol, Pain and Indices of Inflammation In Rheumatoid Arthritics Chronic Tension Headaches: Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy for Chronic Tension Headache: A Pilot Study by Wallbaum, Rzewnicki, Steele & Suedfeld Muscle Tension Pain: Effects of Flotation-REST on Muscle Tension Pain by Kjellgren, Sundequist, Norlander, & Archer. Consciousness, Creativity, Subjective Stress and Pain by Kjellgren Treatment of psychosomatic illness through mental training and floatation in oxygenated magnesium sulfate saturated baths Effects of Flotation REST on Creative Problem Solving and Originality by Frfattare: Norlander, T., Bergman, H., & Archer, T The effects of floatation REST on musical creativity Effects of Restricted Environmental Stimulation by Barabasz & Barabasz. Effects of REST on Serological Markers of Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis REST effects on plasma cortisol, blood pressure and mood

Controlled Investigation of Right Hemispheric Processing Enhancement After Restricted Environmental Stimulation (REST) with Floatation Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique Improves Human Performance: Rifle Marksmanship Reduction of Post-ECT Memory Complaints Through Brief, Partial Restricted Environmental Stimulation (REST) Enhancing Mental Training and Rowing Ergometer Performance Through Flotation REST Additional Research

http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Isolation_Tank

Isolation Tank
From BME Encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search An isolation tank (also commonly known as a sensory deprivation tank) is (ideally) a lightless, soundproof tank in which subjects float in salty water (denser than the human body) at skin temperature. It was devised by John C. Lilly in 1954 in order to test the effects of sensory deprivation. Such tanks are now also used for meditation, prayer, relaxation, and in alternative medicine. The isolation tank is also called float tank, floating tank, floater tank, floatation tank, Samadhi tank, sensory deprivation tank, REST tank (Restricted Environmental Stimuli Therapy), and John Lilly tank. In the original tanks, people were required to wear complicated head-masks in order to breathe underwater; in newer tanks, Epsom salt (1.30 grams per cubic centimeter) is added so that the subject floats with his or her face above the water. However, since the ears are submerged when the subject is in a relaxed position, hearing is greatly reduced, particularly when ear-plugs are also used. When the arms float to the side, skin sensation is greatly reduced because the air and water are the same temperature as the skin, and the feeling of a body boundary fades. The sense of smell is also greatly reduced, especially if the water has not been treated with chlorine. A therapeutic session in a flotation tank typically lasts an hour. For the first forty minutes it is reportedly common to experience itching in various parts of the body (a phenomenon also reported to be common during the early stages of meditation). The last 20 minutes often end with a transition from beta or alpha brainwaves to theta, which typically occur briefly before sleep and again at waking. In a float tank the theta state can last for several minutes without the subject losing consciousness. Many use the extended theta state as a tool for enhanced creativity and problem-solving or for superlearning. Spas sometimes provide commercial float tanks for use in relaxation. Shorter sessions may be relaxing and other benefits are claimed by Lilly but have not been confirmed by other scientists. Common reactions to extended sensory deprivation are hallucinations, out-of-body experiences, anxiety, and depression, and some researchers believe this to be evidence of a deep human need for almost constant input of stimuli (the opposite of Lilly's conclusion). More extreme uses of the tank involve the subject taking varying doses of hallucinogens, such as LSD, and spending prolonged periods in the tank (up to tens of hours) at a time, an approach pioneered by Lilly himself though he claims to have tried LSD in the tank only after 1964, when the drug was still legal, a decade after his first experiments with the tank itself.

http://health.enotes.com/alternative-medicine-encyclopedia/sensorydeprivation Definition
Sensory deprivation, or Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST), is a technique by which sensory input (sound, light, smell, etc.) is minimized. This practice encourages an extremely deep level of relaxation. REST is typically conducted in a float tank, in which the person is suspended in a solution of warm water and Epsom salt without sound or light. This relaxation technique produces significant physical and mental benefits.

Origins
In the 1950s, sensory deprivation experiments were conducted to determine the effects of restricted environmental stimulation on mental and physical functions. For 24 hours a day, students were confined to a bed in cramped cubicles with their vision and hearing blocked by various means, such as opaque goggles and U-shaped pillows around their heads. The students' physical and psychological functions quickly deteriorated under these harsh conditions. In 1954, Dr. John Lilly, a neurophysiologist at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, developed the Floatation Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique. By suspending a person in water, external stimuli (such as light and sound) were reduced almost completely, but without the harsh conditions of similar experiments. Dr. Lilly refined his technique between 1960 and 1970, allowing subjects to float freely in an Epsom salt and water solution contained within a dark soundproof chamber. The solution was warmed to skin temperature so that the person would not react to cold or heat. From his experiments, Lilly determined that such external stimuli as gravity, light, sound, and touch accounted for 90% of the central nervous system's workload. Although extended sensory deprivation could be harmful, extended sensory overload could also have detrimental effects on a person's mental and physical well-being. By reducing excess stimuli appropriately, he could actually lower stress levels. Drs. Peter Suedfeld and Roderick Borrie of the University of British Columbia began experimenting on the therapeutic benefits of this technique in the late 1970s. However, they renamed the technique Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) or, more appropriately, Floatation REST. Since that time, several studies have been conducted on the benefits of Floatation REST, as well as other forms of REST. The consistently positive findings of these studies have led to the incorporation of Floatation REST into physical and mental health care programs, as well as fitness training and professional sports medicine. Currently, floatation centers can be found in major cities in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Individuals can also purchase float tanks for their homes.

Benefits
Floatation REST has many physical and mental benefits because it provides an unparalleled level of relaxation. With the elimination of external stimuli, the central nervous system's workload is reduced by as much as 90%. This reduction draws a person's energy inward and promotes relaxation (the parasympathetic response). The parasympathetic response is the mechanism by which the body naturally regenerates itself and maintains chemical and metabolic balance. Old wounds and injuries are allowed to heal faster. Increased T-cell production strengthens the immune system. This deep level of relaxation also benefits the cardiovascular system. Known as the vasodilatory effect, the body's circulation is increased while the blood pressure and heart rate are reduced. Furthermore, the elimination of gravity on the body allows muscles and joints to release tension and heal more rapidly. For this reason, people suffering from musculoskeletal and rheumatic conditions greatly benefit from Floatation REST, as can women throughout the length of their pregnancy. As the brain relaxes into a theta state, endorphins are released into the bloodstream, reducing pain and fatigue. The increased endorphin levels also promote a general sense of well-being and happiness and therefore increase vitality and further reduce levels of stress and tension. The blood levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are reduced by various body messages, receptor site activity, and organ processes. Combined, these positive effects help reduce the risks of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Stress-related health problems as migraine headache, hypertension, and insomnia are similarly reduced. The brain, freed of external stimuli, begins working more efficiently. This change provides the floater with an accelerated ability to learn, process information, and use his or her creative mind. This increased level of mental performance and concentration can be carried over into daily life. Equally important, Floatation REST can help with eliminating compulsive behaviors such as alcoholism and smoking. People with psychological and emotional problems as anxiety and depression can also benefit from this therapy. An added benefit to Floatation REST stems from the Epsom salts used to provide buoyancy. According to the Archangel Vitamin, Health, and Nutrition Center's Health Newsletter, Epsom salt "draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, and is a natural emollient (and exfoliative)." Also, because the solution does not leach salt from the skin, the floater's skin will not wrinkle during the treatment.

Description
Modern float tanks are large enough in size and shape to allow a full-sized adult to easily enter, exit, and lie comfortably. The bottom of the light-proof and soundinsulated chamber is filled with a shallow 1012-in (24.431 cm) pool of 30% magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) solution. The density of this solution provides the floater with complete buoyancy and weight-lessness. Indeed, the solution's density makes it impossible for the user to sink.

A float session begins when the tank's door is closed. Light is completely eliminated and sound is reduced to near zero through the combination of the tank's insulation and submersion of the floater's ears. Earplugs can further block outside noises. The air and water within the tank are maintained at a constant skin temperature. This neutral temperature prevents the physical and mental distractions caused by cold and heat. The silky nature of the solution further reduces the separation between the floater's skin and its surroundings, so that the body seems to gradually disappear. The combined elements of the tank, therefore, virtually eliminate all external stimulation for the floater. Without environmental stimuli to process, the central nervous system's level of activity drops dramatically, sending the floater into a state of deep relaxation. The body undergoes positive physiological changes that work toward achieving homeostasisthe state of physical equilibrium. Muscular tension is released and proper blood flow is enhanced. Additionally, the body begins to balance any neurochemical imbalances caused by tension and stress. There is increased production of endorphins and T-cells, which provide pain relief and increased immunity, respectively. In essence, relieved of outward stimuli, the floater's central nervous system can concentrate most of its energies inward for the restoration of physical and mental health. During a float session, the brain also enters the theta state, usually accessible only in the brief moments before falling asleep. This level of consciousness provides access to the right hemisphere of brain, which is associated with concentration, creativity, and learning. The brain can more easily retain information while in the theta state. A typical float session lasts an hour, although longer sessions are available. After the floater rinses off the salt solution in a shower, most float centers provide a rest area to recuperate and reflect on the float session. This down-time with other floaters and staff enhances the relaxation process. In total, the entire session lasts one-and-one-half to two hours. Repeated weekly sessions are suggested to achieve the full benefits of Floatation REST.

Preparations
Persons interested in Flotation REST should consult with the local floatation center before the session. Most centers provide items such as towels, shampoo, soap, and hairdryers for their clients. Bathing suits are not required, and most people float without wearing one. It is recommended that a session be scheduled in advance to avoid a long wait.

Precautions
People suffering from high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney conditions should consult a physician or family doctor before undergoing Floatation REST. Those who have claustrophobia, certain psychological disorders, or discomfort in the dark may find the treatment unpleasant.

Side effects
Prolonged exposure to the Epsom salt solution may cause diarrhea and dry skin. Otherwise, Floatation REST has no known negative side effects.

Research & general acceptance

Unfortunately, sensory deprivation remains stigmatized by the general public. Many people continue to associate it negatively with the experiments conducted in the 1950s and 1960s. Science fiction movies such as Altered States have done little to improve the therapy's public image. For this reason, the term floatation REST is more accurately and commonly used. Floatation centers have begun appearing in cities throughout the world, and are growing in popularity. Studies confirming the positive physical and mental benefits of Floatation REST further enhance their popularity. Floatation REST has been researched and studied for decades. The positive findings have impressed even those who were once strongly opposed to it. Journalist Michael Hutchinson tried to debunk the therapy but ended up writing what some call the "definitive" book on Floatation REST. Hutchinson says in The Book of Floating that "there's no doubt that floatation therapy worksas a therapeutic, educational, and entertainment tool, it has powerful effects on a number of levels, including the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual." Research scientists and physicians confirm the benefits of floatation REST. In their study for Health Psychology, Jacobs and colleagues found that the results indicated that, "Floatation REST can be an effective means of teaching normal subjects to lower systolic and diastolic pressure and heighten their perception of relaxation." In their literature review, Floatation REST in Applied Psychophysiology, Drs. Thomas Fine and Roderick Borrie concluded that floatation REST can have positive psychophysiological effects and clinical applications as well as uses in pain management, performance enhancement, and the treatment of chronic illness and depression. Further studies support these findings.

Training & certification

There is no training or certification required for those undergoing floatation REST. The floater does not even need to know how to swim. All floatation centers must adhere to strict health and safety regulations. Ultraviolet lights, chemicals, and filtration help assure that water hygiene within the tanks is maintained at all times. Tanks can be easily opened from within so that a floater cannot be locked inside.

Resources
BOOKS

Barabasz, Arreed, and Marianne Barabasz, eds. Clinical and Experimental Restricted Environmental Stimulation. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1993. Hutchison, Michael. The Book of Floating: Exploring the Private Sea. New York: William Morrow, 1985. Lilly, John. The Deep Self: Profound Relaxation and the Tank Isolation Technique. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1977.

Suedfeld, Peter. Restricted Environmental Stimulation. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 1980.

PERIODICALS

Borrie, Roderick. "The Use of Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy in Treating Addictive Behaviors." International Journal of Addiction (1990 1991): 9951015. Fine, Thomas, and John Turner. "Rest-assisted Relaxation and Chronic Pain." Health and Clinical Psychology (1985): 51118. Jacobs G., R. Heilbronner, and J. Stanley. "The Effects of Short Term Flotation REST on Relaxation: A Controlled Study." Health Psychology (March 1984): 99112. Kjellgren, A., U. Sundequist, T. Norlander, and T. Archer. "Effects of Floatation-REST on Muscle Tension Pain." Pain Research and Management (Winter 2001): 1819. Turner, John, and Thomas Fine. "Restricting Environmental Stimulation Influences Levels and Variability of Plasma Cortisol." Journal of Applied Psychology (October 1991): 201013. Wallbaum, A.B., R. Rzewnicki, H. Steele, and P. Suedfeld. "Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy for Chronic Tension Headache: A Pilot Study." International Journal of Psychosomatics (1991): 339.

OTHER

Fine, Thomas, and Roderick Borrie. Floatation REST in Applied Psychophysiology. [cited June 14, 2004]. <http://www.drborrie.com/rest2.html>. "Float Tank Australia." Introduction to Floating. [cited June 14, 2004]. <http://www.floattank.com/what.html>. Floatation.com. [cited May 30, 2004]. <http://www.floatation.com/index.html>. London Floatation Tank Centre. [cited June 14, 2004]. <http://www.londonfloatcentre.com>. Think Tank International. About Floatation. [cited June 14, 2004]. <http://www.thinktank.com.sg/float.htm>. Tudor, Silke. "Going into the Tank." [cited June ]. <http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/2000-03-01/nightcrawler.htm... .

Lee Ann Paradise

http://www.floattankassociation.co.uk/faq.htm#mindefects

What effects does floating have on the body? In the gravity free environment the body balances and heals internally as all the senses are rested. Research shows that floating measurably reduces blood pressure and heart rate whilst lowering the levels of stress related chemicals in the body. Old injuries and aches, (especially backache) experience relief as floating helps blood circulation. Floating is used widely in the treatment of stress, anxiety, jet lag and to improve concentration and creativity. Sports performance and 'wind down' is also enhanced during floating. Also, one hour in a floatation tank has the restorative effects of 4 hours of sleep! Back to top

What effects does floating have on the mind? During a float you produce slower brain-wave patterns, known as theta waves, (normally experienced only during deep meditation or just before falling asleep). This is usually accompanied by vivid imagery, very clear, creative thoughts, sudden insights and inspirations or feelings of profound peace and joy, induced by the release of endorphins, the body's natural opiates. Because of these effects floating is used effectively in the treatment of depression and addictions, including smoking and alcohol. It is also used in schools and universities as tools for SuperLearning.

http://www.floatation.com/deprivation With our high-density solution (H2O saturated with MgSO4), the last remaining lowlevel physical danger ("a sinking head") was removed. The subjects report mostly "selfprogrammed" or "spontaneous" experiences rather than fear-filled/stressful/deprived ones. The complete comfort of the isothermal supportive bath in the dark and the silence affords a complete physical/mental/spiritual resting place, which can contain a great peace for those ready for it. * Peter Suedfeld, The Benefits of Boredom: Sensory Deprivation Reconsidered.

http://www.offitsface.com/c-article-lilly.html

DR JOHN C LILLY (JUNE 1915-SEPT 30 2001)

Dr John C Lilly, the man whose life was part responsible for the characters in the movie Altered States, may have been seen by some as an intrepid drug explorer, but in reality, he was a pioneer environmentalist who's greatest life achievement was to help awaken modern man to the potential for communication between man and dolphin. Peter Collins writes... Life stories don't come more 'way out' than Dr John Cunningham Lilly (June 1915-Sept 30, 2001). In terms of alternative thinkers of the 20th Century, he made Tim Leary look like a quirky party man with a bag of LSD performing party tricks, and Robert Anton-Wilson a fast paced occult meddler. Unlike Terrence McKenna and even Leary, partly because he was qualified physician, Lilly was considered far more scientific than any of the other 'psychedelic' explorers who mapped innerspace. He also achieved a much lower profile, perhaps because of his lack of direct contact with popular culture, except through his books and writings. Lilly coined the classic phrase, 'in the provence of the mind there are no limits.' In the classic vein of philosophers and writers, Lilly explored new human potential through looking at man's relationship to both nature and the matter that constructs it. It was Lilly who is credited with opening up the idea of the human mind being a computer, and therefore human nature ultimately programmable. This theory was utilised heavily in the construction of the 'personal empowerment' revolution, commercially embodied by people such as Anthony Robbins, and of course bio-computer studies and artificial intelligence. These theories of man and computer began developing as early as the 1940s, where he was first introduced to the burgeoning computer industry. Both he and his philosophical theories are considered influential on students of many disciplines, including electronics, biophysics, neurophysiology, computer theory and neuroanatomy. Lilly was widely embraced by the new age in its infancies for his invention of the flotation or isolation tank - a single person sealed chamber where one rests in saturated saline solution warmed to body temperature with zero light. Float tanks became designer consciousness relocation tools during the affluent 80s, where you could find a float tank in the gym section of the Hyatt Hotel in any capital city. It was this contraption and the experiments with it at Big Sur, California's Esalen Institute, in the late 60s and early 70s, that formed the storyline for the movie Altered States, although William Hurt's adverse drug reactions depicted in the movie were the experiences of Dr Craig Enright as well as Dr Lilly. It might be common knowledge now, but when Lilly started out little was known of cetaceans, of which dolphins, porpoises, whales, killer whales and whale sharks all belong. Until people such as Lilly started proving that dolphins were intelligent species, modern science and biology was running on old wives tales.

His 1961 book Man and Dolphin quotes:" Eventually it may be possible for humans to speak with another species. I have come to this conclusion after careful consideration of evidence gained through my research experiments with dolphins. If new scientific developements are to be made in this direction, however, certain changes in our basic orientation and philosophy will be necessary." Several years later Lilly proved himself part right. It was Lilly who made Time Magazine in 1965 for his work stimulating reward senses to dolphins for achieving desired actions. This included making certain sounds and including staying within human pitch range. It was Lilly who further recorded dolphins mimicking human words, the experiemtns forming the basis for George C. Scott teaching the dolphin how to speak in the film Day of the Dolphin. In Lilly's work, the mythology of dolphins debunked current science, and proved Aristotole and other legendary writers who mentioned dolphins throughout written accounts, were in fact scientifically closer to the truth than modern descriptions. A student of Lilly's and the man who has carried on in the vein of Lilly himself, Jim Nollman, chairman of the Interspecies Communication Project, said Lilly's greatest contribution was to smash the modern myths on dolphins. "He made the human race take a close look at another species as a potential equal," Nollman said reflecting on the news of his death. "Not the same as us, but equal in consciousness, using it in a very different way." "His great contribution to whale studies was to show that several species have brains larger than ours." "He was not a future scientist, but a futurist, a person who is not afraid to imagine how things might be, and also might be better. He was very much a product of his time in his methodology. He also got very involved in drugs, of course, but I've never paid much attention to that. Someone else might respond better to a question about his influence as a guinea pig for consciousness exploration." Throughout his life Lilly reportedly suffered migrains for 18 hours a day. Under the motto that no physician should conduct experiments or treatments on individuals that they haven't tried on themselves, he became somewhat of a guinea pig. He experimented with ketamine in isolation tanks to alleviate headaches, where he apparently, under the effect of the drug, 'sensorially' removed the pain from his head and it never returned. The incident led to the experiments partially exploited for the film Altered States. It was colleague Dr Craig Enright who was allegedly the William Hurt character which experinced a primal archetype regression under the effects of ketamine and isolation. But it was Lilly who began going in alone and nearly died under the effects of the tranquilizer. It was the ketamine experiments where allegedly Lilly came into contact with alien intelligences, the benevolent ECCO and malevolent SSI - a contraption similar to author Philip K Dick's VALIS. Lilly believed ketamine and isolation opened up communication with ECCO and revelations regarding SSI's existence and plan for the universe - parodied in modern fiction by Star Trek's 'the Borg." - including domination of all biological species. Lilly says he received 3D messages from ECCO, much the same way as doplhins allegedly receive images according to experts. The message involved warnings of impending probability of destruction through nuclear or such devices. At this point there were attempts by juniors to have him committed to psychiatric care, but Lilly was respected by the higher echelons of mental health in America.

The writings of Lilly regarding ketamine and sensory deprivation began to merge with what is now called Near Death Experience research. Dr Karl Jansen, a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists who has conducted extensive research into the human brain, including the effects of ketamine, believes Lilly's contributions to NDE research through his ketamine use were valid and valuable regardless of the writings on ECCO or SSI. "They were actually very old truths, labelled The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley, but he did bring to the fore newer methods for exploring these realms - new technology such as the flotation tank and ketamine. He also illustrated many of the dangers of becoming over-involved in such pursuits, frequently brushing with real near-death and becoming dependent on ketamine. Jansen says Lilly's somewhat unconventional manners may have helped take the shine off groundbreaking philosophical direction, and that his greatest contribution was over and above drugs and inner-spece "Increasing public awareness that it is crime to mistreat and needlessly kill animals with brains as large as those of dolphins and whales was his greatest contribution," Jansen says. "He played quite a large role in the sixties in educating school children through films and books about the intelligence of whales and dolphins. That legacy lives on today in various legislation world-wide designed to protect marine mammals." Jim Nollman says that what were then considered wild ideas have since been proved true, and Dr Lilly's legacy may still yield more discoveries. "There was no such thing back then, and nowadays behavioural biologists are working with many social animals trying to discover their development of culture, communication, and even aesthetics." "Lilly did it mostly fired up with ideas of speculation and hunch, and left it to others to figure out if his ideas made sense with the real animals. Many have been proved true, and many others are still unable to to be proven or disproved." When Dr John Lilly finally 'passed on', he could easily have seen it as dying for the last time. Reportedly having 'visited' the other side many times, Lilly believed, with his body suffering the effects of advanced cancer, his mission of 'instruction' and earthly duties were up, and this time he would not have to return to this reality