I believe there’s some big gaps right now in the way many of us go about our lives and in my opinion flotation therapy can help. Perhaps it’s better to simply say problems, as the real issue is the fact that too many of us are lacking any gaps or space in our time and schedules. As technology and social media barged its way into our daily routines and everything became more constant and always-on, it seems like we never have time for silence anymore.
Filling (or creating) the gaps in time
Many of us don’t know what it’s like to not be doing anything, let alone being bored.
This was one of the major gaps in my life that needed to be filled with flotation therapy (aka floating):
I needed silence.
More time to rest, reflect and simply be. No more doing.
We’re continuing to learn more and more about the links between our endless use of technology and social media and how it affects our mental health.
Not only did smartphone use and depression increase in tandem, but time spent online was linked to mental health (via Guardian)
I’ll be honest in saying that allowing this back into my life through my flotation practice wasn’t always easy. It was challenging to part from my smartphone as a perfectionist and workaholic that was dreading missing an important call, message or email at any moment.
Side note: I’ve had over 100 floats now and nothing super urgent or important has happened during those hours, aside from deep rest, recovery and much needed silence.
As with many things, floating more in the beginning allowed me to challenge these tensions and addictions I had built up in my mind around technology, my smartphone, social media, and time in general. Now, I have a much healthier relationship with these tools and have reduced a lot of the unnecessary time and effort.
Filling the gaps in minerals and nutrition
“Unfortunately, studies suggest that about 50% of people in the US and Europe get less than the recommended daily amount of magnesium.” (via Healthline)
Magnesium is involved in more than 600 reactions in your body, which leads to many different health benefits when you restore your levels back to normal.
Magnesium deficiency or lower than normal levels can cause us to feel tired, weak, and may provide a greater risk of anxiety or depression (which may be why we’re starting to see more studies showing promising results for flotation therapy with the latter two).
With the super-saturated solution of the float tanks carrying over 525kg of high-quality epsom salt, you’re bound to catch up on magnesium if you’re lacking. Maybe that’s part of the post-float glow!
Filling the gaps in our schedules with flotation therapy
I’ve struggled a lot in the past in making sure I properly take care of myself. Now, after years of deep personal work and a lot of floating I can say that I am much better at it, although I still have room to improve.
I think many of us struggle with this, especially fitting it into our schedules among everything else going on as more people start to take on demanding careers, multiple jobs, freelance or consulting work, or have to join the gig economy to make ends meet.
Flotation therapy now provides that perfect time in my schedule every week where I could disconnect, reset, recharge and keep back on the same track without losing focus or having to take a bunch of time off for a vacation or burnout/meltdown (anyone relate?).
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If you feel like there are some gaps in your life or you need to build back more space, I highly recommend you try out floating and see what it can do for you!
