Isolation tank - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

An isolation tank is a lightless, soundproof tank inside which subjects float in salt water at skin temperature. They were first used by John C. Lilly

John C. Lilly

John Cunningham Lilly was an American physician, neuroscientist, psychoanalyst, psychonaut, philosopher and writer....

in 1954 to test the effects of sensory deprivation

Sensory deprivation

Sensory deprivation or perceptual isolation is the deliberate reduction or removal of stimuli from one or more of the senses. Simple devices such as blindfolds or hoods and earmuffs can cut off sight and hearing respectively, while more complex devices can also cut off the sense of smell, touch,...

. Such tanks are now also used for meditation

Meditation

Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....

and relaxation

Relaxation technique

A relaxation technique is any method, process, procedure, or activity that helps a person to relax; to attain a state of increased calmness; or otherwise reduce levels of anxiety, stress or anger...

and in alternative medicine

Alternative medicine

Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....

. The isolation tank was originally called the sensory deprivation tank. Other names for the isolation tank include flotation tank, John C. Lilly tank, REST tank, sensory attenuation tank, and think tank.

History

John C. Lilly, a medical practitioner and neuro-psychiatrist, developed the flotation tank in 1954. During his training in psychoanalysis at the US National Institute of Mental Health

National Institute of Mental Health

The National Institute of Mental Health is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health...

(NIMH), Lilly commenced experiments with sensory deprivation

Sensory deprivation

. In neurophysiology

Neurophysiology

Neurophysiology is a part of physiology. Neurophysiology is the study of nervous system function...

, there had been an open question as to what keeps the brain going and the origin of its energy sources. One hypothesis was that the energy sources are biological and internal and do not depend upon the outside environment. It was argued that if all stimuli are cut off to the brain then the brain would go to sleep. Lilly decided to test this hypothesis and, with this in mind, created an environment which totally isolated an individual from external stimulation. From here, he studied the origin of consciousness and its relation to the brain.

Peter Suedfeld and Roderick Borrie of the University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...

began experimenting on the therapeutic benefits of flotation tank usage in the late 1970s. They named their technique "Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy" (REST).

Tank design and usage

In the original tanks, people were required to wear complicated head-masks to breathe underwater, but the mask detracted from the isolation experience. The tight fit of the mask seal around the face and the retention strips wrapping around the back of the head were uncomfortable in long sessions. The constant hissing of the air valves and bubbling of exhaust air out of the mask prevented the possibility of silence. The faceplate of the mask was typically solid black for visual isolation, but then the tank user needed help entering and leaving the isolation tank since the mask blinded them.

In newer tanks, epsom salt is added to the water in the tank to increase the density of the water so that the subject floats with the 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.

The growing number of commercial float tanks has brought increased regulation of disinfection. For example, different states in the US have applied different rules. In Europe, the DIN 19643 bathing water standard requires automated chlorination from REDOX (ORP) measurement. Chlorine, bromine and peroxide disinfection have all been used successfully. There is doubt about ozone safety because of the closed air space.

Generally, users of isolation tanks enter the pool nude. Although a swimsuit may be worn, the elastic material of a tight-fitting suit can create uncomfortable compressed stress points on the skin during the session. Due to the high epsom salt content, the water is minimally changed, and all users are expected to shower, soap up, and rinse clean prior to entering the tank to extend the water life as long as possible. Bathing is again needed after a session to remove excess epsom salt from the skin.

Most isolation tanks use a circulating surface skimmer, cartridge filtration, and disinfection means, including ultraviolet sterilization and chemicals to keep the water free of microbes and sediment, though this is turned off during a session to keep the isolation space as quiet as possible. A ring heating system can be used around the outer walls of the tank to warm the water so that it rises up the outside edges of the pool, travels towards the center, and then sinks under the tank user. This very slow water convection flow helps to keep the user centered in the middle of the pool, without them floating to the side and bumping into the walls of the small tank during long float sessions. However, when the floater is still, the small waves caused by breathing also tend to centre them in the solution regardless of a convection effect.

Isolation tank construction and plumbing is typically all-plastic. High quality flotation tanks may use medical stainless steel which is impervious to the strong salt solution and more importantly the disinfectants, lower quality tanks use lesser metals which will corrode. Unsealed stone and concrete surfaces can also be damaged by dissolved Epsom salt splashed or dripped outside the tank, due to the dried salt recrystallizing and opening up cracks and fissures.

It is useful to have a shower stall in the same room as the tank. Before a session, the tank user can transfer directly from the shower to the tank without drying off. Following the session, they can immediately rinse off which minimizes the dripping of corrosive salt through the building.

Having plumbing facilities immediately next to the tank is also helpful when the water must eventually be changed to prevent microbe growth. The plumbing, including the drain pipes, should be constructed of plastic to prevent deterioration from the salt. The salt concentration may need to be diluted when discarded, to prevent damage to small private wastewater plumbing systems.

Types of sessions

A therapeutic session in a flotation tank typically lasts an hour. For the first forty minutes, it is reportedly possible to experience itching in various parts of the body (a phenomenon also reported to be common during the early stages of meditation). The last twenty minutes often end with a transition from beta or alpha brainwaves to theta, which typically occurs 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

Creativity

Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...

and problem solving

Problem solving

Problem solving is a mental process and is part of the larger problem process that includes problem finding and problem shaping. Consideredthe most complex of all intellectual functions, problem solving has been defined as higher-order cognitive process that requires the modulation and control of...

or for superlearning. The more often the tank is used the longer the theta period becomes.

Spa

Spa

The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...

s sometimes provide commercial float tanks for use in relaxation. Flotation therapy has been academically studied in the USA and in Sweden with published results showing reduction of both pain and stress. The relaxed state also involves lowered blood pressure and maximal blood flow.

Floating can be passive or active, depending on the purpose. For relaxation, one simply floats and 'clears the mind.' Active floating has many different techniques. One may perform meditation

Meditation

Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....

, mantras, self-hypnosis

Self-hypnosis

Self-hypnosis is a form of hypnosis which is self-induced, and normally makes use of self-suggestion . Listening to pre-recorded audio or other media is often mistaken for self-hypnosis, but is just another form of hypnosis....

, utilize educational programs, etc. The idea of active floating is that, when the body is relaxed, the mind becomes highly suggestible and any action taken during these states will enter the information into the sub-conscious. Flotation therapy may be used to complement other body work and healing methods.

More extreme uses of the tank involve the subject taking varying doses of psychedelics; such as LSD

LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...

, psilocybin mushrooms, dimethyltryptamine

Dimethyltryptamine

N,N-Dimethyltryptamine is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound of the tryptamine family. DMT is found in several plants, and also in trace amounts in humans and other mammals, where it is originally derived from the essential amino acid tryptophan, and ultimately produced by the enzyme INMT...

, ketamine

Ketamine

Ketamine is a drug used in human and veterinary medicine. Its hydrochloride salt is sold as Ketanest, Ketaset, and Ketalar. Pharmacologically, ketamine is classified as an NMDA receptor antagonist...

, or cannabis

Cannabis

Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...

and spending prolonged periods in the tank (up to tens of hours) at a time, an approach pioneered by John C. Lilly himself—though he claims to have tried LSD in the tank only prior to 1964, while the psychedelic

Psychedelic drug

A psychedelic substance is a psychoactive drug whose primary action is to alter cognition and perception. Psychedelics are part of a wider class of psychoactive drugs known as hallucinogens, a class that also includes related substances such as dissociatives and deliriants...

was still legal.. This is regarded by commercial float centers as extremely dangerous behaviour and is completely prohibited.

Flotation therapy

Flotation therapy is therapy that is undertaken by floating in a warm salt water in a float tank.

Flotation therapy developed from the research work of John Lilly although he was not primarily interested in therapy, rather in the effect of sensory deprivation

Sensory deprivation

on the human brain and mind.

People using early float tanks discovered that they enjoyed the experience and that the relaxed state was also a healing state for many conditions including stress, anxiety, pain, swelling, insomnia and jet lag.

As a result float tanks were produced for commercial uses and commercial float centres offering flotation therapy opened in several countries during the period from 1980 to the present day when there are hundreds of flotation centres in dozens of countries. In almost all cases these float centres offer wellness

Wellness (alternative medicine)

Wellness is generally used to mean a healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being. It has been used in the context of alternative medicine since Halbert L. Dunn, M.D., began using the phrase high level wellness in the 1950s...

treatments and in particular the release of stress.

Research into flotation therapy (as opposed to just the effect of isolation) began in the USA at Ohio State University

Ohio State University

The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...

where floating was shown to improve creativity in Jazz musicians, accuracy in rifle shooting, focus before academic examinations and stress relief, among others.

Research in Sweden has demonstrated the therapeutic effect on stress and pain.

The technique takes advantage of an atavistic ability that seems to be common to all humans to relax when floating at a comfortable temperature. The temperature is that which allows natural heat generation to escape without the need for muscle action to raise body temperature in homeostasis

Homeostasis

Homeostasis is the property of a system that regulates its internal environment and tends to maintain a stable, constant condition of properties like temperature or pH...

. The floating posture, usually the supine position

Supine position

The supine position is a position of the body: lying down with the face up, as opposed to the prone position, which is face down, sometimes with the hands behind the head or neck. When used in surgical procedures, it allows access to the peritoneal, thoracic and pericardial regions; as well as the...

(although the prone position

Prone position

The term means to lie on bed or ground in a position with chest downwards and back upwards.-Etymology :The word "prone," meaning "naturally inclined to something, apt, liable," has been recorded in English since 1382; the meaning "lying face-down" was first recorded in 1578, but is also referred to...

with chin supported on elbows is recommended for pregnant women), allows all the postural muscles to relax. The water pressure on the immersed skin is lower than the blood pressure and thus blood flow continues in skin capillaries. This is in contrast to normal bed rest where local contact pressure inhibits blood flow requiring regular adjustment of posture. When people cannot adjust their posture in bed, e.g. in some illnesses, bed sores can result. When floating there is no tendency to adjust posture and a person can float immobile for many hours.

The natural tendency of the body in the floating posture at the correct temperature is to dilate the blood vessels, reducing the blood pressure and maximising blood flow. The brain activity normally associated with postural muscles is reduced to a minimum. In this state, which we can call the floating state, natural endorphins are released reducing pain. Lactic acid

Lactic acid

Lactic acid, also known as milk acid, is a chemical compound that plays a role in various biochemical processes and was first isolated in 1780 by the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele. Lactic acid is a carboxylic acid with the chemical formula C3H6O3...

removal is accelerated. Flow in the lymphatic system

Lymphatic system

The lymphoid system is the part of the immune system comprising a network of conduits called lymphatic vessels that carry a clear fluid called lymph unidirectionally toward the heart. Lymphoid tissue is found in many organs, particularly the lymph nodes, and in the lymphoid follicles associated...

is increased.

The effect on stress

Perceived stress can be correlated with increased levels of cortisol

Cortisol

Cortisol is a steroid hormone, more specifically a glucocorticoid, produced by the adrenal gland. It is released in response to stress and a low level of blood glucocorticoids. Its primary functions are to increase blood sugar through gluconeogenesis; suppress the immune system; and aid in fat,...

and in flotation therapy there is a natural tendency for cortisol to be reduced . For this reason, floatation therapy is one of the few noninvasive techniques available to manage stress when it is a factor in reducing a person's ability to cope with normal life. Flotation therapy is a fast technique in this respect. The Swedish research was based on 40 minute float sessions. This compares well with other management techniques such as long vacations.

There are many similarities with the age old long hot bath, the differences being that in floatation therapy the temperature is maintained at the correct level and the bath is large enough to float without touching the sides of the bath.

The effect of the salt

Most float tanks use epsom salt, Magnesium sulfate, in high concentration so that the relative density of the solution is about 1.25. (Lilly recommended 1.3 but this requires operating very close to saturation with the risk of recrystalisation). The density assists floating particularly making the head buoyant so that the nose and mouth are well out of the water for breathing.

It has recently been discovered that there is a secondary effect which is important to flotation therapy. Magnesium

Magnesium

Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...

is absorbed through the skin due to natural molecular diffusion. This tends to correct a common deficiency. Magnesium is absorbed from the diet but in many areas of the world, over-cropping without adequate replacement of magnesium makes the normal diet low in magnesium.

The body naturally optimises the levels of magnesium, so there is no overload effect from floating in the salts for extended periods.

It is noted that there is no "flotation therapist", although there is a need to instruct the floater and need to maintain the equipment in a safe condition. However, flotation therapy is compatible with other therapies as a preparation or conjuct activity. Examples include massage

Massage

Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle"...

, talk therapy, and hypnosis

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...

Examples of floatation therapy

Fertility: Many women, after medical examination for physical causes, are advised to take significant lifestyle changes such as moving house or stopping work because stress is recognised as a factor in infertility. Flotation therapy is a useful stress reduction technique in many cases.
Insomnia: Loss of sleep or disturbed sleep patterns can exacerbate stress and flotation therapy is an ideal technique to reduce stress in anticipation of bed rest. Many floaters fall asleep in the float tank. This is considered safe in that there is no tendency to roll over when floating. Long periods of sleep are not usually possible in a commercial float center but the therapy has long lasting effects so the sufferer can go to bed after a float session and sleep naturally without drugs.

Latest research

New research undertaken at the Human Performance Laboratory at Karlstad University Sven-Åke Bood concludes that regular flotation tank sessions can provide significant relief for chronic stress-related ailments. Studies involving 140 people with long-term conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression and fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and allodynia, a heightened and painful response to pressure. It is an example of a diagnosis of exclusion...

found that more than three quarters experienced noticeable improvements.

Dr. Bood commented: "Through relaxing in floating tanks, people with long-term fibromyalgia, for instance, or depression and anxiety felt substantially better after only 12 treatments". Research targeted the effectiveness of floatation treatment with regard to stress related pain and anxiety over the period of seven weeks. 22 percent of the participants became entirely free of pain and 56 percent experienced clear improvement.

Broken down to various symptoms, the results were as follows: 23 percent slept better, 31 percent experienced reduced stress, 27 percent felt less agony and 24 percent became less depressed or got rid of their depression altogether. The research also confirms the findings of an earlier thesis that flotation, after only twelve sessions, substantially improves sleep patterns leaving users more optimistic and with reduced nervousness, tension and pain. Relaxing in a weightless state in the silent warmth of a flotation tank activates the body's own system for recuperation and healing, said Sven-Åke Bood. What researchers find particularly gratifying is that the positive effects were still in evidence 4 months after the floating treatment ended.

Notable users

The physicist Richard Feynman

Richard Feynman

Richard Phillips Feynman was an American physicist known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics and the physics of the superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium, as well as in particle physics...

's experiences in a sensory deprivation tank were documented in the popular book Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character is an edited collection of reminiscences by the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. The book, released in 1985, covers a variety of instances in Feynman's life...

. Feynman was invited to try the isolation tank at John Lilly's home after Lilly attended one of Feynman's popular lectures on quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics

Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...

. Comedian

Comedian

A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...

Joe Rogan

Joseph James "Joe" Rogan is an American comedian, video blogger, actor, writer, podcaster, and martial artist. He is best known for his work on NewsRadio, his work as color commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and his hosting work on Fear Factor.-Acting:In 1994, Rogan co-starred on...

owns an isolation tank and can be heard talking about his experiences with it in a YouTube

YouTube

YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....

video, in which he was giving away his previous model as he had recently purchased a larger, more intricate system. Joe exclaimed his experiences with isolation tanks were beneficially catalyzed when he ingested cannabis

Cannabis

before entering the tank. Another comedian, George Carlin

George Carlin

George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....

used an isolation tank to "meditate or just drift off".

Actor Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...

spent some time in an isolation tank to capture the claustrophobia of his character in the 2006 film World Trade Center
World Trade Center (film)
World Trade Center is a 2006 American disaster-drama film directed by Oliver Stone and based on the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center. It stars Nicolas Cage, Maria Bello, Michael Peña, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon. The film was shot from October 19, 2005 - February 10, 2006...

. He played PAPD Sgt. John McLoughlin

John McLoughlin (World Trade Center attack survivor)

John McLoughlin is one of two Port Authority Police Officers who survived after being trapped in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center...

, who was trapped in the rubble of the WTC Towers during the attacks.

External links

Floatation FAQ Orientation, FAQ and first-timer's guide
Float Talk An online discussion group for floatation enthusiasts and tank owners
Where to float Experience floatation: Float Finder lists over 400 locations in USA, Canada, Europe and Australia
Float for Health Health benefits, scientific research, user experiences and media coverage; US & Canada locations listed
List of Manufacturers Current producers of isolation tanks, floatation rooms and pods
UK Floatation Tank Association In English language only
German Floatation Association In German and English languages
Swedish Floatation Association In Swedish language only
Float Summit An international conference series for the floatation community and industry
http://www.roga.org.il/medical.html Medical conditions that can be benefited by Floatation Therapy.
Erowid Floatation Tank Experience Reports Experiences, General Info, Links

Books

Sven-Åke Bood (2007). Bending and Mending the Neurosignature: Frameworks of influence by floatation-REST. Karlstad University. ISBN 9789170631283
Hutchison, Michael (2003). The Book of Floating: Exploring the Private Sea. Gateways Books and Tapes. ISBN 0895561182
Lilly, John C. & E.J. Gold (2000). Tanks for the Memories: Flotation Tank Talks. Gateways Books & Tapes. ISBN 0895560712
Lilly, John C. (1981). The Deep Self: Profound Relaxation and the Tank Isolation Technique. Warner Books. ISBN 044633023X
Lilly, John C. (1990). The Center of the Cyclone. Marion Boyars Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0714509612
Lilly, John C. (1996). The Scientist: A Metaphysical Autobiography. Ronin Publishing. ISBN 0914171720
Suedfeld, P, Turner, J.W.Jr., Fine, T.H. (Eds) (1990) Restricted Environmental Stimulation: Theoretical and Empirical Developments in Flotation REST Springer. Spinger-Verlag ISBN 0387973486

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

History

Tank design and usage

Types of sessions

Flotation therapy

The effect on stress

The effect of the salt

Examples of floatation therapy

Latest research

Notable users

See also

External links

Books