In our fast-paced and information saturated world, it has become the norm to run on auto-pilot and simply view sleep as a luxury. Something to fit into the remaining time you have in a day. What would you say if I told you if you don’t get enough sleep you are shortening your life expectancy?
In the “Whitehall II Study,” British researchers discovered less than five hours of sleep doubled the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, which is the number one cause of death in America according to the CDC, US centre for disease control and prevention.
What happens when we don’t get enough sleep
There’s plenty of research proving conclusively that we do not function optimally when we do not get enough sleep.
Moreover chronic sleep deprivation through insomnia, difficulty getting to sleep, staying asleep throughout the night, can have serious long term effects.
Whilst there are effective ways to reboot from lack of sleep, including taking naps, catching up on sleep over time and reinvigorating with exercise, caffeine or other stimulants, these are merely band-aids that do little to tackle the underlying problem.
Why can’t we sleep?
Sleep difficulties can occur due to anxiety, stress, chronic pain or illness.
Issues with sleep include both falling asleep and staying asleep long enough to get quality sleep.
How does Floatation Therapy help?
Floating in a pod or REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy) induces better sleep from the following effects:
- Decreases anxiety and depression
- Decreases blood pressure
- Decreases cortisol levels signifying a decrease in stress levels
- Reduces chronic pain
The Epsom salts used to create the weightless environment in the pod are magnesium and sulphate, these minerals are absorbed through your skin effortlessly whilst floating.
Magnesium is a muscle relaxant and sulphate is a protein builder for joints. Magnesium helps to release muscle tension and calm the nervous system. Magnesium also helps to raise melatonin levels which regulates our ‘body clock’. It also assists in producing serotonin, a hormone and neurotransmitter which is often referred to as the ‘happy’ chemical, a precursor to melatonin production.
When you are floating you are in an environment that is purpose built for rest and relaxation. You are likely to fall asleep whilst in the tank but if you don’t you end up in a highly meditative state.
Floating has been shown to alter brain wave activity leading to a deep shift in consciousness akin to light sleep which is where blood pressure and heart rate drops. It’s a deeply restful state.
The same study that shows floating regularly helps reduce the symptoms of insomnia revealed that people who use float tanks were able to fall asleep more easily, with the benefits of floating lasting for up to 12 weeks.
The average adult requires 7-9 hours of sleep a night to function optimally. Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.
