Chill - Official Website Visit chill.com

When Calm Becomes a Commodity

Enter Floatation therapy: the wellness trend that promises total escapism.

You’ve probably seen the pods on social media — dark, futuristic-looking tanks filled with salty water where people float in silence. The idea? That by stripping away all external stimulation, the mind and body can finally relax.

It’s part science experiment, part spiritual detox. And as we crawl towards the end of the year — a time of festive pressure, family overwhelm, and financial fatigue — it’s easy to see why the idea of shutting out the world feels tempting.

But is floatation therapy a legitimate way to lower stress hormones like cortisol, or just another expensive form of escapism? For me, the thought of lying still in pitch black silence with nothing but my thoughts sounds confronting — maybe even stressful. Yet people are raving about it. So let’s unpack why.

Cheat Sheet

Floatation therapy — also called restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST) — claims to help regulate stress hormones, ease anxiety, and even boost creativity.
But is it all placebo, or does the science float?

Quick takeaways:

• Floatation tanks (a form of sensory deprivation) calm the nervous system by reducing external stimuli.
• Studies suggest short-term benefits: lower cortisol, reduced anxiety, better sleep, and muscle recovery.
• The experience isn’t for everyone — think deep stillness, not instant bliss.

For a deeper dive — keep reading...

The Year-End Overwhelm: Why We Crave Stillness

December is meant to be merry — but often it’s just a lot. Too much noise, too much spending, too many “quick catch-ups” before the year ends. We’ve spent weeks surrounded by family, juggling deadlines, or buying gifts we can’t quite afford. It’s no wonder so many people feel depleted as the new year approaches.

When life feels overstimulating, the wellness world always finds a new way to sell silence. Enter floatation therapy — a trend resurfacing in wellness spaces from London to LA. Advocates call it a nervous system reset; sceptics call it expensive escapism.

What Happens Inside a Sensory Deprivation Tank

A floatation tank (or isolation tank) looks like something between a futuristic pod and a minimalist bathtub. It’s filled with about 25cm of water and over 500kg of Epsom salts, creating a high concentration solution that makes your body completely buoyant — think Dead Sea levels of float.

Inside, you lie weightless in pitch black silence at skin temperature, allowing your body to lose all sense of gravity, pressure, and external stimulation. Many users describe a deeply relaxed state, some even report out-of-body experiences or a trance-like calm.

The idea is simple: by removing sensory input — light, sound, touch — the body’s stress response slows, and the brain can shift from constant alertness to a meditative state of self-regulation.

This process, known in research terms as Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) or sensory attenuation, is designed to mimic a total nervous system reset.

The Science: Floatation REST and the Stress Response

Floatation therapy has been studied since the 1950s, when neuroscientist John C. Lilly invented the first deprivation tank to explore consciousness. Modern studies have taken a more grounded approach — looking at how floatation REST affects stress, anxiety, and physical relaxation.

A 2018 randomized controlled pilot trial from the Laureate Institute for Brain Research found that a single hour of floating significantly reduced blood pressure, lowered cortisol levels, and created a short-term anxiolytic effect (a temporary decrease in anxiety). Participants also reported higher mental clarity and improved sleep that night.

Other research supports the idea that floating activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the “rest and digest” mode — helping regulate heart rate, muscle tension, and mood.

Studies also suggest that endorphin release during float sessions contributes to the sense of calm, while magnesium from the Epsom salts may support muscle recovery and help remove lactic acid after maximal eccentric exercise.

Essentially, by cutting out external stimuli, the body can reset its stress response — a full system reboot for a mind that’s been running on low battery.

Health Benefits Beyond Stress Relief

Most people try float therapy for stress relief or anxiety reduction, but research and anecdotal reports suggest other health benefits too:

• Improves sleep by regulating cortisol and body temperature
• Eases chronic pain and muscle recovery after workouts
• Promotes a meditative state, supporting mindfulness and emotional balance
• Enhances creativity and focus by quieting mental chatter
• Encourages self-regulation — the body’s ability to calm itself naturally

The overall effect? A sense of calm and total relaxation that can last for days.

But here’s the truth: floatation isn’t a miracle cure. Like any alternative medicine, its beneficial effects depend on consistency, mindset, and what you bring into the tank mentally.

The Downsides: Cost, Comfort, and Commitment

A one-hour float session at a flotation centre can cost anywhere between £50 and £100 — not exactly a casual add-on to your wellness routine. Some people also find the sensory isolation uncomfortable or even anxiety-inducing at first.

There’s also the issue of expectation. In an age of quick fixes and dopamine-driven wellness trends, many expect instant transformation. But floatation therapy isn’t about escape — it’s about learning to sit with stillness, to let your mind soften when everything else in everyday life demands stimulation.

Float Therapy in Context: A December Reset

At this time of year, we don’t always need more plans — we need pause. The appeal of the float pod makes sense: it’s the antithesis of December. Where the month piles on noise, pressure, and motion, the tank offers nothingness — a rare, restorative blank space.

Think of it as a wellness space designed for deep relaxation, not detachment. You’re not checking out; you’re checking back in.

Whether you see it as alternative medicine or simply a new way to rest, the real takeaway is this: creating calm doesn’t always require more — sometimes, it’s about less. Less stimulation, less noise, less stress.

So, Is Floatation Therapy Worth It?

If you’re curious, try one session. Science shows even a single float can lower stress hormones, improve sleep, and leave you feeling more centred. But don’t expect transcendence — expect quiet.

For those feeling the December crash — floatation tanks offer a chance to reset before the new year begins. A reminder that calm isn’t found in more doing, but in learning how to be still.