Health benefits from Sensory Deprivation

Sensory deprivation is an aspect of psychological study popularised between the 1950’s and 1970’s. While early sensory deprivation experimentation was done mostly with what is now scientifically called chamber-REST, meaning resting in a bed or chair within a sound free and light proof room, the aspect of recent research has been with the newly popularised floatation-REST method.

Floatation-REST involves floatation within a sound and light proof pod, where the water within the tank induces floatation through a 50% water to Magnesium sulphate solution, which induces buoyancy of the human body. Further added to this, floatation tanks (also known as sensory deprivation tanks), have the water heated to the exact skin temperature of the human body. This method is now considered superior to the previous chamber-REST experiments, and most studies conducted between the 1970’s to present day have used floatation as the primary method of sensory deprivation experimentation.

Unlike chamber-REST, floatation was found to induce minimal to no negative side effects, experiences within prolonged chamber-REST were known to induce feelings of paranoia, fear and entrapment, for this reason psychologically, chamber-REST did not make it much further than showing benefits in minor very short term studies. While these short sessions of time spent in sound and light proof rooms were shown to induce feelings of relaxation and calmness, floatation-REST produced these effects to a much greater level, with added clinical significance in areas such as experiences of euphoria, enhanced mindfulness, deep meditation and extreme relaxation.

Studies upon floatation have found a wide range of health benefits, even beyond that of the psychological realm, from which floatation tanks were initially created for. Floatation is known to reduce the effects of muscle stress, muscle fatigue, chronic fatigue, along with chronic pain symptoms. After a series of between 3 and 10 regular weekly sessions, these benefits, both physical and mental, were found to be prolonged and enhanced in a wide variety of independent studies.

Sensory deprivation tanks have also been found to alter brain wave signals significantly, inducing the brain into a theta state within 15 to 45 minutes after first entering the tank. Theta brain wave states are known to be experienced in the phase just before falling asleep, and are associated with states of lucid dreaming, hypnosis and deep meditation. Normally the body will experience this state just before entering into sleep, for around 15 minutes, and between phases of REM sleep stages, however these normally last for around 5 minutes or so before changing frequency to a more alert state.

Sensory deprivation tanks on the other hand, have been shown to induce theta brain wave states for the majority of a session, even in longer sessions of 2 to 5 hours, theta brain waves have been measured as the primary dominant brain wave patterns.

For many it takes years of practice in meditation to achieve such effects, within the floatation tank however, all it takes is a clear mind, and the ability to relax and float on your back for the time inside the tank.

With the primary dominance of such a low frequency brain wave state, the brain is able to clear stress and anxiety with ease, along with promoting the ability for further learning and increased suggestibility following a session. Deep feelings of personal insight can also be obtained from prolonged theta states, and hence this is believed to be the reason why floatation has been shown to improve health following sessions in individuals with addictive disorders such as smoking, alcoholism, drug abuse and eating disorders.

Floatation shows great promise in areas of personal development, addiction recovery, general health, overall motivation, learning, creativity and improved mindfulness in general daily life. It’s use has even been studied in professional healthy individuals, as a means to combat the occurrence of work related stress and anxiety. Individuals in public speaking roles, along with musicians, have both been shown to gain enhanced ability for public performance, in areas such as creativity and improvisation.

The experience of what has now been commonly termed as floatation therapy is not limited to scientific studies, within the last decade, a number of floatation centres have opened in most major cities worldwide, providing sessions for walk in customers from many occupations and interest groups, floatation therapy is often fairly well priced, at around $ 30 to $ 50 USD per hour session, longer sessions are normally available for a reduced hourly rate.

For people looking to experience floatation, and see for themselves the benefits the therapy can have on their well-being, it is recommended that they commit to partake in a minimum of 3 sessions, normally no more than 4 weeks apart. The majority of scientific study has shown that the first 3 sessions produce a wide range of positive effects, however for prolonged and clinically significant results, 3 or more sessions have proven lasting benefits in the areas of combating stress, anxiety, chronic pain, chronic fatigue and relief from addictive behaviours over the long term.

For more information on floatation, please consider visiting the following website regarding floatation therapy in Melbourne, Australia.

Health benefits from Sensory Deprivation

The Valley of Astonishment evaluation a sensory meditation on the human brain

Effortless and unforced … Kathryn Hunter and Jared McNeill in The Valley of Astonishment. Photograph: Tristram Kenton for the Guardian

Nervous theatre-makers strain each and every nerve to get our focus. But the striking factor about this 75-minute piece, written and directed by Peter Brook and Marie-Hélène Estienne, is its maturity, calm and aesthetic grace. It is as if its creators assume that we’re fascinated by the topic, the operating of the human brain, so they never need to have to shout and scream. The show grew out of an earlier piece, Je Suis un Phénomène, which dealt with memory. In this case, the emphasis is mostly on synaesthesia, in which a single sense is stimulated by one more. We comply with the fortunes of a fictive female, Sammy Costas, whose ability to see phrases as photos provides her a phenomenal memory. Fired as a journalist and investigated by cognitive scientists, she turns into a music-hall performer who is in the long run traumatised by her uncommon present. Her story is interwoven with that of a 28-12 months-old guy who relates music to colours and with a review of a senior citizen whose impaired proprioception, or inability to sense his physique, indicates he has to use his brain to overcome muscular paralysis.

What, some will request, does this have to do with theatre? In the hands of Brook and Estienne, almost everything. They engross us in the human predicament of Sammy, whose mnemomic electrical power is each blessing and curse. We see precisely how she is able to memorise the opening of Dante’s Inferno while understanding how, when it comes to numbers, she’s tormented by her inability to overlook. But the demonstrate, in its range of tone, also reminds a single of Brook’s well-known categorisation, in The Empty Area, of “holy” and “rough” theatre. Here holy theatre is exemplified by passages from The Conference of the Birds that give the display its title. But when Marcello Magni, as a a single-handed magician, persuades audience members to participate in card tricks, we are into the planet of popular theatre.

The present is staged with minimalist beauty nothing at all appears on the pristine white platform that is not employed. The acting is similarly unforced: Kathryn Hunter, as Sammy, suggests an ordinary lady bewildered by her extraordinary energy Magni effortlessly switches from white-coated scientist to genial card trickster and Jared McNeill conveys the relief of a man whose comprehending of synaesthesia enhances his adore of jazz. The two musicians, Raphael Chambouvet and Toshi Tsuchitori, are also integral to underscoring the show’s quiet astonishment at the miracles of the human brain.

• Until finally twelve July. Box workplace: 020-7922 2922. Venue: Youthful Vic, London.

The Valley of Astonishment evaluation a sensory meditation on the human brain