FLOATING: THE POWER OF MAGNESIUM
Chances are, you probably have kept a bag of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) in your bathroom cabinet to help relieve sore muscles.
But what happens when you float in a pod full of 1,000 pounds of it?
As it turns out, a lot.
Magnesium is one of seven core macrominerals necessary for our bodies to function properly; and sadly, according to research, as many as 50% of Americans are magnesium-deficient. due to a variety of environmental and dietary causes. This crucial mineral helps to regulate enzymatic systems including blood glucose balance and blood pressure control; further, it also is one of the ions involved in the nerve impulse processes that manage muscle movement, normal heart rhythm, as well as the absorption of Vitamin D, critical for bone strength and in combating osteoporosis. As Dr. Mark Hyman states, “you must have magnesium for your cells to make energy.”
How do you know if you’re magnesium-deficient? Symptoms include: anxiety, frequent headaches and migraines, joint pain, muscle pain and weakness, fatigue, and hormonal imbalances.
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HOW FLOATING CAN HELP
When you float, the body’s largest organ - your skin - absorbs all the benefits of magnesium and dramatically affects the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, and muscular systems. Benefits include:
Lowered stress levels - Floating combats stress in two main ways. First, the water’s magnesium inhibits ACTH, a hormone that drives your adrenal glands to release the stress hormone cortisol. Magnesium also improves sleep quality, which contributes to feeling less stressed. In a study, people who floated eight times in two weeks saw their cortisol decrease by 21.6 percent. They also showed a 50.5 percent decrease in cortisol variability, meaning, they handled stressful situations better without the cortisol spikes.
Decreased anxiety and depression - Under stress, your hypothalamus (the almond-sized part of your brain just above your brain stem) signals your adrenal glands to release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Chronic stress leads to an overactive hypothalamus, which can lead to depression. Floating decreases cortisol levels, subsequently resulting in diminished anxiety and depression. Further, studies have shown that those who suffer from PTSD find their symptoms significantly decreased through a regular float practice. One study tested seventy subjects, all of whom identified as having stress-related pain and 26 who had a burnout-related depression diagnosis. After 12 float sessions, results indicated that pain areas, stress, anxiety, and depression decreased, and sleep quality and optimism increased.
Decreased pain levels - For people with chronic, stress-related muscle pain and burnout-related depression, floating serves as an integral part of pain treatment plans. Since floating oxygenates your body by promoting vasodilation — better blood flow to the brain, organs, and limbs — it serves to minimize muscular pain and even pain from degenerative disc disease or herniated disks. One study surveyed 32 subjects suffering from muscular-related pain and burnout depression found that floating consistently for a minimum of six weeks resulted in lowered blood pressure and reduced pain, anxiety, depression, and negativity. Additionally, they concluded it yielded increased levels of optimism and energy. Additionally, magnesium lowers the amount of lactic acid buildup within the muscles, enabling you to cut recovery time drastically and rebound from injuries or workouts.
Decreased inflammation and toxicity - Magnesium sulfate is a detoxing powerhouse; with its saturation into the skin, the mineral content in the blood stream is increased within only a few hours. Floating is a great compliment to the infrared sauna for continued detoxification and drawing out impurities from the body.
Increased creativity - For many people, stress, anxiety, and chronic pain are significant barriers to creativity. With those symptoms diminished by floating, it allows room for positive energy to flow throughout the body. By making float therapy a regular part of your wellness routine, you can harness repressed creative energy.
We have 40 and 60-minute float options as well as a 25-minute float boost (perfect right after the sauna). We recommend getting in a float at least once a month, and if you suffer from chronic pain, stress, or anxiety, we encourage you to string several float appointments together to maximize the benefits. We believe that you will love it so much it will become a regular practice in your wellness routine!