I just came across this Esquire magazine article from 1983 that had me shaking me head and wondering why float tanks aren’t as common today as massage therapy, yoga or chiropractic care. Read on and let me know what you think:

Isolation Tanks: The State of the Art

A recent body of research into tank experimentation in hospitals, clinics, and graduate psychology departments was made public for the first time at Denver, and from a welter of medical statistics and laboratory data emerged convincing evidence that even brief sessions in float tanks can cause mental and physical transformations.

Among the revelations: Indications that floating stimulates the brain to secrete endorphins, the neurochemicals called the body’s own opiates.

The endorphin effect would explain the pain relief and euphoria floaters experience. Anecdotal evidence and preliminary research showing that floating results in a spontaneous reduction or elimination of habits such as smoking, drinking, and drug use and counteracts addiction-withdrawal symptoms.

A report from St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton, Wisconsin, where a yearlong statistical analysis of the effects of float tanks revealed solid success rates (70-85% improvement) in treatment of a wide range of problems, including anxiety, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular ailments, migraine and tension headaches, chronic pain, hypertension, and recovery from cardiac surgery.

Hospital administrators are so impressed that the hospital tank is now seeing heavy daily use, attended by two full-time stress-management specialists.

Tests of floating’s effects on hormone levels, showing sharp decreases, maintained over long periods, of sympatho-adrenal activity (including cortisol and ACTH, both associated with stress and heart disease); and evidence that floating reduces anxiety and stress.

Follow up:

I called St. Elizabeth’s but they no longer have a float tank and the person I talked to didn’t know of anyone still at the hospital who knew anything about the float research.