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Exploring the acute cardiovascular effects of Floatation-REST.
M C Flux1, Thomas H Fine2, Tate Poplin3
1Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States.
Frontiers in Neuroscience
|December 26, 2022
Summary
Floatation-REST significantly reduces blood pressure, breathing rate, and sympathetic nervous system activity, promoting a parasympathetic state. This therapy offers a novel approach to managing anxiety by altering autonomic nervous system balance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Research
Background:
- The central nervous system (CNS) regulates cardiovascular function in response to environmental stimuli.
- Floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy) minimizes external sensory input, but its autonomic effects are not well understood.
- Previous research indicated Floatation-REST has anxiolytic effects and enhances interoceptive awareness in anxious patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the acute cardiovascular and autonomic changes induced by Floatation-REST.
- To explore the physiological mechanisms underlying the anxiolytic effects of Floatation-REST.
- To compare the effects of Floatation-REST with an exteroceptive comparison condition.
Main Methods:
- A within-subjects crossover design was employed with 37 clinically anxious and 20 non-anxious participants.
- Participants underwent a 90-min session of either Floatation-REST or a nature film condition.
- Concurrent measurements of heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), breathing rate, and blood pressure were taken using waterproof equipment.
Main Results:
- Floatation-REST significantly decreased diastolic and systolic blood pressure, breathing rate, and several HRV metrics (SDNN, LF, VLF) compared to the film condition.
- A non-significant trend for decreased heart rate was observed during Floatation-REST.
- Normalized high-frequency HRV significantly increased during Floatation-REST, indicating a shift towards parasympathetic dominance.
Conclusions:
- Floatation-REST effectively lowers sympathetic arousal and shifts autonomic balance towards a parasympathetic state.
- The observed physiological changes were consistent across anxious and non-anxious individuals.
- Reductions in blood pressure were significantly associated with decreased anxiety and increased serenity, suggesting a link between cardiovascular changes and psychological benefits.
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