An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Floatation therapy has been proven to help strengthen your immune system over decades worth of studies. In a 1983 study, John Turner and Thomas Fine, neuroendocrinologist and psychologist respectively, showed that floatation therapy lowers epinephrine (adrenaline) and cortisol, two hormones that alter the immune system’s operations.
“High levels of cortisol have been linked to a number of ailments. They depress the body’s immune system [and] increase the effects of adrenaline on body tissues.”
-Michael Hutchison, The Book of Floating
Our body’s stress-response system is designed to self-regulate. When we are threatened, fight or flight is our friend. However, our modern day stressors are ever-present, so that fight-or-flight reaction stays on. Bathing our bodies in these stress hormones can take a healthy, functioning immune system and crash it - typically presenting themselves as autoimmune disorders but also not limited to obesity and other ailments.
Unfortunately, the reality of it is we can’t always change our situation or environment to reduce our stress. So, how do we cope?
Obviously, we’re pro floating for stress reduction. Check out our reviews to see how our clients’ experiences regarding floating and stress reduction.
Beyond that, here is a list of things you can do to reduce chronic stress.
Eat well.
-I know, easier said than done. Eat the way you’d like your child or niece or nephew to eat. Give your body some love by feeding it well.
Move regularly.
-Most advise ‘exercise regularly.’ But here’s a little shortcut -if you walk for 30 minutes a day, you’re going to be in good shape. And that can even be 3 x 10 minute walks broken up throughout the day. You got this.
Get some sunlight.
(And for Pittsburghers, take Vitamin D in the winter months). I know, I’m not a doctor. But there are more than enough studies that confirm most of us are deficient in Vitamin D. As always, confirm with your doctor first.
GET YOUR SLEEP.
This one will likely fall on deaf ears, but is by far the most important thing you can do for yourself. Sleep 8 hours a night. This is one of my non negotiables. Instead of me explaining the why in this post, either take my word for it, or read Matthew Walker’s book aptly named ‘Why We Sleep.’
