The Science Behind Sensory Deprivation: How Flotation Reduces Cortisol and Enhances Brain Chemistry

At Flōtstone, we believe true wellness begins not with doing more—but with doing less. By removing external noise and letting the body float effortlessly, flotation therapy taps into one of the most powerful healing tools available: sensory deprivation. But this isn’t just relaxation—it’s neuroscience.

What Is Sensory Deprivation?

Sensory deprivation involves eliminating or drastically reducing input from the five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. In our state-of-the-art floatation suites, this is achieved through complete darkness, silence, and weightlessness—allowing your nervous system to power down from the overstimulation of daily life.

This quiet isn’t just calming—it triggers profound biochemical and neurological shifts.

Cortisol: The Stress Hormone You Can Turn Down

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by your adrenal glands. It’s essential for survival during acute stress—but chronic elevation can wreak havoc on the body, leading to:

• Fatigue

• Weight gain

• Sleep disturbances

• Anxiety and depression

• Weakened immunity

What Happens in a Float?

Scientific studies have shown that after just one 60-minute float, cortisol levels drop significantly. Floatation therapy results in decreased salivary cortisol levels and increased self-reported relaxation and well-being.

By silencing external stimuli, the brain and body shift from a sympathetic (fight or flight) to a parasympathetic (rest and digest) state. This recalibration is what allows real healing to begin.

The Brain on Float: Dopamine, Endorphins, and Theta Waves

Once the external world fades, your internal chemistry lights up.

Dopamine and Endorphins: Nature’s Feel-Good Cocktail

Dopamine is associated with reward and motivation. Endorphins, on the other hand, are natural opioids—neurochemicals that reduce pain and induce feelings of euphoria.

In the float environment, both are naturally increased. The result? A powerful sense of clarity, peace, and emotional reset that clients often describe as "blissfully weightless" or "mentally untethered."

These effects aren't imaginary—EEG (electroencephalogram) studies have shown measurable changes in brain chemistry that mirror those of deep meditation or even post-exercise euphoria.

Brainwaves and the Theta State: The Gateway to Deep Healing

Under normal waking conditions, your brain cycles in beta waves—fast, alert, and sometimes chaotic. During floatation, many people enter theta, a slower frequency typically experienced during REM sleep, meditation, and hypnosis.

Why Theta Matters:

• Enhances creativity and problem solving

• Promotes emotional integration and processing

• Triggers subconscious exploration and healing

• Supports memory consolidation

Theta waves also reduce default mode network (DMN) activity—associated with overthinking, self-criticism, and mental rumination. For those with anxiety, depression, or trauma-related conditions, this quieting of the inner monologue can be profoundly therapeutic.

Floatation Therapy: Not Just for Stress, but for Growth

Many clients come to Flōtstone seeking relief from chronic pain or burnout—but what they discover is often much more: mental clarity, creative breakthroughs, emotional lightness, and renewed self-connection.

Whether you’re an athlete seeking recovery, a professional combating burnout, or someone navigating emotional challenges, sensory deprivation provides a scientific—and deeply human—pathway to renewal.

Experience It for Yourself at Flōtstone

We’ve engineered every detail of our float suites—from our aerospace-grade tanks to our custom fiber-optic star ceilings and therapeutic amenities—to ensure your nervous system has the best chance to rest, reset, and recalibrate.

The science is clear. The experience is transformative.

Book your first float today and discover what your brain feels like at peace.

Sources

Kjellgren, A., & Westman, J. (2014). Beneficial effects of treatment with sensory isolation in flotation-tank as a preventive health-care intervention – a randomized controlled pilot trial. BMC Complement Altern Med, 14, 417.