Curing the sick and creating supermen - How relaxation in flotation tanks is advertised on the Internet

IntroductionFlotation-REST (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique) is a complementary and alternative medicine therapy with evidence-based beneficial effects like pain and stress reduction. During flotation-REST a person is lying in a supine position inside a quiet and dark tank, filled with salt water maintained at skin temperature. The water is high in buoyancy, which makes it possible to float comfortably on the back. The method induces deep relaxation through minimization of sensory input. Contemporary scientific findings about beneficial effects resulting from floating have increased the number of private owned floating centers. The aim of this study was to investigate how these centers advertise the benefits of flotation to the public and compare these claims with published scientific evidence.MethodThe Google search engine was used to localize web-sites hosting private floating center entrepreneurs. Described effects resulting from floating on these sites were systematically gathered and analyzed thematically. In addition, advertisements were compared to scientific studies on flotation-REST.ResultsThe analysis resulted in five overarching themes: (1) Physiological changes, (2) Alleviation of medical conditions, (3) Relaxation, (4) Personal growth and enhancement, and (5) Altered states of consciousness. Advertisements seemed to target four different interest groups: the inner explorers; the sick; the supermen; and the stressed out. Various effects of flotation were highlighted for the different groups and some limited scientific evidence identified.ConclusionsAlthough the advertisements described many evidence-based effects resulting from floating, information tended to be exaggerated, could be misleading to consumers, and was not always substantiated by published scientific studies.