Silence, darkness, and gravity: A qualitative analysis of individual experiences during Floatation-REST

Purpose: This study explores individual experiences during Floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Technique), focusing on the perception of silence, darkness, and gravity. In Floatation-REST, an individual lies on the surface of highly saline water in a dark and silent environment, which typically leads to profound physical and mental relaxation. Prior research on Floatation-REST highlighted its benefits for both physical and mental health in otherwise healthy individuals as well as anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in people with a spectrum of anxiety and stress-related disorders. Methods: To delineate the float experience, a qualitative-empirical approach was employed engaging ten healthy participants, each of whom completed a 60-minute float session followed by a focused interview on the perception of silence, darkness, and gravity. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and MAXQDA software. Results: Silence was largely perceived as pleasant, evoking feelings of security, relaxation, and trust. Silence heightened sensitivity to auditory stimuli and deepened awareness of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. Darkness, although generally experienced as less pleasant than silence, similarly facilitated enhanced introspection and mental-process awareness. Regarding gravity, sensations of weightlessness and the dissolution of body boundaries were associated with mental relaxation, security, and a feeling of lightness. Conclusions: Floatation-REST is being employed in studies to induce altered states of consciousness (ASC), as well as in therapeutic contexts to treat mental disorders. Similar to our study, future work could selectively focus on exploring the impact of the three major aspects of the floatation experience we assessed on ASC and therapeutic success.