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Students Float Stress Away - The Post
by Erica Vonderheid
Are you feeling tired, stressed out or depressed? Just take a REST.Restricted Enviroment Stimulation Therapy, or open room flotation, is simply floating in eight to 10 inches of warm salt water to relieve stress or fatigue, and is available to OU students.
Some participants say it is the quietest they have been since the womb, said Ernie Randolfi, assistant professor of health sciences. Others say it is like floating on air.
The floating takes place in an eight-foot long by four-foot wide pool. Almost 1,000 pounds of salt are dissolved in the water, which makes it almost impossible to sink, he said.
Flotation therapy began in the 1960s when researchers would leave people totally immersed in water for hours. The goal was to reduce their sensory input and help them overcome addictions.
Randolfi said flotation is used predominantly for relaxation, but has other uses. Athletes, such as the Dallas Cowboy football team, use it to increase performance. Some find altered states of consciousness that are similar to deep meditation. It is also used to relieve tension headaches.
People who want to use OU's flotation tank have to make an appointment through the Health Beat office in the tower by Peden Stadium. Participants must take a shower before and after the flotation to keep the water in the tank clean and to remove salt water from their skin. Participants can float in a swimming suit or naked. The $10 fee includes the cost of the shower and towel, Randolfi said.
The participant steps into the water and is allowed to float in the dark for one hour. After that time, music is piped in to signal the end of the hour.
Kevin Knowlton, a junior specialized studies major, tried floating as a part of a health class on stress and tension control taught by Randolfi. He thought the flotation would simply calm his nerves and reduce stress.
It did more than that, he fell asleep. One-half to one-third of floaters do, Randolfi said.
"It was unusual at first," Knowlton said. He said he felt very relaxed after the treatment.
The benefits of relaxation and stress reduction are multiple, said Joan Lawson, a geriatrics social worker at the OU College of Osteopathic Medicine. Blood pressure and stress on major organs are reduced and digestion is improved, she said.
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