Comparing Psychological Effects of Wet versus Dry Floatation-Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy in College Students

Abstract

Context: Floatation-restricted environmental stimulation therapy (floatation-REST) is a recovery modality that has been shown to reduce anxiety, fatigue, and soreness while improving mood and energy levels. Traditional wet floatation-REST includes lying supine in skin-temperature, concentrated Epsom salt water in a warm, dark, and quiet setting. Dry floatation-REST is a novel alternative to wet floatation-REST that also involves lying supine in a warm, dark, and quiet environment, but a thin layer of plastic separates the participant and the water. Thus, dry floatation-REST eliminates the need for immersion in salt water. Since dry floatation-REST could be a less time-demanding and more comfortable alternative to wet floatation-REST, scientific investigations into its efficacy and comparisons to wet floatation-REST are warranted. Purpose: Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to compare the subjective, psychological effects of wet versus dry floatation-REST. Methods: In this within-subjects, crossover design, 16 college students were randomly assigned to the wet or dry floatation-REST first. They completed a four-week block with two sessions per week of the assigned type of floatation-REST, a two-week washout period, and then crossed over to complete a four-week block of the other type of floatation-REST. Participants completed the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before and after every floatation-REST session. The pre- and post-session scores for each type of floatation-REST were averaged for the positive and negative STAI questions. A 2 (time: Pre vs. Post) X 2 (floatation-REST type: Wet vs. Dry) Repeated Measures ANOVA was used to analyze mean differences for the average responses of the positive and negative STAI questions. Statistical significance was set a priori at p ≤ 0.05. Results: The twoway ANOVAs reveled in no significant interaction between time and floatation-REST type for positive or negative average responses (p = 0.779, p = 0.717). However, there was a main effect of time for both the positive and negative average responses (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). There was no main effect of type of floatation-REST for positive or negative average responses (p = 0.524, p = 0.137). Implications: Wet and dry floatation-REST both significantly improved positive feelings and reduced negative feelings according to the STAI responses before and after the floatationREST session. However, there was not a significant difference in the amount of change pre- vs. post-session between wet and dry floatation-REST. The results demonstrate that floatation-REST comparably improve subjective mood, reduce anxiety, and enhance emotional wellbeing.

Emaly Vatne

Assistant Sport Scientist at The Ohio State University Department of Athletics and Human Performance Collaborative

My research interests include applied sport science, effects of recovery interventions, and data analysis, visualization, and engineering.