Float Therapy For Vets: A BFL Case Study

I recently went down to Serene Dreams and spoke with James, the owner, to talk about putting float tanks into our backpacks… Not the literal sense, but the information that tells of the amazing health benefits that float tanks can offer to Veterans we work with.

The first time I visited Serene Dreams was Veterans Day. They were giving away a free float to Veterans and my chiropractor, who was also veteran, told me to go. She said she fell in love with it and was feeling the great benefits from it.

Serene Dreams located in Kearny, NJ

When I tell you it was amazing… it was amazing. Now, trust me when I say this… I know first hand when something is too go to be true. It usually is. However my skepticism couldn’t be more wrong about this. This had an immediate impact on me both physically and mentally. Never mind the deprivation aspect of the float. 

There are dozens of articles and tons of information regarding float tanks. I’ll be focusing on the Physical benefits the tanks have to offer. Each float tank contains 1,200 pounds of Epsom salt which has a high concentration of magnesium and other minerals. The first thing you hear of when you ask about how to get rid of that back pain or how to heal a sprained ankle: a cold compress and to soak in some warm water with Epsom salt.

Here is a short list of some of the things you will benefit from going for a float! 

Here are some of the mental benefits: 

• Enjoying total relaxation in a distraction free environment
• Reduces stress
• Enhances creativity
• Improves problem-solving
• Alleviates symptoms of depression
• Induces meditative-like, low-frequency brain waves
• Improves sleep cycles
• Enhances mental clarity and awareness
• Improves higher learning abilities
• Enhances meditation practice
• Enhances lucid dreaming
• Improves and increases concentration and focus

But wait there’s more… The physical benefits are :  

• Weary muscles enjoy a well-deserved break
• Softens & replenishes skin
• Boosts circulation
• Increases levels of feel-good endorphins
• Provides migraine relief
• Improves immune system
• Enhances healing process & rehabilitation after injury
• Increases & hones athletic prowess
• Relieves pain
• Helps relieve insomnia

I could go into the many details of the physical and psychological benefits that float tanks have to offer, but that would take hours of time and the easy solution would be to google it. There are hundreds of articles, books and a lot of Peer Reviews on float tanks. Besides all of these benefits… it feels great too!!

…Back to the discussion I had with James, who by the way, is an amazing person with a huge heart. He actually shut the place down for all of Veterans Day so that veterans could come and relax for free!

 A lot of people I talked to about this never heard about it and this might be new to you as well. You’re probably thinking how can floating in a tank help at all. This has been around since the Dead Sea has been around…. so a ton of years…. This has been around as long as people have been on this earth. It’s actually the oldest practice of healing! When you were little and you sprained your ankle or were sore after a sporting event. Your parents told you to get some epsom salt and poor in into a bath. A float tank is this but with 1,200 pounds, not just one scoop. You have seen those commercial and have been conned and tricked to buying something that was going to change your life. However this is far from that $19.99 gimmick. It actually works!! So don’t take my advice and just give it a try. If you are a Veteran or know of a veteran who you think should try this. Please message us.      

Trust me I was the first skeptic of a holistic and drug free approach towards physical and mental recovery methods, but once you keep an open mind towards recovery – that’s when you will start to finally heal. What do you have to lose.

We at Backpacks For Life are constantly working hard & searching for new and innovative ways for veterans to get the help they need, instead of turning to medication and surgery. There are thousands of new research studies a year on physical and mental health. We will not stop until we have discovered every method out there for veterans. It’s not just one organization, but many organizations that will be key to healing other veterans like the many organizations that help healed me.

For more information on how you can float, contact me at Brett@backpacksforlife.org