Neuroscience of consciousnessAug 27, 2026

Altered consciousness from floatation therapy in people with anxiety and depression

Psychedelic Science Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated Aug 28, 2026

Abstract

Floatation-REST was associated with increased interoceptive awareness and an altered state of consciousness characterized by Oceanic Boundlessness.

Altered states of consciousness were measured using the 5-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness Rating Scale.
Participants experienced a state characterized by Oceanic Boundlessness, Disembodiment, and Experience of Unity, termed 'aquahenosis'.
Increased interoceptive awareness of cardiorespiratory sensations was observed in those undergoing Floatation-REST compared to a zero-gravity chair condition.
Effects were more pronounced among participants who chose longer and more flexible float sessions.
Experiential profiles during Floatation-REST showed similarities to those reported for psilocybin and ketamine, particularly in boundary-dissolution dimensions.

Simplified

Floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy) systematically alters the balance of sensory signals reaching the brain by combining neutral buoyancy, thermal and proprioceptive neutrality, attenuation of exteroceptive stimulation, and enhancement of cardiorespiratory signaling. Here we examined whether this non-pharmacological sensory perturbation induces altered states of consciousness and whether specific experiential dimensions are statistically related to changes in affect. In a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled feasibility trial, 75 treatment-seeking adults with anxiety and depression were assigned to six sessions of Floatation-REST with prescribed scheduling, Floatation-REST with preferred scheduling and duration, or a zero-gravity chair comparison condition. Altered states of consciousness were assessed using the 5-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness Rating Scale, alongside measures of interoceptive awareness and affect. Compared to the chair condition, Floatation-REST was associated with increased interoceptive awareness of cardiorespiratory sensations and an altered state of consciousness characterized by Oceanic Boundlessness, Disembodiment, and Experience of Unity-a pattern we refer to as "aquahenosis". Effects were strongest among participants who selected longer and more flexible float sessions. Experiential profiles selectively overlapped with those reported for psilocybin and ketamine along boundary-dissolution dimensions. These findings identify Floatation-REST as a tractable, non-pharmacological method for inducing specific altered states of consciousness and highlight Oceanic Boundlessness as an important mediator of the float-induced changes in positive affect.

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Altered consciousness from floatation therapy in people with anxiety and depression

Abstract

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