Floating in Salt Water to Help Healthcare Workers With Trauma Stress

This trial is testing Floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy), a non-medication approach where you float in a shallow pool of warm water saturated with Epsom salt. The goal is to see if this calm, sensory-reduced environment can help reduce trauma-related stress symptoms in healthcare workers and first responders. Researchers will also use brain imaging to understand how floating affects your nervous system.

Healthcare workers and first responders are repeatedly exposed to traumatic events and extreme stress, which can lead to post-traumatic stress symptoms, burnout, and anxiety. Current stress-relief programs often have limited evidence or are hard to fit into busy emergency schedules, so researchers are looking for quick, easy interventions that actually work.