Restricted environmental stimulation technique (REST), also known as "floating", is a treatment for various physical, mental and emotional disorders. Matt Stangel tries out a tank of "thrice-filtered water, which is 40 percent Epsom salt and kept at a temperature of 93.5 degrees":
After my third session, beer—a once-favorite beverage—becomes entirely unappealing, along with alcohol in general, a side effect that lasts for weeks after my ninth session. I also notice a marked increase in my overall sense of well-being, while my persistent anxiety disappears completely. Additionally, I begin to write creatively with an uninhibited ease that I haven’t experienced in years. I am astounded by the changes.
(Photo: "Weeki Wachee spring, Florida, 1947," by Toni Frissell, in the public domain via Flickr and the Library of Congress)
The Dish 