MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Sensory deprivation can take many forms and studies have found it to be quite beneficial to stress. Aquapodics LLC is a new business in Marquette, offering customers float therapy in a saltwater-filled pod, providing a weightless and sensory-restricted environment. For Co-Owner Leo Maiorana, this isn’t just a new business venture, but a lifesaver as well.
“I was hit and broke both my legs,” commented Co-Owner of Aquapodics Leo Maiorana. After a car accident left Leo without the ability to use his legs, his road to recovery led him to float therapy, a healing method that focuses on taking away the muscle impact and tension of physical therapy and regular exercise.
“When I tried float therapy, on top of the physical relief that I felt, after you go through an accident a lot of the pain on top of being physical is mental,” continued Maiorana.
According to the National Institute of Health, a study with over 60 participants found that float therapy and sensory deprivation techniques reduced levels of muscle tension, stress and anxiety and increased the levels of optimism and overall sleep quality.
“So it takes away the weight of gravity it takes away the force of gravity on your body, your muscles can not feel that, they don’t have the pressure of gravity, of taking a step, of fighting a force,” continued Maiorana.
To keep the water sanitary and purified for the customer, all the water gets cycled through. “4 revolutions around every 30 minutes, so in one hour it gets about 8 revolutions that’s what keeps the water fresh, clean, it’s running right now through a filter ultra violet purifier, which disinfects and kills any bacteria, fungus, yeast anything of that nature inside the water,” commented Co-Owner Peter Torelli.
Leo said distractions of the internet, career goals, and even everyday work-life balance can play a big part in impacting mental health, and the sensory deprivation of the float pod reduces that to a minimum.
“I think being on the phones and the social media I think it’s just become a part of everyday life so much that we don’t realize the impact that it has on us,” continued Mariorana.
