SensoryDeprivation

What impact does **sensory deprivation** have on consciousness?

Sensory deprivation is the reduction of stumuli from one or more of the senses. It takes away any distraction that is going through a person's conscioussness as a form of meditating. Sensory Deprivation is frequently used in alternative medicine as a form of relaxation and meditation. It has also been used as a form of interrogation and torture. Sensory deprivation and its effects have been studied and debated by numerous scientists, but no medical or scientific benefits have yet been confirmed. In its simplest form, sensory deprivation  may be merely tying a blindfold over someone’s eyes, rendering the sense of sight useless. Most of the time, sensory deprivation takes place in an isolation tank. It is a dark soundproof tank in which one floats in salty body-temprature water. These tanks are used in a therapy in atlernative medicine called Restricted Enviornmental Stimulation Therapy (REST). When a subject enters sensory deprivation their branwaves change from alpha or beta to theta. By screening out external stimuli, which use up an estimated 90% of brain function, theta brain waves are achieved. Theta brain waves occour right before sleep and can be useful tools in enhanced creativity, problem solving and superlearning. Simple devices that help the person start the process of sensory deprivation are blinfolds, hoods, and earmuffs can cut off sight and hearing respectively, while more complex devices can also cut off the sense of smell, touch, taste, thermoception (heat-sense), and gravity

Sensory deprivation can be useful for meditation.