A doctoral project on flotation tank therapy for anxiety was launched in 2013, which found that flotation tank therapy can significantly reduce anxiety levels, as well as improve sleep quality and emotion regulation abilities.

A 2018 neuroimaging study found that flotation therapy can enhance anxious patients' perception of cardiorespiratory sensations (such as breathing and heartbeat) and convert these sensations into pleasant experiences,float pod thereby breaking the cycle of anxiety. The researchers also developed a wireless sensor technology to monitor brain electrical activity and physiological signals in real time during the flotation process, and discovered that flotation pod can activate the Default Mode Network (DMN), promoting deep relaxation and self-reflection.

A 2019 study involving 81 fibromyalgia patients showed that after three sessions of sensory deprivation tank therapy, the patients experienced a significant reduction in pain, muscle tension, and anxiety, along with improved sleep quality. It was also found that sensory deprivation tank therapy enhances sleep efficiency and the proportion of deep sleep in insomniacs by regulating the circadian rhythm.

A 2020 randomized controlled trial, which included 99 patients with chronic pain, found that isolation tank significantly reduced pain intensity (by 17%) within one week after treatment, while also improving anxiety levels and quality of life—however, its long-term effects did not reach statistical significance. The study pointed out that the short-term analgesic effect of isolation tank may be related to the relaxation response and attention diversion, but it needs to be combined with other therapies to maintain long-term effects.