If you’ve looked on social media for ways to de-stress, you may have come across “floor time”: People sprawled on the ground at home, at the office, even at the library as a remedy for the daily grind.
Social media users say floor time sessions bring a sense of calm and help them feel less overwhelmed. TikTok creator @ian_horak says floor time is the “best feeling after a long day.” Another user, @validmuphhz, says the practice helps relieve back pain, and creator @emilyhessey_ says it’s “good for the soul.”
Can lying on the floor really lower stress and offer other benefits? Here’s what experts think.
What Is Floor Time?
As its name suggests, floor time refers to adults lying on the floor in various positions, whether on their backs, spread out like snow angels, or curled up in a ball. TikTok user @ktreilly says it can be reminiscent of tummy time, a practice of putting infants on their stomachs for limited periods of time to help strengthen their core, shoulders, and necks.
What Experts Are Saying About Floor Time
“As both a yoga teacher and a psychotherapist, I am a big proponent of floor time,” says Lauren Maher, a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified yoga therapist in Los Angeles, and author of The Chair Yoga Deck. “It can be a quick and easy way to take a physical and mental break, feel more grounded, and gain a new perspective.”
Here’s what experts think about the specific floor time benefits being touted today.
Lowering Stress
Floor time may be trending on social media, but it’s not a new concept, says therapist Rio Wilson, founder of Brain-Body Therapy in Tampa, Florida. “Physical therapists, yoga instructors, and mental health professionals have long used positions that place the body on a firm, stable surface to encourage relaxation and body awareness.”
Lying on the floor can “slow the body’s stress response and enable you to become more present in the moment, rather than becoming consumed by worries about the past or future,” says Marty Maidenberg, a licensed mental health counselor and therapist in New York City. Lower stress can create a greater sense of emotional balance, he says.
Floor time can redirect your focus from stressful thoughts, release muscle tension, slow breathing, and decrease heart rate, Maidenberg says. “While the initial stress points may not be changing, taking a break from those stresses can make them feel more manageable and not so overwhelming.”
You might associate sitting or standing with stressful activities, like working or scrolling your phone, and floor time can shift your perspective, Maher adds.
Grounding and Mindfulness
Lying on the floor helps you “engage with the world in a more mindful way,” where you notice what the floor feels like underneath you and what it’s like to stare up at the ceiling, Maher says.
“Many of my therapy clients and yoga students have noted that they often feel more grounded when they lie down on the floor,” she adds. “It provides a moment of calm, and a time to breathe more fully.”
“The sensation of being fully supported by the ground can create a feeling of safety and stability that some people find calming,” Wilson says.
Reducing Back Pain
Hunching over a phone or slouching in a chair all day can create tension in the neck, shoulders, and back, Maher says.
For some people, floor time might relieve such tension and encourage better postural alignment, she says. A firm surface can sometimes relieve pressure on your joints and allow your spine to settle into a more neutral position, Wilson adds. It may also help you recognize specific areas of tension or imbalance.
Pain is individualized, though, Wilson says. Lying on the floor could worsen pain for some, including people with arthritis, hip problems, injuries, or nerve-related pain.
“If lying on the floor increases pain or discomfort, it is not the right strategy for that individual,” she says.
Improving Posture
Floor time alone isn’t a posture correction method, Wilson says, but it can “increase awareness of posture.”
“However, lasting improvements in posture typically come from strengthening, mobility work, and changes in daily movement habits, rather than simply spending time on the floor,” Wilson says.
Boosting Mood
“Stress and mood are closely connected, so anything that helps lower stress may positively affect mood,” Wilson says.
Lowering your heart rate and reducing physical tension can have a “meaningful impact on emotional well-being,” Maidenberg says. Giving your body a chance to relax with floor time can interrupt stress and give the body a chance to recharge, which could reduce feelings of irritability or distress.
Just keep in mind that lying on the floor won’t treat depression or mood disorders, Wilson says. Any mood benefits likely come from its ability to promote relaxation and reduce mental tension.
Should You Try Floor Time?
Because it’s simple and doesn’t cost anything, floor time is an accessible stress reduction technique and could help many people, Wilson says. But it’s not for everyone.
Lying on a hard, flat surface can be uncomfortable for some. In addition, “Getting down and up from the floor can be challenging for older adults or individuals with balance problems,” she says.
Avoid lying on the floor if you have arthritis, joint or mobility issues, or anything that prevents you from easily getting up and down, Maher says. In these instances, she suggests modifying the move by practicing mindfulness while lying on the couch or in bed.
Floor time may feel relaxing, but it shouldn’t be viewed as a replacement for evidence-based stress management approaches, such as regular exercise, quality sleep, social connection, and when necessary, therapy or medication, Wilson says.
It also isn’t a cure for anxiety or depression, she adds. “But it can be a useful tool for helping people slow down, disconnect from stimulation, and become more present.”
