How flotation therapy has contributed to Patriots' recovery process

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The New England Patriots have had some extra time to relax during their bye week — and it'll benefit them in the long run. 

But, what exactly do they do during their bye week? Some players participate in flotation therapy, a relaxation technique in which the body floats effortlessly in a shallow pool of salt water in order to speed up the recovery process. 

"My experience in the float tanks has been pretty positive overall," Patriots linebacker Joe Cardona said. "It relieves the stress of being 240 pounds. You just kind of have to let yourself fully relax and let your neck go back. You're going to be supported by all the salt and the salinity in the tank."

While Cardona stressed more of the physical aspect of floating, defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. focused more on the mental aspects of the technique.

"It relieves stress both mentally and physically," Wise Jr. said. "To have the mind calm, it relaxes the whole body, relaxes the muscles. When you sleep in a bed, the muscles are going to tense. In the float tank, the body just relaxes. So, you can relieve the muscles, relieve everything the body tenses and just relax, and at the same time relax the mind too."

While the Patriots bye week has come to a close, maybe they'll dip their toes in the water once more before facing the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday afternoon. 

For more about flotation therapy, check out the video above or click here. And for more on mental health in sports, check out more Headstrong content on NBCSportsBoston.com or on NBCSports.com.

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