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general info | benefits | concerns |
Everyone feels a little nervous about the first float; ‘Will I be able to breathe? Will I float? Will I feel claustrophobic?’ Here are the most commonly asked questions, together with answers...
What is floating?
As explained by a pre-eminent scientist; “floating is a method of attaining
the deepest rest that humankind has ever experienced.”
Essentially, it’s spending an hour or so lying quietly in the dark, suspended
in a warm solution of Epsom salt, about 10" deep, and so dense that
you float effortlessly. We can play some gentle music to help you relax.
In short, it’s complete mental and physical relaxation.
What do I bring?
Just an open mind and a tired body. We provide everything else: towels, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and a hairdryer. As you will be showering before entering the tank, avoid perfume and heavy make up. There is no need to bring a bathing suit, as your environment will be private, and the sensation of the suit against your skin may be distracting.
How long should I allow?
The float session lasts ninety minutes, including showering and dressing time, but please allow extra time, as it’s important for you to relax after your float. We have a comfortable lounge for you to use afterwards, with complimentary tea and coffee.
Can I give a float session as a gift?
Yes. They can be arranged over the phone or during your visit.
What effects does floating have on the body?
In the gravity free environment the body balances and heals internally as the senses are rested. Research shows that floating measurably reduces blood pressure and heart rate while lowering the levels of stress-related chemicals in the body. Old injuries and aches, (especially backache) experience relief as floating helps blood circulation.
Floating is used widely in the treatment of stress, anxiety, jet lag and to improve concentration and creativity. Sports performance and ‘wind down’ are also enhanced by floating. Also, one hour of floating can have the restorative effects of 4 hours of sleep.
What effects does floating have on the mind?
During a float, you produce slower brain-waves patterns, know as theta waves, that are normally experienced only during deep meditation or just before falling asleep. This state is usually accompanied by vivid imagery, very clear, creative thoughts, sudden insights and inspirations or feelings of profound peace and joy, induced by the release of endorphins, the body’s natural opiates.
Because of these effects, floating is used effectively in the treatment of depression and addictions, including smoking and alcohol. It is also used in schools and universities as tools for accelerated learning.
Is floating successful for everyone?
Floating, as with other things, doesn’t suit everybody. It needs willingness on your part to let go and see what happens, and you may need to float a few times before you are able to relax completely, both physically and mentally. Depending on your own journey through life, a float might provide an hour of total physical relaxation, or a profound healing experience, emotionally and spiritually transforming. Floating can be a wonderful aid to opening doors into your inner world, gradually allowing access to those deeper levels at which real changes take place.
Might I be bored or frightened?
Anyone who floats regularly will tell you how blissfully comfortable and deeply relaxed they feel while floating. You’re as close as you are ever likely to be to the experience of weightlessness, and there is no feeling of being confined in a tight space.
But I’m claustrophobic!?
It’s fine, many people are, but we don’t use float tanks, rather, float rooms. You can stand up inside them. Also, the light is controlled from inside, giving you total control of your environment. The door opens easily from inside and out, and you can step out any time you wish.
What if I can’t swim?
Floating doesn’t require any swimming skills what so ever. You’ll actually float like a cork, and it doesn’t matter what shape or size you are.
Is it private?
Yes, you float within your own individual room, so there is no need to wear a swimsuit. Each of our rooms has its own shower and is yours exclusively use for the duration of your session.
Will my skin wrinkle?
No. Because the water contains high salt levels it doesn’t rob your skin of salt, rather, it leaves your skin soft and silky.
Am I locked in?
No. You will have complete control over your environment for the length of your session. The door simply pushes open. Also, a light switch is located inside the Floatroom if you prefer the environment to be lighted.
How is water hygiene maintained?
We have to comply with stringent health and safety regulations. The water contains mostly salt and so the solution is sterile. We add a limited amount of bromine, a swimming pool chemical, to ensure it’s totally clean and we filter the water thoroughly between each float session.
Can I come with a friend?
Yes, many clients come with friends. It’s great to have someone to talk about your experience with. We have four Floatrooms and are able to schedule your floats simultaneously.
What are the benefits of floatation?
Floatation therapy is a treatment using sensory deprivation within a floatation tank or float room. Years of well-documented testing and university research show that floatation tank therapy not only has an immediate effect on pain relief and elimination of stress, it also promotes ‘whole-brain’ thinking. Many athletes, writers, entrepreneurs and artists have experienced enormous benefits from floatation therapy.
Floatation therapy applications for the athletic
- Penetrates for deep muscular relaxation
- Accelerates healing of injuries
- Enhances Performance using visualization
Floatation therapy benefits for busy and business people
- Provides complete physical & mental stress relief
- Enhances problem solving through visualization
- Rejuvenates depleted energy levels
Floatation therapy for students and artists
- Stimulates creativity
- Promotes clarity of thought
- Aids accelerated learning
Floatation therapy sees wide use in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and jet lag, as well as in improvement of concentration and creativity. Floatation taps into the brain and is widely used by athletes to improve performance. Wind-down is also enhanced during sensory deprivation floating therapy. Did you know that one hour of floating in a float tank has the restorative effects of 4 hours of sleep? This effect is mainly due to the effects of sensory deprivation, the quiet and darkness, inside the floatation room.
The use of floatation therapy has a number of medical benefits. In the gravity-free floating environment, the body can balance and heal internally as the senses are given an hour off. Studies have shown that floating and floatation therapy can measurably reduce blood pressure and heart rate while lowering the levels of stress-related chemicals in the body. The symptoms of old injuries and aches--especially backache--experience great relief.
The present philosophy of floatation therapy or Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy is to offer the possibility of one more way to regain aspects of health--physical, emotional or psychological. There are many schools of thought at the present time in medicine and psychotherapy that are oriented to teaching people how to master their bodies and minds to achieve a state of deep relaxation. This aim is essential in the very highly pressurized society of the industrialized western world. This newly realized sense of the need for deep relaxation has been validated by recent research showing that over 80% of people that visit a physician do so because of psychosomatic or stress-related disorders.
The advantage of floatation therapy using a floatation tank is that it enables most individuals to experience very deep levels of relaxation from the very early stages of this therapy. It has the advantage of the client not needing to learn any special technique to trigger the relaxation response. Other very useful methods like biofeedback, self-hypnosis, autogenic training, progressive muscular relaxation or meditation generally need a period of learning. The learning curve for floatation is dramatically attenuated, allowing rapid realization of the benefits inherent in this unique practice.