Sometimes, I think it’s important to write an article occasionally that differs from the normal “20 Best…” and share a little about myself. So, I wanted to share my first float therapy experience.
Float therapy, for those that don’t know, is a form of sensory deprivation. Basically, you get into a dark, coffin like tank filled with several inches of water. The water has a tremendous amount of Epsom salt dissolved into it. Like the Dead Sea, the salt water is so dense that your body naturally floats without aid.
Over the last couple of years, I have made a strong effort to become the best possible person that I can be. I have a bullet journal that I try to write in every day, particularly what I am thankful for and the things that I want to accomplish. When I wake up after falling asleep for the night, I always try to remember to say “thanks”. I try to read at least a little bit each day or listen to an audio book while driving in my car. I read my goals on a daily basis, and most recently, I’ve made it a habit to drink at least 32 ounces of water each morning. (Check out 8 Fantastic Benefits of Drinking Water After Waking Up for more)
There are a few things that I definitely need to work on, finding the motivation to hit the gym being the biggest and trying to consistently meditate a few times a week.
Overall, I want to be the most productive, happiest person that I can be. I want to be a good husband, and a great dad. (I also want to make this website beneficial for you, along with Strictly Man Supply Co.)
This brings me to float therapy.
About a year or so ago, I saw a travel show on Netflix, where the host tried float therapy for the first time. I think it was in one of those progressive Scandinavian countries, one of the ones that we hear about all the time who have the best healthcare, life expectancy, happiness, quality of life, etc.
It looked interesting at the time, and the host described an almost trance-like meditation as a result.
I decided to research further into the benefits of float therapy and found some interesting claims.
According to Natural Living Ideas, benefits of float therapy include:
- sleep improvement
- stress relief
- pain relief
- reduced anxiety
Another source claims that float therapy promotes faster body recovery and increased circulation.
I was a little skeptical and located some academic articles about float therapy and sensory deprivation.
According to a published article in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine titled, Beneficial Effects of Treatment with Sensory Isolation in Flotation-Tank as a Preventive Health-Care Intervention, researchers Anette Kjellgren and Jessica Westman found the following:
Stress, depression, anxiety, and worst pain were significantly decreased whereas optimism and sleep quality significantly increased for the flotation-REST group…There was also a significant correlation between mindfulness in daily life and degree of altered states of consciousness during the relaxation in the flotation tank. (Source)
Overall, researchers found that float therapy does have beneficial effects on individuals.
Another study indicates that flotation therapy showed positive effects on certain physiological functions, such as lower blood pressure, lower cortisol levels (stress hormone), well-being, and “performance”.
With the claims and what appeared to be some scientific evidence supporting the benefits of float therapy, I decided to go for it.
Groupon sends me e-mails every day, and when I am in the market to buy something, I will wait until they send out their % off coupon code. I was able to secure a 60-minute float therapy session for just under $30.
Coupon code in hand, I was able to schedule my first float therapy experience.
My First Float Therapy Experience
I had an appointment set for 10:00am and got there a little early. I walked into the boutique spa, which smelled like lavender essential oil and sat next to a small Buddha statue until the owner finished cleaning the float tank.
The owner gave me a medical release form, and I also had to sign a disclaimer stating that I would not enter the float tank with any lotion on my skin, or risk being fined $1000. I guess that is the cost of replacing the water with several hundred pounds of Epsom salt.
After signing, the owner took me through to a small room and asked if I needed to use the bathroom. I definitely had to go after drinking my 32 ounces of water earlier in the morning, and I didn’t want my first float therapy session to be ruined by thoughts of urine.
I quickly ran to the bathroom and met back with the owner in the small room.
The owner pointed out various things that I could use. Vaseline is used to cover small cuts or scrapes, and saline water was available for ear drops. There were new, red, waterproof earplugs available to use, and I was eventually directed into the room with the float tank.
The float tank room was dark, with a black and white lotus flag hanging above the tank. In the corner, there was a newer, small corner shower. I was instructed to take a shower before entering the tank, making sure to wash with the supplied shampoo and body wash. Conditioner was available, the owner said, but only after the float therapy session.
Fresh towels were provided, and I was told that I would get five to ten minutes to change, shower and get into the float tank. She pointed out the float tank and said there was a switch to turn off the light once I got in. I would have 60 minutes of float time and would be notified that time was up by the sound of relaxing music.
The owner left, and it was just me.
I stripped naked and hopped into the shower.
After showering, I relied on the advice of the owner and dried my face with the clean towel. Apparently, if you don’t dry your face, it will get itchy as it dries in the float tank.
I approached the float tank and took it all in.
The tank was about 4 feet wide and 4 feet high with a large black door and a handle like one you’d find on a Navy Destroyer. The inside was made of a plastic rubbery material, blue below the water line and completely black above. There was a single switch on the right side, which illuminated a small light on the inside.
The water was warm, not hot like a spa and not as cold as a heated pool. Warm, like body temperature warm. It was surprisingly nice.
The water was maybe 8 inches deep, went above my ankles and was slick and slippery on contact.
I crouched down, turned around, and shut the door behind me. After plopping down into the water, I turned the light off.
True to its name, it truly deprived my senses. All black inside, my bodily naturally buoyed on top of the water. I tried pushing limbs down, only to have them bounce up, like they had just compressed a light spring.
With my ears underwater, I could only hear a feint hum, from what I presumed was a filtration machine, or some component of the tank.
And so, it began.
It took me awhile to get used to, which is what the owner said for a first float. My thoughts normally race, and this was no exception. My thoughts were darting from how I was going to write this article, hope that I wasn’t going to get my wallet stolen out of my pants pocket, and how sanitary the water was (I tried not to think much about this one though).
I had a sore on my right palm from spending 8 hours the night before putting IKEA furniture together with my wife. The little screwdriver I had been using caused a blister, which really started to burn.
I should have used the Vaseline.
Eventually, I started to slow my breathing down, focusing on each breath, in and out. After a while, I swear I felt my heart beat only once every few seconds.
Relaxation started to settle in, and I lost all sensation of my body.
I kept my eyes open and started to focus on all the colors my mind and eyes started to make, mainly purples and greens.
A few times, my toes hit the left side of the tank, and I had to lightly push off to re-center.
I once found that after pushing off the side, my body began slightly spinning clockwise. I didn’t touch the other side, but my mind felt like I was continuously spinning, like an incredibly slow watch hand.
This was when my mind felt most separated from my body, like if you pulled your consciousness out of your body, threw it into starless space, and let it float in limbo.
I did try to deliberately focus on thoughts and goals I have, specifically making this blog and business venture a success.
I had no concept of space or time, and before I knew it, the soft music turned on, so I flipped the light, pushed open the door, stood up and exited.
Instantly, I felt energized, but deeply relaxed. My mind felt clear, sharp, and it felt like my endorphins had permeated throughout each cell of my body. One person I read about described it like a cocktail of psychedelic mushrooms and ketamine.
I got into the shower, rinsed, and put my clothes back on.
Later in the day, my wife asked what I put on my skin to make it glow so much, and I told her that it must have been from the Epsom salt. Also, I don’t have back problems, but my spine felt elongated, like a stretched piece of bubble gum, and it felt amazing.
One thing I do wish I had done was use the waterproof earplugs. I struggled with water in my ear for over a day, and it got pretty annoying after a while.
Anyway, it’s been a week or so since my first float therapy experience. I look forward to trying it again, but I think I have to wait a little while before I can buy another Groupon. Paying for sessions straight up can get a little pricey at $40, and since I refuse to pay full price for anything, I guess it will have to wait.
Skeptical of its benefits or not, it was nice to try something new. I laid down in a coffin of salt water for an hour, and it gave me time to slow my brain down and relax. There was no cell phone, no e-mails, no computer, no people…just me.
Sometimes having “just me” time is really all we need.
Thanks for reading My First Float Therapy Experience!
Check out more of our popular Lifestyle articles: Five Quotes to Consistently Motivate You Each Day, or 3 Top Pages from 19 Men’s Blogs You Should be Reading.
-Chris