THE EXPERIENCE: A sensory deprivation float is a chance to isolate yourself from stimuli and experience deep relaxation by floating in highly salinated water in an enclosed tank. There are options for using a swim suit or floating naked; floating in the dark or under colored led lights; using a head float or not.

WHO MIGHT BENEFIT: Consider a sensory deprivation float if you

• have anxiety
• have chronic muscle or joint pain
• have acute muscle pain
• have high blood pressure and/or cardiovascular disease
• experience chronic stress

RESEARCH & REASONS TO BELIEVE:

• Beneficial effects of treatment with sensory isolation in flotation-tank as a preventive health-care intervention – a randomized controlled pilot trial
• Everything You Need to Know about Sensory Deprivation Tank Therapy
• Epsom salts: Benefits, Uses and Side Effects

MY EXPERIENCE: I floated at a local True Rest float spa. I showered in the private room and decided to float naked with their earplugs. The pod was bigger than it appeared in the photos. I was able to float with my arms overhead and arms and legs splayed without touching the walls unless I tried. I started floating in the dark, but became anxious so I put the lighting on purple, which was the darkest of the LED lights. For the first 10 minutes, relaxing music played in the pod and gradually faded out. The music was really helpful in helping me relax. (I think going straight to silence might have made me feel twitchy.) There were 40 minutes of silence and then music began to play again to let me know my time was up.

For me (everyone has their own way, so this is just my opinion), I was relieved that I did float easily (I was worried I would sink to the bottom and have to struggle to float), that I easily and quickly reached “Theta wave” relaxation status, and that I remained in very relaxed for quite some time. Very near the end of the time, I did begin to come out of the relaxation, but I enjoyed feeling the water against my skin and gentle movement in the water. I didn’t have any issues with the ear plugs, and I chose to use the head float ring.

To me, it felt like being held gently. I needed that. The literal letting go of the weight of the world felt like emotional/psychological letting go of the weight of the world too. I also felt empowered afterwards as both my fear of drowning and closed-in spaces turned into a feeling of limitless space and safety around me—a feeling that triggered a deep sense of being small, a grain of sand in a desert, a drop of water in an ocean of life. Finally, the Epsom salt solution loosened and soothed my muscles beautifully leaving me feeling more calm than I can remember.

When I left, I continued to feel lighter, like I was floating and flowing effortlessly through the rest of the day. The feeling lasted until I awoke the next morning.

TIPS & THINGS I LEARNED FOR NEXT TIME:

• There’s a private shower in the room.  You shower before you get in and shower/rinse off when you get out.  I recommend a cool shower before you get in so the body-temperature water feels warm.
• Go to the bathroom before!  Even though I went to the bathroom right before I went into the pod, I needed to go again by the time my float was ending, making the last 5 minutes a little less relaxing.
• The head float was super important because relaxing my head proved to be the most difficult. I had to keep telling my neck to relax…until I almost fell asleep…so I must have relaxed eventually.
• They provide free earplugs, but if you have earplugs that you use for other things, I recommend bringing those.  I didn’t have any issues with my earplugs, but one of my friends who floated said one of her earplugs started leaking part way through and was frustrating to her.
• They provide shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and towels.  The only things I needed afterwards were a brush for my hair and deodorant (personal preference).
• Wear clothes that are easy to get into afterwards. The room is humid (obviously), so putting on the sports bra and leggings I had been wearing were a little frustrating when I finished.  
• Make the time to enjoy their tea (mine was a vanilla jasmine the day I floated) to adjust before you rush back out into your hectic life!

I will be floating again!