Flotation Therapy

Today's post has nothing to do with travel, but rather a new experience.  Recently, I had the opportunity to try float therapy for the first time. Basically, you enter a sensory deprivation tank and float in water about 18 inches deep that has a higher content of salt than the Dead Sea.  The session lasted one hour and I was surprised at how long an hour can be with no sense of time or distractions. I meditate and practice yoga and believe those exercises helped me to relax enough to enjoy the session.  Several people who also tried the therapy with me ended up leaving their tanks (everyone has their own tank to float in) after 15 minutes because they could not get their minds to calm and they were too wired to relax.  I had no such issue.  Inside the tank which is completely dark (you do have the option to have a night light or overhead light on and play music (I did not use any option other than complete darkness). You enter the tank and you are completely naked except for ear plugs. The temperature is a heavenly 93 degrees. There are pages of requirements that must be signed off on before you can float. For example: you must not have open wounds or cuts, no recently dyed hair, no recent tattoos and you must wash off your perfumes, make up and hair products before entering the tank using products provided by the facility.

The experience reminded me of being in utero, not that I remember.  Sometimes you even forget that you are lying in water.  I was good for about 45 minutes and then I was obsessed with when the light was going to come on to alert me that my session had ended.  I did need to use a head cradle (provided) because I could not get my neck to relax.  Once in the head cradle I started to doze off  - when my body would touch the side of the tank the movement was magnified 100 times over the initial slight touch. I would be startled enough to move and water would roll up my body ever so slightly feeling like a ripple with a tickle.  My stomach  reacted to the tickle like the feeling of being on a roller coaster ride.  I would recommend trying this therapy and found it odd two days later parts of my body were sore like after a workout.  I'm certain the next time I try floating it'll be even better as I won't have to deal with the anxiety of not knowing what to expect.    

Read more about flotation therapy here.