Float On

There are many benefits to floatation therapy. Read on to learn about my experience.

I decided to give float therapy a try for a few reasons. I came across the option when researching ways to relieve tight muscles and chronic muscle tension. I've had tight muscles for as long as I can remember stretching them. And with my current workout routine and time for self-care, I was on the search for a new option. Also at the time, I'd just got into my daily 20 minute meditation and thought this was a perfect place to practice for a longer period of time, it’s called a sensory deprivation tank after all! Really I was just curious, and after only coming across a few articles sharing the various benefits, I decided to find a place near me to try it out. I believe you really don't know for yourself, unless you experience it!

So the reason you float in the tank is because it's filled with 11” of water and 1,000 lbs of pharmaceutical grade Epsom salt. The water is kept close to skin temperature at 93 degrees. I totally understood that the gravity-free floating environment would allow for such a wonderful opportunity for the body to balance and heal internally, as all the senses are able to rest. Sessions in a float tank are usually 60 or 90 minutes. And I was eager to try the 90 minutes... call me ambitious when it comes to wellness, I'm the Wellness Ranger after all!

All the reasons to float...

According to a PubMed publication and this Wellness Mama, there are various benefits from a session in a float tank:

Relieves anxiety

Reduces stress

Muscle recovery

Promotes relaxation

Reduces headaches

Increases circulation

Accelerate mental clarity

Provides a more restful sleep

Provides stronger immune system

Benefits from the magnesium in the salt

When used accordingly, a sensory deprivation tank may help relieve stress and ease muscle tension and pain. It can also help improve your mood with the sensory release and relaxing way to calm your busy mind!

The sessions did provide a very pleasant experience to meditate for 90 minutes. Having your eyes open in complete darkness and connecting to yourself in a much deeper way... for me, was so healing. My muscles did feel much more relaxed after a session and just like most things you need to experience more than once. So after multiple sessions, I noticed the following: muscles felt less tense overall, stress relief within my body, had more mental clarity, and always had a very restful nights sleep after.

Overall, I enjoyed every session I had in the self-deprivation tank. The place I found in Reno, Healing One had 4 different tank size options. I eagerly tried them each out and found the one I preferred. My favorite was definitely the Serenity room, it was the largest tank and I had so much room to float around and bounce from corner to corner. It's the tank I share in these videos! The people at this place are simply the best and very attentive. I gratefully discovered the best experience was to enjoy 45 minutes in the infrared sauna and then jump in a tank for a 90-float!

So... I would suggest trying float therapy for the sake of experiencing something new. And your body and mind will thank you!