Amina Abukar: Do you have any of these common misconceptions about floating?

Floatation is a practice that has become popular to help people clear their minds, feel more relaxed and improve their physical state. Despite the proven mental and physical benefits of using floatation and sensory deprivation, there are still some misconceptions which leave some unsure about their decision to float.

Being Enclosed

“I suffer from claustrophobia and will freak out in such a confined space”

Individuals who experience claustrophobia either fear losing control or do not feel in control at all. It is important to know that you are in total control of your float session. You decide when to keep the door open or closed, whether to leave the lights on or off and when you wish to exit the pod. The greatest benefits are reported from floating in darkness however if you are afraid of the dark you make keep the lights on until you feel comfortable enough to switch them off. You are always in control.

In the past, float tanks were not as large as the modern tanks that are widely used today. The Floatworks use the most spacious float tank, the i-sopod, which stretches nearly 9ft long x 6ft wide. There is even enough space to allow you to sit up with the door closed.

Many individuals who are nervous about being enclosed admit that they are pleasantly surprised to see how much space there is in the float tank once they arrive. Any nervousness that is felt before entering the tank is rarely felt once in the float tank.

The water is heated to the same temperature as your skin and it is difficult to tell where the body ends and where the water begins. This allows floaters to feel experience complete weightlessness and relaxation. Floaters have reported feeling an infinite sense of space once they had switched the lights off and closed the door. You are in full control throughout your entire session allowing you to have a comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Hygiene & Sanitation

“I don’t want to get in the water after somebody else has been in there”

Hygiene is an understandable concern and a topic that will raise many questions. The Floatworks is committed to providing a clean, safe and relaxing experience. A thorough sanitising cycle takes place between each float session. A 1 micron pool filter (smaller than the width of a hair) is used to filter the water in the float tank. UV light and a small amount of disinfectant are used to sanitise the water and the high concentration of Epsom salts ensures that the solution is kept sterile. Even if there are no customers, the powerful filtration system automatically cleans and circulates the water 24 hours a day ensuring the float tanks maintain a supreme level of hygiene and sanitation.

Epsom Salt Safety

“Isn’t laying in all of that salt bad for you?”

People have actually been bathing in Epsom salts for hundreds of years because of its incredible healing properties for different ailments. The high concentration used in the float tank is what provides the required buoyancy to make you float. The solution is absolutely safe and actually helps to soften your skin.

The Floatworks use the highest grade of Epsom salt which is made up of magnesium and sulphate both of which are hugely beneficial. Magnesium is known to regulate numerous important enzymes within the body, improve sleep and ease stress while sulphate plays an important role in the formation of brain tissue and proteins, stimulates the generation of digestive enzymes whilst also helping to rid the body of toxins. Sulphate is very difficult to obtain through diet yet is easily absorbed through the skin just like magnesium.

Falling Asleep

“What if I fall asleep and drown?”

The shallow water and buoyancy of the Epsom salt water eliminates the possibility of drowning. You do not need to put in any effort trying to stay a float. This means that it is absolutely okay to fall asleep during a float session - in fact many people do. While asleep, you continue to float and feel relaxed without the body ever feeling the urge to roll over.

Floatation Users

“I’m pregnant and terrible in the water so it’s not for me”

Floatation does not require you to be a swimmer. The Epsom salt water will allow you to float with great ease. You do not need to worry about being too heavy, small short or tall to float. The float pods are large enough to accommodate everybody. The weightless environment in the pod even relieves pregnant women from the immense strain pregnancy can impose on the human body. At the same time, it is a wonderful opportunity for expectant mothers to connect deeply with their baby. It is often recommended to mothers in pregnancy magazines.

Once people experience floating for themselves, they usually become regular floaters allowing it be a part of their new lifestyle. If being more mindful has been one of your new year’s resolutions and you’ve been struggling to achieve this, why not give floating a chance?