What to expect from my first float?
March 23, 2018 8:06 PM Subscribe
I've been curious about a sensory deprivation float experience for awhile, but mild claustrophobia has kept me from it. I just discovered a local place has larger cabins instead of enclosed pods, and long story short, I have a voucher for a 90-minute float session now. What should I expect? What do I need to know? If you float, what do you get out of it?
I had a float in a day spa; the setup was a private room with an oversized bathtub with my choice of light and music. Being ON the water rather than IN it felt weird to me.
posted by brujita at 8:42 PM on March 23, 2018
posted by brujita at 8:42 PM on March 23, 2018
I floated about five times across a three month span. 30-minute sessions.
I have an extremely hard time relaxing and falling asleep. Noise -- even a normal, expected sound like a car passing by -- is a constant irritation during the day and bedtime; it gets to the point that it makes me angry.
I was told that, when I entered the tank, its enclosed space, feeling of weightlessness, darkness, and mood music could calm me. My first visit went fine, but it wasn't any kind of enlightening experience. I progressed into my fourth visit with a greater feeling of relaxation each time. On the fourth try, I actually fell asleep for about 10 minutes, but I wasn't so lucky on the fifth.
My advice is to give it time. If you like it, pick up a couple more sessions if that's in your budget and schedule. Unless it's an unpleasant experience your first go, try to learn something new in each session.
I had to stop because of budget. I would have liked to continue at one or two sessions a month.
posted by mr_bovis at 8:49 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
I have an extremely hard time relaxing and falling asleep. Noise -- even a normal, expected sound like a car passing by -- is a constant irritation during the day and bedtime; it gets to the point that it makes me angry.
I was told that, when I entered the tank, its enclosed space, feeling of weightlessness, darkness, and mood music could calm me. My first visit went fine, but it wasn't any kind of enlightening experience. I progressed into my fourth visit with a greater feeling of relaxation each time. On the fourth try, I actually fell asleep for about 10 minutes, but I wasn't so lucky on the fifth.
My advice is to give it time. If you like it, pick up a couple more sessions if that's in your budget and schedule. Unless it's an unpleasant experience your first go, try to learn something new in each session.
I had to stop because of budget. I would have liked to continue at one or two sessions a month.
posted by mr_bovis at 8:49 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
I did my first float recently and haaaated it. And I was really, really looking forward to it too! It was for an hour, but I had to keep coming out into the outer chamber because I was freaking out. I was probably in the water a total of 20 minutes, broken up over the hour.
Note, I am not claustrophobic in any way. I love water. I love floating in salt water pools. But something about being in this hot dark chamber REALLY made me feel uncomfortable. Right away, I got a pounding headache and felt really nauseous. Also, I have long thick hair and the first time I tried to sit up in the water, my hair was so weighed down that I wrenched my neck badly. My eyes stung the whole time so I kept having to sit up and flail around for the water bottle to spray fresh water into my face. Ugh the whole experience was awful.
But I also got super nauseous and anxious the couple of times I tried hot yoga, so....maybe I just dont do well in hot steamy environments.
posted by silverstatue at 9:00 PM on March 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
Note, I am not claustrophobic in any way. I love water. I love floating in salt water pools. But something about being in this hot dark chamber REALLY made me feel uncomfortable. Right away, I got a pounding headache and felt really nauseous. Also, I have long thick hair and the first time I tried to sit up in the water, my hair was so weighed down that I wrenched my neck badly. My eyes stung the whole time so I kept having to sit up and flail around for the water bottle to spray fresh water into my face. Ugh the whole experience was awful.
But I also got super nauseous and anxious the couple of times I tried hot yoga, so....maybe I just dont do well in hot steamy environments.
posted by silverstatue at 9:00 PM on March 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
I have mild claustrophobia and I found the tank to be not too bad - it was big enough, and the airflow was good enough, that in the dark it didn't actually feel small. That said, I found that the whole time I was focusing on the smell of the chemicals - it was super strong, and it smelled like a cheap vinyl toy. I didn't find the "float" part all that successful - I had trouble finding a stable, comfortable position and that was definitely counterproductive.
I didn't hate it, but it didn't really do what I was hoping. Worth the try, though, for sure!
posted by restless_nomad at 9:03 PM on March 23, 2018
I didn't hate it, but it didn't really do what I was hoping. Worth the try, though, for sure!
posted by restless_nomad at 9:03 PM on March 23, 2018
You might spend the initial part of it sitting up, hugging your knees, worrying about drowning. Eventually maybe you'll relax, tentatively lie down. You might hold your head up (still worried about drowning) and strain your neck (don't do that. Use a noodle instead, if they have one). After awhile, maybe you'll actually get used to the float - floating...
Don't rub your eyes with your salty fingers. Wear earplugs so stuff doesn't get in your ears (and also to help with external noise). Put vaseline on your cuts. Relax. Enjoy bobbing around like a cork, feeling the sides of the chamber - or setting yourself off in one direction and feeling like you could float forever (until you bump into the side). For me, it takes most of the hour to get to the point where I feel a waking dream state - and then time's up - but I'm trying to access it faster. I've only been a few times and keep meaning to go back.
I guess, same advice from earlier about it may not stick the first time, but try it again if you liked it.
posted by cdefgfeadgagfe at 9:04 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Don't rub your eyes with your salty fingers. Wear earplugs so stuff doesn't get in your ears (and also to help with external noise). Put vaseline on your cuts. Relax. Enjoy bobbing around like a cork, feeling the sides of the chamber - or setting yourself off in one direction and feeling like you could float forever (until you bump into the side). For me, it takes most of the hour to get to the point where I feel a waking dream state - and then time's up - but I'm trying to access it faster. I've only been a few times and keep meaning to go back.
I guess, same advice from earlier about it may not stick the first time, but try it again if you liked it.
posted by cdefgfeadgagfe at 9:04 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
(I assume they should have earplugs, petroleum jelly, etc there. They may not have combs or brushes though hopefully a hair dryer, so if you have fussy long hair you might bring your own brush for after.)
posted by cdefgfeadgagfe at 9:05 PM on March 23, 2018
posted by cdefgfeadgagfe at 9:05 PM on March 23, 2018
I really enjoyed the one float I did, and I fell asleep. The place I went required you to have music on for your first float, but after that it would let you opt for silence. cdefgfeadgagfe has most of the practical notes - I'd add that if you have any injuries, like bruises or sprains, they can become more noticeable because you have less other things to focus on, so part of the info before the float suggested that if you had any current injuries you may want to put it off. And also, if you shave anywhere I would try and skip it for a day before the float.
posted by the agents of KAOS at 9:14 PM on March 23, 2018
posted by the agents of KAOS at 9:14 PM on March 23, 2018
I floated a few times, and really enjoyed it. I haven't been back, as I found I got very chilly very quickly, and that was distracting, but a couple thoughts:
DON'T TOUCH YOUR EYES. And bring the freshwater squirty bottle with you! Ask me why I know.
(Seriously, the salt really hurts your mucus membranes.)
I found it very easy to relax and not quite meditate, but something beyond daydream. I also found it really nice to move and stretch gently -- I was in basically a huge bathtub, with no cover, so plenty of room. I also shifted onto all fours for a few minutes, a couple times, and really liked that, although of course I wasn't floating.
I went in feeling curious and not expecting much, but I remember really, really loving my first session, and coming away with the same soft, dreamy, grounded feeling as I do after a good yin yoga session, or a massage.
I generally opted for silence and dark, but I had the option of lights and music too. The end of my session was signaled by water jets starting up -- you really can't miss them in the tank!
posted by kalimac at 9:25 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
DON'T TOUCH YOUR EYES. And bring the freshwater squirty bottle with you! Ask me why I know.
(Seriously, the salt really hurts your mucus membranes.)
I found it very easy to relax and not quite meditate, but something beyond daydream. I also found it really nice to move and stretch gently -- I was in basically a huge bathtub, with no cover, so plenty of room. I also shifted onto all fours for a few minutes, a couple times, and really liked that, although of course I wasn't floating.
I went in feeling curious and not expecting much, but I remember really, really loving my first session, and coming away with the same soft, dreamy, grounded feeling as I do after a good yin yoga session, or a massage.
I generally opted for silence and dark, but I had the option of lights and music too. The end of my session was signaled by water jets starting up -- you really can't miss them in the tank!
posted by kalimac at 9:25 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
90 min may be long for a first time. My local place suggested 30.
posted by k8t at 9:39 PM on March 23, 2018
posted by k8t at 9:39 PM on March 23, 2018
During the one time I did a float, I just got bored and ended it at about 45 minutes into a 60 minute session.
posted by ShooBoo at 10:13 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by ShooBoo at 10:13 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
I did my one and only float last year, for 90 minutes. I found it incredibly boring, basically like the nights I have insomnia. Nothing but your own thoughts to keep you company - not sure if that's actually the point.
posted by meowzilla at 10:55 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by meowzilla at 10:55 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
When I did a float as part of a free float promotion, the water wasn't quite up to body temperature, so I felt cold the whole time. I couldn't figure out how to hold in my gead, given the set of pool noodles and floating pads I was given. I progressively got more salt in my eyes, and felt I had only my gastrointestinal grumblings to focus on.
I did not pay for a second float!
posted by batter_my_heart at 11:23 PM on March 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
I did not pay for a second float!
posted by batter_my_heart at 11:23 PM on March 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
I did feel nauseous at one point, but it passed. The spa made it clear that if any body fluids were added to the tub's contents the floatee was responsible for paying for cleaning.
posted by brujita at 12:01 AM on March 24, 2018
posted by brujita at 12:01 AM on March 24, 2018
Don't rub your eyes with your salty fingers.
This is the most important advice. Also, if you scratch your nose drips of water will run into your eyes and burn like crazy.
Other than that, I enjoyed my experience, although I think the truly mind-blowing aspect is being phone-free for ninety minutes.
posted by roger ackroyd at 12:03 AM on March 24, 2018
This is the most important advice. Also, if you scratch your nose drips of water will run into your eyes and burn like crazy.
Other than that, I enjoyed my experience, although I think the truly mind-blowing aspect is being phone-free for ninety minutes.
posted by roger ackroyd at 12:03 AM on March 24, 2018
OH AND
I made the mistake of reading a work email right before my float, and spent way too much time in the darkness thinking about THAT.
posted by roger ackroyd at 12:04 AM on March 24, 2018 [6 favorites]
I made the mistake of reading a work email right before my float, and spent way too much time in the darkness thinking about THAT.
posted by roger ackroyd at 12:04 AM on March 24, 2018 [6 favorites]
I floated for the first time last year. Like many others have noted, I initially experienced feelings of boredom, being uncomfortable, and fear (I was inexplicably sure that there were sharks in the tank or that there was someone in the room outside the tank). This was all part of the process for me. As I allowed myself to really relax, to grow comfortable with the darkness, the silence, and my own vulnerability, I began to really embrace the experience.
I slowly began meditating, focusing on my breathing and the thrill of simply being. It was incredibly freeing. The place I floated (in Santa Cruz, CA) recommended nothing less than 60 minutes for your first float. It takes time to become comfortable with the silence and darkness (some people have described it as a "womb-like" experience). My husband and I floated in separate rooms during the same time period. We both agreed that the 90 minute session gave us time to acclimate and truly relax.
I never slept, although there were definitely some very Zen moments. I left, however, feeling energized, creative, and emotionally in-tune. My husband and I talked about our experiences for over an hour - they were totally different, unique to who we are as individuals.
The experience of floating is something I'll never forget and something that I'll definitely do again. Remember to be patient with yourself, calm. Allow yourself to feel free - phoneless, weightless, expectationless.
posted by WaspEnterprises at 12:05 AM on March 24, 2018 [6 favorites]
I slowly began meditating, focusing on my breathing and the thrill of simply being. It was incredibly freeing. The place I floated (in Santa Cruz, CA) recommended nothing less than 60 minutes for your first float. It takes time to become comfortable with the silence and darkness (some people have described it as a "womb-like" experience). My husband and I floated in separate rooms during the same time period. We both agreed that the 90 minute session gave us time to acclimate and truly relax.
I never slept, although there were definitely some very Zen moments. I left, however, feeling energized, creative, and emotionally in-tune. My husband and I talked about our experiences for over an hour - they were totally different, unique to who we are as individuals.
The experience of floating is something I'll never forget and something that I'll definitely do again. Remember to be patient with yourself, calm. Allow yourself to feel free - phoneless, weightless, expectationless.
posted by WaspEnterprises at 12:05 AM on March 24, 2018 [6 favorites]
I had an hour's float in an isolation tank in kyiv. It was great, really relaxing but not the transcendental spiritual experience some people seem to get from them. Sort of freed my mind up to wander in the way that a long run or repetitive task does.
posted by JonB at 2:26 AM on March 24, 2018
posted by JonB at 2:26 AM on March 24, 2018
I was lucky enough, years ago, to work at a company that had an isolation tank that all employees could use for free. Using it (for an hour at a time, IIRC) made it clear to me how much my brain "chatters" at me even when I just want to be quiet. When I blurted out "Oh, shut up!", I was immediately grateful that the soundproofing works in both directions. However, sessions in the tank taught me how to "turn off" my brain and made it immensely easier for me to meditate and, when needed, to clear my brain of extraneous thoughts so I could focus on a single task. Well worth it for me.
posted by DrGail at 5:41 AM on March 24, 2018
posted by DrGail at 5:41 AM on March 24, 2018
I was bored out of my mind and would never do it again.
posted by 168 at 5:45 AM on March 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by 168 at 5:45 AM on March 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
I did my first one in December, and another a couple of weeks ago (and now have a once-a-month membership at my local place.) So as you might guess, I'm in the 'I get things out of this' camp.
A lot of the advice I read pointed out that the first time is often just a lot of getting used to the weirdness - it's an unfamiliar setting, there's a lot of little things that you have to figure out how it works for you. The place will probably have a little spray bottle of fresh water (described) but probably also a couple of things to help with floating - mine has a halo rest for the head (which I don't like much) and a cut off pool noodle (usually under the knees) which I do like. Your mileage is probably different!
The tanks I use have an option for lights around the base, LED stars above, or total darkness. I usually go to the stars when I get settled, and then spend some time with it totally dark, too. Some places are set up to do music, the place I go doesn't.
I tried it for the purely physical benefits: getting out of my body's way for 90 minutes to reduce tension, let my neck and shoulders fully relax, etc. I count breaths, and do some other mild meditation and visualisation exercises. I try different positions, pay attention to different parts of my body to figure out how things are feeling. It's been great for that - I sleep better for multiple days after, my body is less cranky with me, etc.
The second time, last month, I got a good bit more 'drifting visualisation' stuff, and now that I've got a better sense of how things work for me, I want to try going in with a more specific thing to half-focus on. (Creative thing I'm trying to solve, etc.) But that's a bonus for me, the physical benefits are worth it even if I don't get that.
I did my first float from 11-1, and that evening at 7pm, I was completely and utterly exhausted (and slept for 12 hours). The second time, that didn't happen (I did sleep well, but it wasn't the 'hi, I am falling over asleep now' effect.)
On timing: I've been timing mine for the Saturday morning of a long weekend, on the theory that it helps me get a lot of the 'shifting into relaxation and work on personal projects' mode faster, and that part seems to be working really well for me, where I otherwise often spend Saturday and Sunday needing to unwind and not do much. The two times I've done it, I've been able to dive into focused personal projects and get things done that feel really satisfying on Sunday and Monday.
posted by modernhypatia at 6:32 AM on March 24, 2018
A lot of the advice I read pointed out that the first time is often just a lot of getting used to the weirdness - it's an unfamiliar setting, there's a lot of little things that you have to figure out how it works for you. The place will probably have a little spray bottle of fresh water (described) but probably also a couple of things to help with floating - mine has a halo rest for the head (which I don't like much) and a cut off pool noodle (usually under the knees) which I do like. Your mileage is probably different!
The tanks I use have an option for lights around the base, LED stars above, or total darkness. I usually go to the stars when I get settled, and then spend some time with it totally dark, too. Some places are set up to do music, the place I go doesn't.
I tried it for the purely physical benefits: getting out of my body's way for 90 minutes to reduce tension, let my neck and shoulders fully relax, etc. I count breaths, and do some other mild meditation and visualisation exercises. I try different positions, pay attention to different parts of my body to figure out how things are feeling. It's been great for that - I sleep better for multiple days after, my body is less cranky with me, etc.
The second time, last month, I got a good bit more 'drifting visualisation' stuff, and now that I've got a better sense of how things work for me, I want to try going in with a more specific thing to half-focus on. (Creative thing I'm trying to solve, etc.) But that's a bonus for me, the physical benefits are worth it even if I don't get that.
I did my first float from 11-1, and that evening at 7pm, I was completely and utterly exhausted (and slept for 12 hours). The second time, that didn't happen (I did sleep well, but it wasn't the 'hi, I am falling over asleep now' effect.)
On timing: I've been timing mine for the Saturday morning of a long weekend, on the theory that it helps me get a lot of the 'shifting into relaxation and work on personal projects' mode faster, and that part seems to be working really well for me, where I otherwise often spend Saturday and Sunday needing to unwind and not do much. The two times I've done it, I've been able to dive into focused personal projects and get things done that feel really satisfying on Sunday and Monday.
posted by modernhypatia at 6:32 AM on March 24, 2018
You suck up a lot of magnesium in an hour from an Epsom salt bath — so you might be super tired after.
Don’t touch your eyes, etc.
But the biggest thing, for me — do you already have a meditation practice?
An hour in a float without meditation — boring, possibly kind of irritating.
An hour in a float with meditation — totally different experience.
Also an edible could be interesting.
posted by schadenfrau at 7:00 AM on March 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Don’t touch your eyes, etc.
But the biggest thing, for me — do you already have a meditation practice?
An hour in a float without meditation — boring, possibly kind of irritating.
An hour in a float with meditation — totally different experience.
Also an edible could be interesting.
posted by schadenfrau at 7:00 AM on March 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
I would suggest becoming very familiar with the spa rules. I had a lot of anxiety about what to bring, where to wait, etc. The first spa I went to was a hippie place with nude men running around. If I had bumped into one without knowing what I was getting into, that would have significantly changed my float experience!
posted by tofu_crouton at 7:04 AM on March 24, 2018
posted by tofu_crouton at 7:04 AM on March 24, 2018
I went twice --a 60 minute and then 90. The first time was fine, I used a noodle under my head, went back and forth between total dark and tiny pin lights, I only got into a really good zoned out state at the very end. So the floating itself was okay, but not great. The way I felt afterward, however, was amazing. Totally relaxed, calm, noodly, more so than after a massage or a soak in a hot tub.
The second time I had a slight cold and floating on my back made me congested and not being able to breathe and float at the same time, I was pretty miserable.
posted by tangosnail at 8:01 AM on March 24, 2018 [2 favorites]
The second time I had a slight cold and floating on my back made me congested and not being able to breathe and float at the same time, I was pretty miserable.
posted by tangosnail at 8:01 AM on March 24, 2018 [2 favorites]
Also, here's a blog post from a friend of mine about her experience:
http://kristincashore.blogspot.com/2016/07/moving-and-floating.html
posted by tangosnail at 8:03 AM on March 24, 2018
http://kristincashore.blogspot.com/2016/07/moving-and-floating.html
posted by tangosnail at 8:03 AM on March 24, 2018
Echoing other descriptions above as calming, dreamy, peaceful state post flotation that lasts for hours afterward.
posted by effluvia at 8:09 AM on March 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by effluvia at 8:09 AM on March 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Your first float just expect that a lot of it will be orientation to the experience, it wasn't until subsequent floats that I was relaxed enough to start enjoying it. Here is what I would tell someone new to the experience:
Logistics: Bring your own ear plugs, they will most likely provide some but I didn't like what they had and used my own. Why you might need them is to keep water out of your ears if you don't like that, and also to increase the isolation experience. The tanks I were in were not totally sound proof. And your neck will most likely get sore the first time, they will have a floatie pillow you can put under head, I used it most floats.
Float freak out: I started my first float with the door to the tank just a bit ajar to allow some light in, and then once I felt more comfortable, would close it and float in the dark. If I experienced anxiety while in the dark, I would open it again for a few minutes. Knowing I could do that made the experience must calmer.
Mental state: You may experience all kinds of mental states in one float, a lot of time I was bored, sometimes relaxed, something anxious. I tended to judge the success of a float on how I felt afterward, expect that you may find that time has changed, and the world looks quite different upon returning.
Time: This probably deserves its own category. A lot of people experience that time really slows down in a float, the woman who worked at the place where I went said a lot of people get out of the tank early, thinking that someone forgot them (in mine they piped in some new age-y music when it was time to leave).
I would caution against taking any type of mind-altering substance until you are familiar with floating. Sensory deprivation is very powerful and is intended to unmoor you from the sensory world, I liken it to the experience you have when you are in sleep paralysis, where you body feels very light and relaxed, and you are aware of it, but mostly you are focused on your inner state which starts to become much more vivid than usual and is essentially like a trip minus the drugs.
posted by nanook at 9:56 AM on March 24, 2018 [2 favorites]
Logistics: Bring your own ear plugs, they will most likely provide some but I didn't like what they had and used my own. Why you might need them is to keep water out of your ears if you don't like that, and also to increase the isolation experience. The tanks I were in were not totally sound proof. And your neck will most likely get sore the first time, they will have a floatie pillow you can put under head, I used it most floats.
Float freak out: I started my first float with the door to the tank just a bit ajar to allow some light in, and then once I felt more comfortable, would close it and float in the dark. If I experienced anxiety while in the dark, I would open it again for a few minutes. Knowing I could do that made the experience must calmer.
Mental state: You may experience all kinds of mental states in one float, a lot of time I was bored, sometimes relaxed, something anxious. I tended to judge the success of a float on how I felt afterward, expect that you may find that time has changed, and the world looks quite different upon returning.
Time: This probably deserves its own category. A lot of people experience that time really slows down in a float, the woman who worked at the place where I went said a lot of people get out of the tank early, thinking that someone forgot them (in mine they piped in some new age-y music when it was time to leave).
I would caution against taking any type of mind-altering substance until you are familiar with floating. Sensory deprivation is very powerful and is intended to unmoor you from the sensory world, I liken it to the experience you have when you are in sleep paralysis, where you body feels very light and relaxed, and you are aware of it, but mostly you are focused on your inner state which starts to become much more vivid than usual and is essentially like a trip minus the drugs.
posted by nanook at 9:56 AM on March 24, 2018 [2 favorites]
Again with the eyes...make sure your face is well dry before going in or the salt will work it's way up into your eyes.
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:17 PM on March 24, 2018
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:17 PM on March 24, 2018
This may be particular to my body, but I was super frustrated that the tank I was in was too shallow - my butt hit the bottom of the tank and I was never actually able to just let go the way I wanted to. I was expecting it to be much deeper. I can float in a swimming pool for ages and I guess that was the experience I was hoping for (with the sensory deprivation element added).
It was also hotter than I would have liked and I did get salt in my eyes and that was no fun.
I really wanted to enjoy it but was disappointed (I do think I had unrealistically high expectations).
posted by Neely O'Hara at 10:51 PM on March 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
It was also hotter than I would have liked and I did get salt in my eyes and that was no fun.
I really wanted to enjoy it but was disappointed (I do think I had unrealistically high expectations).
posted by Neely O'Hara at 10:51 PM on March 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Wow, a lot of negative experiences here. I wonder how well the staff prepared you guys for the experience, or what you were expecting....
I worked part-time at a flotation tank center in Chicago for four years back in the mid-90s. I floated at least once a week, though I tried for more. I oriented countless first-time floaters, and most of them had lovely experiences, but it is true that a few will get nothing out of it, and that many first floats are more about learning how to float than experiencing an actual float. The experience becomes more interesting/relaxing/awesome the more times you go.
First of all, we would never let a first-time floater go for 90 minutes. Waste of time and money. See if you can exchange your 90 voucher for a 30 and a 60. Do the 30 first. Give yourself at least 48 hours after the first experience before you go back for the 60.
I may be repeating some information from above, but I'm going to give you the orientation we gave all of our floaters, and then I'm going to write up a bit about my four years of experiences in the tank.
BTW for those above who had boring/bad floats on your first time, if your orientation was the same day as your float, you went to a poorly run floatation center. Orientation should always come at least three days before the float.
One last thing: anyone who has known me around the site for any amount of time knows that I am super-not-woo. Nothing in this is going to be about the healing power of crystals, or aligning your chi, or anything like that.
ORIENTATION
Do not shave any part of your body for at least 24 hours before going into the tank. If you have any healing cuts or abrasions, reschedule your float--even heavy-duty waterproof Band-Aid will not be a strong enough sealant. Basically, you don't want the epsom-salt-laden water to enter your body (the earplugs are not just for sound deprivation). Once you've begun the float, you will want to keep your hands away from your face until the float is over and you've showered.
Any reputable floatation center will have each tank in a separate room with a door that locks (the door to the room, not the tank), and that room will include a shower stall. Ours were situated at the foot of the tank, so that when you stepped out of the tank, you walked right into the shower.
For the claustrophobic: the entrance/exit to the tank is entirely under your control. There is no lock on it. You can get out at any time. It's physically impossible to get "stuck" inside. Usually, once you're lying down in a floatation tank, the exit is at your feet; all you have to do is lift a foot and gently push it open. Of course, you can also sit up, move forward, and push it open with your hands, but most floaters are too mellow to want to exert themselves like that right away at the end of a float.
The other main fear people have besides claustrophobia: drowning. You can't drown in a floatation tank. I mean, unless you actually come to the floatation center with that goal in mind, and even then you would have to work for it. There's about 10" of water in depth, and there is so much epsom salt in the water (approximately 1,000 pounds in the tanks we had) that you couldn't sink if you tried. You won't be able to roll over either unless you actively force yourself--and again, the tank is working against you.
YOUR FIRST FLOAT
You can bring a bathing suit, or you can float naked. Between the magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) and the UV filter that is run after each float, the water in a floatation tank is SUPER-DUPER clean. 100% of my floats were in the nude. The reason we recommend nudity is that the baseline when you start floating is to rid yourself of sensory input. Anything touching your body is going to register, and way more than you'd expect, since so much daily white noise is cut out in the tank.
Leave all jewelry at home (remove all piercings and spacers). If you have long hair, you may bind it in a loose bun if you like, but I recommend leaving it free. Due to the buoyancy, it will float away from your head, not cling to your face or neck.
The center will provide earplugs, but as someone else said above, you may not like the ones provided. If you happen to have earplugs that you use for anything else, check to see if they can be used in the water. If they are, feel free to bring them with you. I was always fine with the brand we used at the center, but people brought their own all the time too. Swimmers had very particular earplugs, but while they were waterproof, they didn't really exclude all sound. You want earplugs that will expand to fit your ear canal perfectly (again with the goal of total sensory deprivation), but that are also rated as high as possible for noise.
We STRONGLY DISCOURAGE consuming anything that alters perception before a float. (Well, for beginners, certainly. Maybe give it 10 floats before you engage in that kind of prep, if that's your jam. Honestly, a good float is plenty "experience" stone-cold sober, but you do you.)
The water in the tank and the air in the tank will be the same temperature, and that temperature should register on your skin as nothing at all -- neither cool nor warm. In a successful float, you will feel as if you are suspended in space, with nothing at all keeping you there. If you complete your float and found that the water temperature or the air temperature was actually registering as warm or cool, you should inform the staff. At a good center, they will adjust the temperature for you on your next float. Temperature preferences are kept on file for all clients.
The biggest mistake made by novice floaters -- clenching your neck muscles to keep your head out of the water. It's a completely understandable, primitive instinct! Letting your head completely drop back into water is not natural, and we automatically "correct" by holding our head up. During your first float, practice letting your neck relax, little by little, and really take notice of how your face is *not* becoming submerged. Many people manage to let their neck go completely limp on their first float; others take two or even three tries before that happens. In my experience, when the floater is able to let the water do 100% of the supporting of their head, that's when they're going to start having real floatation isolation experiences. (It's not difficult, it just goes against self-preservation :D ).
You should be situated in the tank in such a way that, when your body is entirely relaxed, no part of it will be touching the walls of the tank. If you are, you can very gently propel yourself away with the slightest touch. You want to position yourself so that no part of your body is in contact with anything else. Again, on the first and sometimes second float, you will be hyper-aware of your boundaries. As you practice floating, they will disappear, and (as I said above) you should feel suspended in space. The tank, which some people think will feel claustrophobic, should end up feeling infinitely large.
Be aware that not all five senses may become "deprived" simultaneously. You may find that you are in complete darkness the second you close the door to the tank, but you might feel the water for a few minutes, or smell the difference between the room and the tank until your nose adjusts. This is common. Instead of dwelling on it, see if you can't focus on noticing exactly when you "lose" smell, or touch.
Okay, let's say everything I've talked about so far goes perfectly. Here are some things you will likely notice on a first float that may unsettle you:
You will be able to hear your heart beating much more loudly than you ever have. If you are the worrying kind, you might think something bad is happening to your heart. It isn't. Give it a good listen--it's an unusual experience and one worth having!
You will be able to hear blood moving through your body. You think I'm lying. I'm not.
You will be able to hear your eyelids blink. Listen to them. In general, keeping your eyes closed is the best bet for not getting the water in them, but if you enter and lie down carefully, you can do a complete float with your eyes open, which can give you some SUPER-NEAT experiences as your brain tries to make sense of what it can't see. I would not recommend this for a beginner, though.
You get the picture. Your body makes an awful lot of noise all the time; there are just too many other aural inputs keeping you from hearing it. On your first or second float, try focusing on one sound at a time. See what you can isolate. Let your mind settle on each sound and truly "listen to your body." It's fascinating.
Time passes strangely inside the tank. Every center has its own way of alerting the people in the tanks that their time is up, and when you hear or see that intrusion, it can be shocking both in sensory input and in your own sense of time (another "sense" that the tank is meant to deprive you of). Sometimes 30 minutes can feel like 8 hours. Sometimes 90 minutes can feel like 10 minutes. Everything our brain is used to having around to help it keep track of time is gone. Time is weird in the tanks, but in a wonderful way.
POST-FIRST-FLOAT
You will likely feel lethargic. Showering will be amusing, because your arms won't really want to go up as far as your head.
Most centers have a calm waiting room, where you can stay as long as you like. Going from a float to a shower to the outside world is extremely jarring. Usually there will be water, tea, and comfortable couches and chairs. Many places have large fish tanks full of beautifully colored fish, which have been proven over and over to be calming. Sometimes there will be low, ambient music, or a fountain feature for white noise. Some places may have piles of notebooks for clients to record their experiences. If you don't feel like writing anything down, they're always fascinating to browse through.
Drink a lot of water, both in the waiting room and over the next 24 hours.
SUCCESSIVE FLOATS
This is where the experience, and the purpose of practicing floatation, begins.
Once you nail the "how-to" of floating, this shit can be epic. If you meditate, you can bring that with you into the tank, but if you don't, or if you don't want to, you really don't need it to gain massively mind-expanding/contracting experiences, as well as physical benefits.
THE BRAIN
These are all experiences I've had while floating.
I had a float where I spent the entire time convinced that I was wheel-shaped: my brain was telling me that my back was arced so that my head was resting on the soles of my feet. I was able to experience this as true, without it being true. It was amazing.
I had a float where I was completely aware that I was in a floatation tank, but I was equally completely aware that I was home in bed. I remember pulling the blankets up from my waist to my neck. Then I thought that if I just went to sleep, I would be transported from the tank to my bed. All of this made perfect sense to me.
Sometimes, if you do an eyes-open float, you get a Laser Zeppelin show. Your brain has (usually) never been completely awake and yet in 100% darkness for any length of time. It keeps trying to make sight happen. Strange things occur when your brain tries to make things happen that can't happen.
You might cry. You might laugh uncontrollably. You might solve a problem that's been nagging you for months or even years (I promise you this is true). You might just fall asleep. When your hour is up, you may honestly feel as awake as if you had just slept for eight hours in your bed.
You might talk to dead people. I don't mean that ghosts haunt floatation centers (I don't believe in ghosts or séances or Ouija boards or "the spirit world" or any of that), but the experience is as "real" as any other experience that you have during your day. Of course it didn't actually happen, but for all intents and purposes, it did actually happen.
One of my friends was a relatively well-known conductor in town, and I gave her a gift of a five-float pack. After her third float (a 90-minute), she came into the waiting room and I could see in her face that something had happened. She'd been working on one of Mahler's Symphony No. 8 for weeks, and it had been defeating her. She looked at me and said "I understand it all." I knew what she was talking about. The performance was so remarkable that our two main papers both had somewhat breathless reviews of a notoriously difficult work seemingly conquered by a twenty-seven-year-old Ph.D student.
I imagine you're getting the picture at this point.
Sensory deprivation, while focused physically on the body, is primarily about the brain, and we are still in the dark ages when it comes to understanding our brains. You can come in with something specific to concentrate on, or you can come in and see where the ride takes you, but basically you are freeing your brain, which is you, from everything it has been doing for countless years during both waking and sleeping hours, and letting it run free. It is an awesome (in the pure definition of the word) way to explore who you are, what you know, and how you think.
THE BODY
Floating actually helps your sleep patterns. Again, it's not a cure-all, but it really does help the mind to sleep more deeply for several days after each float. The more often you float, the better your sleep will be. It can't cure insomnia, but it can help the majority of people who don't sleep enough to get the sleep they need.
Continuing to put yourself in (as close as we can get to) zero gravity can help with spine issues, joint issues, and many other physical problems. It's not going to cure diseases, and it's not magically going to make upcoming knee or hip surgery suddenly unnecessary, but I heard a great deal from clients who suffered from Fibromyalgia, Lupus, and other chronic pain diseases who found that their pain was completely, entirely gone for three or four hours after they floated--something they were unable to achieve in any other way. People who are physically healthy often compare a float to a deep-tissue massage without the painful parts, or to sleeping on the most comfortable bed imaginable.
Others say it's indescribable.
I tend to side with that word. There isn't anything else like it.
posted by tzikeh at 10:58 PM on March 24, 2018 [41 favorites]
I worked part-time at a flotation tank center in Chicago for four years back in the mid-90s. I floated at least once a week, though I tried for more. I oriented countless first-time floaters, and most of them had lovely experiences, but it is true that a few will get nothing out of it, and that many first floats are more about learning how to float than experiencing an actual float. The experience becomes more interesting/relaxing/awesome the more times you go.
First of all, we would never let a first-time floater go for 90 minutes. Waste of time and money. See if you can exchange your 90 voucher for a 30 and a 60. Do the 30 first. Give yourself at least 48 hours after the first experience before you go back for the 60.
I may be repeating some information from above, but I'm going to give you the orientation we gave all of our floaters, and then I'm going to write up a bit about my four years of experiences in the tank.
BTW for those above who had boring/bad floats on your first time, if your orientation was the same day as your float, you went to a poorly run floatation center. Orientation should always come at least three days before the float.
One last thing: anyone who has known me around the site for any amount of time knows that I am super-not-woo. Nothing in this is going to be about the healing power of crystals, or aligning your chi, or anything like that.
ORIENTATION
Do not shave any part of your body for at least 24 hours before going into the tank. If you have any healing cuts or abrasions, reschedule your float--even heavy-duty waterproof Band-Aid will not be a strong enough sealant. Basically, you don't want the epsom-salt-laden water to enter your body (the earplugs are not just for sound deprivation). Once you've begun the float, you will want to keep your hands away from your face until the float is over and you've showered.
Any reputable floatation center will have each tank in a separate room with a door that locks (the door to the room, not the tank), and that room will include a shower stall. Ours were situated at the foot of the tank, so that when you stepped out of the tank, you walked right into the shower.
For the claustrophobic: the entrance/exit to the tank is entirely under your control. There is no lock on it. You can get out at any time. It's physically impossible to get "stuck" inside. Usually, once you're lying down in a floatation tank, the exit is at your feet; all you have to do is lift a foot and gently push it open. Of course, you can also sit up, move forward, and push it open with your hands, but most floaters are too mellow to want to exert themselves like that right away at the end of a float.
The other main fear people have besides claustrophobia: drowning. You can't drown in a floatation tank. I mean, unless you actually come to the floatation center with that goal in mind, and even then you would have to work for it. There's about 10" of water in depth, and there is so much epsom salt in the water (approximately 1,000 pounds in the tanks we had) that you couldn't sink if you tried. You won't be able to roll over either unless you actively force yourself--and again, the tank is working against you.
YOUR FIRST FLOAT
You can bring a bathing suit, or you can float naked. Between the magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) and the UV filter that is run after each float, the water in a floatation tank is SUPER-DUPER clean. 100% of my floats were in the nude. The reason we recommend nudity is that the baseline when you start floating is to rid yourself of sensory input. Anything touching your body is going to register, and way more than you'd expect, since so much daily white noise is cut out in the tank.
Leave all jewelry at home (remove all piercings and spacers). If you have long hair, you may bind it in a loose bun if you like, but I recommend leaving it free. Due to the buoyancy, it will float away from your head, not cling to your face or neck.
The center will provide earplugs, but as someone else said above, you may not like the ones provided. If you happen to have earplugs that you use for anything else, check to see if they can be used in the water. If they are, feel free to bring them with you. I was always fine with the brand we used at the center, but people brought their own all the time too. Swimmers had very particular earplugs, but while they were waterproof, they didn't really exclude all sound. You want earplugs that will expand to fit your ear canal perfectly (again with the goal of total sensory deprivation), but that are also rated as high as possible for noise.
We STRONGLY DISCOURAGE consuming anything that alters perception before a float. (Well, for beginners, certainly. Maybe give it 10 floats before you engage in that kind of prep, if that's your jam. Honestly, a good float is plenty "experience" stone-cold sober, but you do you.)
The water in the tank and the air in the tank will be the same temperature, and that temperature should register on your skin as nothing at all -- neither cool nor warm. In a successful float, you will feel as if you are suspended in space, with nothing at all keeping you there. If you complete your float and found that the water temperature or the air temperature was actually registering as warm or cool, you should inform the staff. At a good center, they will adjust the temperature for you on your next float. Temperature preferences are kept on file for all clients.
The biggest mistake made by novice floaters -- clenching your neck muscles to keep your head out of the water. It's a completely understandable, primitive instinct! Letting your head completely drop back into water is not natural, and we automatically "correct" by holding our head up. During your first float, practice letting your neck relax, little by little, and really take notice of how your face is *not* becoming submerged. Many people manage to let their neck go completely limp on their first float; others take two or even three tries before that happens. In my experience, when the floater is able to let the water do 100% of the supporting of their head, that's when they're going to start having real floatation isolation experiences. (It's not difficult, it just goes against self-preservation :D ).
You should be situated in the tank in such a way that, when your body is entirely relaxed, no part of it will be touching the walls of the tank. If you are, you can very gently propel yourself away with the slightest touch. You want to position yourself so that no part of your body is in contact with anything else. Again, on the first and sometimes second float, you will be hyper-aware of your boundaries. As you practice floating, they will disappear, and (as I said above) you should feel suspended in space. The tank, which some people think will feel claustrophobic, should end up feeling infinitely large.
Be aware that not all five senses may become "deprived" simultaneously. You may find that you are in complete darkness the second you close the door to the tank, but you might feel the water for a few minutes, or smell the difference between the room and the tank until your nose adjusts. This is common. Instead of dwelling on it, see if you can't focus on noticing exactly when you "lose" smell, or touch.
Okay, let's say everything I've talked about so far goes perfectly. Here are some things you will likely notice on a first float that may unsettle you:
You will be able to hear your heart beating much more loudly than you ever have. If you are the worrying kind, you might think something bad is happening to your heart. It isn't. Give it a good listen--it's an unusual experience and one worth having!
You will be able to hear blood moving through your body. You think I'm lying. I'm not.
You will be able to hear your eyelids blink. Listen to them. In general, keeping your eyes closed is the best bet for not getting the water in them, but if you enter and lie down carefully, you can do a complete float with your eyes open, which can give you some SUPER-NEAT experiences as your brain tries to make sense of what it can't see. I would not recommend this for a beginner, though.
You get the picture. Your body makes an awful lot of noise all the time; there are just too many other aural inputs keeping you from hearing it. On your first or second float, try focusing on one sound at a time. See what you can isolate. Let your mind settle on each sound and truly "listen to your body." It's fascinating.
Time passes strangely inside the tank. Every center has its own way of alerting the people in the tanks that their time is up, and when you hear or see that intrusion, it can be shocking both in sensory input and in your own sense of time (another "sense" that the tank is meant to deprive you of). Sometimes 30 minutes can feel like 8 hours. Sometimes 90 minutes can feel like 10 minutes. Everything our brain is used to having around to help it keep track of time is gone. Time is weird in the tanks, but in a wonderful way.
POST-FIRST-FLOAT
You will likely feel lethargic. Showering will be amusing, because your arms won't really want to go up as far as your head.
Most centers have a calm waiting room, where you can stay as long as you like. Going from a float to a shower to the outside world is extremely jarring. Usually there will be water, tea, and comfortable couches and chairs. Many places have large fish tanks full of beautifully colored fish, which have been proven over and over to be calming. Sometimes there will be low, ambient music, or a fountain feature for white noise. Some places may have piles of notebooks for clients to record their experiences. If you don't feel like writing anything down, they're always fascinating to browse through.
Drink a lot of water, both in the waiting room and over the next 24 hours.
SUCCESSIVE FLOATS
This is where the experience, and the purpose of practicing floatation, begins.
Once you nail the "how-to" of floating, this shit can be epic. If you meditate, you can bring that with you into the tank, but if you don't, or if you don't want to, you really don't need it to gain massively mind-expanding/contracting experiences, as well as physical benefits.
THE BRAIN
These are all experiences I've had while floating.
I had a float where I spent the entire time convinced that I was wheel-shaped: my brain was telling me that my back was arced so that my head was resting on the soles of my feet. I was able to experience this as true, without it being true. It was amazing.
I had a float where I was completely aware that I was in a floatation tank, but I was equally completely aware that I was home in bed. I remember pulling the blankets up from my waist to my neck. Then I thought that if I just went to sleep, I would be transported from the tank to my bed. All of this made perfect sense to me.
Sometimes, if you do an eyes-open float, you get a Laser Zeppelin show. Your brain has (usually) never been completely awake and yet in 100% darkness for any length of time. It keeps trying to make sight happen. Strange things occur when your brain tries to make things happen that can't happen.
You might cry. You might laugh uncontrollably. You might solve a problem that's been nagging you for months or even years (I promise you this is true). You might just fall asleep. When your hour is up, you may honestly feel as awake as if you had just slept for eight hours in your bed.
You might talk to dead people. I don't mean that ghosts haunt floatation centers (I don't believe in ghosts or séances or Ouija boards or "the spirit world" or any of that), but the experience is as "real" as any other experience that you have during your day. Of course it didn't actually happen, but for all intents and purposes, it did actually happen.
One of my friends was a relatively well-known conductor in town, and I gave her a gift of a five-float pack. After her third float (a 90-minute), she came into the waiting room and I could see in her face that something had happened. She'd been working on one of Mahler's Symphony No. 8 for weeks, and it had been defeating her. She looked at me and said "I understand it all." I knew what she was talking about. The performance was so remarkable that our two main papers both had somewhat breathless reviews of a notoriously difficult work seemingly conquered by a twenty-seven-year-old Ph.D student.
I imagine you're getting the picture at this point.
Sensory deprivation, while focused physically on the body, is primarily about the brain, and we are still in the dark ages when it comes to understanding our brains. You can come in with something specific to concentrate on, or you can come in and see where the ride takes you, but basically you are freeing your brain, which is you, from everything it has been doing for countless years during both waking and sleeping hours, and letting it run free. It is an awesome (in the pure definition of the word) way to explore who you are, what you know, and how you think.
THE BODY
Floating actually helps your sleep patterns. Again, it's not a cure-all, but it really does help the mind to sleep more deeply for several days after each float. The more often you float, the better your sleep will be. It can't cure insomnia, but it can help the majority of people who don't sleep enough to get the sleep they need.
Continuing to put yourself in (as close as we can get to) zero gravity can help with spine issues, joint issues, and many other physical problems. It's not going to cure diseases, and it's not magically going to make upcoming knee or hip surgery suddenly unnecessary, but I heard a great deal from clients who suffered from Fibromyalgia, Lupus, and other chronic pain diseases who found that their pain was completely, entirely gone for three or four hours after they floated--something they were unable to achieve in any other way. People who are physically healthy often compare a float to a deep-tissue massage without the painful parts, or to sleeping on the most comfortable bed imaginable.
Others say it's indescribable.
I tend to side with that word. There isn't anything else like it.
posted by tzikeh at 10:58 PM on March 24, 2018 [41 favorites]
Flagged as fantastic, tzikeh. Beautifully written. That deserves a wide audience - I think it should be required reading for all would-be floatees. I've never been interested in floatation tanks before, but now I suddenly am, because of what you wrote. Thank you.
posted by velvet winter at 12:32 AM on March 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by velvet winter at 12:32 AM on March 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
Oh - and I forgot one thing. Try to eat an average-sized meal about three hours before the float, so that you're not hungry during the float (ugh, huge distraction), but you're not feeling overstuffed either.
posted by tzikeh at 6:45 PM on March 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by tzikeh at 6:45 PM on March 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
I've been floating pretty regularly for about two years now and I love it. I am actually very claustrophobic, but the pod is big enough for me to "starfish" my limbs out in, and I could almost stand up in it with it closed (I'm 5'5") so that has turned out to be a non-issue.
tziekeh's post is awesome, and the only things I really have to add are to avoid caffeine a few hours prior (I am not terribly susceptible to caffeine, but it's a recipe for antsiness and to have something preplanned to "do" if you find yourself fixated on stuff or overly bored (I do mantra meditation in my head sometimes.)
I have only fallen completely asleep a few times, but it's divine. The last time, when I awoke and eventually realized I wasn't home in bed, I was actually surprised. I was wondering where my dogs were. :)
posted by pixiecrinkle at 12:40 PM on March 26, 2018
tziekeh's post is awesome, and the only things I really have to add are to avoid caffeine a few hours prior (I am not terribly susceptible to caffeine, but it's a recipe for antsiness and to have something preplanned to "do" if you find yourself fixated on stuff or overly bored (I do mantra meditation in my head sometimes.)
I have only fallen completely asleep a few times, but it's divine. The last time, when I awoke and eventually realized I wasn't home in bed, I was actually surprised. I was wondering where my dogs were. :)
posted by pixiecrinkle at 12:40 PM on March 26, 2018
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