Flotation Therapy
Leave the noise and commotion behind, and take a break from all of life’s stimulation.
Rest in a zero-gravity environment
Also known as R.E.S.T. (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy), flotation therapy takes place inside a light-proof and sound-proof chamber.
There are 10-12 inches of thermo-neutral water inside that contains 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt, which creates a higher salt density than the Dead Sea.
The high levels of salt cause your body to float effortlessly (similar to floating in space!) with your face naturally floating above the water.
Epsom salt has many natural healing properties
Known for relieving sore muscles, Epsom salt also has natural anti-bacterial, hydrating, and exfoliating properties. Floating is the ultimate Epsom salt bath.
Also known as Magnesium sulfate, Epsom salt contains 20% Magnesium.
The skin naturally absorbs Magnesium while you float, which helps to calm the nervous system, promote healthy brain and heart function, reduce stress, and improve the quality of sleep.
Benefits of Flotation Therapy
Intense relaxation and stress relief
Studies show that flotation therapy can reduce cortisol levels, so much so, that it compares to taking a vacation.
Tests have shown that there is a drop in electrical activity of the brain and you begin to generate theta brain waves, which are associated with deep relaxation. Theta waves typically occur briefly before sleep and again at waking.
In a flotation tank, the theta state can last indefinitely without the subject losing consciousness.
Many use the extended theta state as a tool for enhanced creativity and problem-solving or for super learning.
The more often you float, the longer the theta period becomes.
Floating relieves pain and promotes healing
Finding where gravity is and in which direction, then computing how you can move and not fall over, takes about 90% of your brain’s activity on a daily basis.
Due to the high salt levels in the water, the flotation tank creates a zero-gravity environment. In this situation, the body conserves energy and has a chance to heal and rejuvenate itself.
When you start to float you are free from all the gravity computations and the physical world, which leaves the brain free to attend to other matters. The tank creates a state of sensory relaxation as the mind and body are shielded from all external stimulation.
Unless you are an astronaut the flotation tank is the only situation you will encounter where your body is free from gravity. NASA employs flotation to simulate weightlessness.
Zero gravity allows you to relax every single muscle, your neck, arms, back, and even ears.
The tank enables you to find those areas you are holding tense so you can let go.
Aid Depression, Anxiety, Phobias, and Addiction
People using early float tanks discovered that they enjoyed the experience and that the relaxed state was also a healing state for many conditions including stress, anxiety, pain, swelling, insomnia, and jet lag.
Floating can be passive or active, depending on the purpose. For relaxation, one simply floats and 'clears the mind.'
Active floating has many different techniques. One may perform meditation, mantras, self-hypnosis, utilize educational programs, etc.
The idea of active floating is that, when the body is relaxed, the mind becomes highly suggestible and any action taken during these states will enter the information into the subconscious.
In addition, the release of endorphins induces the feeling of elevated mood states which are effective in helping alleviate anxiety, depression, and negative mental habits.
Balance the left and right sides of the brain
Floating in darkness allows areas of the brain that are always in use when awake to be liberated from their work.
The darkness during floating also induces a balance between the left and right brain. There is a shift from the normally dormant left side of the brain (logical, analytical, rational) to the right side (intuition, mental clarity, and creativity).
For the first time, both sides of the brain are in harmony and the balance allows you to use huge amounts of previously unavailable brainpower.
There are Seven Theories that explain how Sensory Deprivation impacts the brain.
Improve Creativity, Accuracy, and Focus
Research into flotation therapy (as opposed to just the effect of isolation) began in the USA at Ohio State University where floating was shown to improve creativity in Jazz musicians, accuracy in rifle shooting, focus before academic examinations, and stress relief, among other benefits.
Many use the extended theta state as a tool for enhanced creativity and problem-solving or for super learning.
The deep mental relaxation initiated by floating allows the brain to produce a greater amount of theta waves, which are accompanied by an increase in mental clarity, creativity, imagery, and memory
Aide Sleep
While you float, your mind may drift off to a state where it produces theta waves, signaling a deep sense of relaxation.
You may fall asleep in the tank, and it is completely safe to do so, as your face (eyes, nose, mouth) will naturally float above water. You’ll wake up immediately if any saltwater gets in your eyes, nose, or mouth.
After floating, it’s easier for your mind and body to channel that level of relaxation at bedtime.
While floating does not replace sleep, or give you a way to get more sleep, it can help to improve the quality of your sleep over time.
Floating and Athletic Performance
Athletes have found that using float therapy in conjunction with their training program has improved their athletic performance.
Every muscle is able to fully rest and recover after being pushed to the limit.
Floating can help improve performance, aid in preventing sports injuries, and shorten recovery time.
By relieving the stresses of gravity, floating takes the weight off strained bones, joints, and muscles and increases the efficiency of the blood circulating through the body.
Athletes may also benefit from Contrast Therapy, Fascial Stretch Therapy, or a Deep Tissue Massage before or after floating.
Flotation Therapy at Hope Floats
We have four flotation tanks, each in a separate room that includes:
a shower (for rinsing the body before and after you float)
towels and all the toiletries you’ll need to shower
bathrobes and spa slippers if you have additional services booked for before or after your flotation session
While there is no such thing as a “flotation therapist” and your experience will be entirely your own, we’ll be there to introduce you to the space and answer any questions you may have.
Read more about flotation therapy
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The Therapeutic Benefits of Floating
Floating is a holistic way to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, burnout, and depression. Learn more about how floating can benefit the mind and body.
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Improve and Regulate Magnesium Levels with Floating
Many people struggle with Magnesium deficiencies, and it can lead to many health problems down the line. Learn more about the benefits of absorbing Magnesium while you float.
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How We Clean Our Float Tanks
Between the natural anti-bacterial properties of Epsom salt and our state-of-the-art filtration system, our flotation tanks are exceptionally clean.
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Tips for Your Future Floats
With such a unique environment, floating for the first time can be hard to get used to. Here are tips from the owner of Hope Floats for 2nd, 3rd, and hundredth-time floaters alike.
Flotation therapy complements other bodywork and healing methods
Float therapy can help you become more receptive to other methods of healing the mind and body, such as talk therapy, exercise training programs, and so forth.
Many of our guests choose to sit in the sauna before floating, which is what we call the “Hope Floats Experience”. The sauna helps to open the body’s pores, preparing the skin to absorb the Magnesium-rich Epsom salts while floating.
Floating before a deep-tissue massage, or after an extensive workout, can help the body to recover faster.