Flotation Tank > Reviews (6)

I'd seen the horror of the movie Altered States way back when, plus Homer and Lisa taking their own journey by way of the float tanks at Karmaceuticals, Springfield USA and I even saw an episode of Ab Fab featuring Edwina and her own float tank.

So I guess you could say it's something that’s always intrigued me.

Six months ago I was lucky enough to receive a course of 3 floatation tank sessions at the Floatworks Floatation Tank Centre in London. http://www.floatworks.com

My first session was truly breathtaking, leaving me completely blown away, chilled and uplifted. I not sure what I'd really expected but I couldn't believe it had taken me all these years to actually do it!

I was slightly nervous and a little apprehensive and concerned that I'd feel claustrophobic, even though it's not something I'd ever experienced before. Rest assured I was very gently introduced to the tank by some fantastically friendly staff.

The tanks door can be left open and you can even keep on the interior lights, but within moments of lying back in to the silky warm water of the float tank I felt fantastically comfortable and eager to try the space with the door closed and the lights off.

It's a large enclosed bath like area of water, with a large door that can be left open. I guess it's about 12 inches deep and the water's very cleverly heated to the same as that of the skin. There's around 350 kilos of salt in the tank - which means you float like a cork and without any effort - this allows you to completely let go and put your faith in the buoyancy - with the salts pushing you upwards and gravity pushing down - you enter zero gravity (much cheaper than a trip on the space shuttle) and because the water is the temperature as the skin - you can't tell what part of you is in the solution and what part is out - soon you body disappears and you're just left with yourself - I imagine this is what you try and achieve through meditation but this all seemed to happen without any effort on my part - it was all so dreamy.

The hour I spent in the tank went in a flash it felt like I'd only been in there for 20 minutes; I even had to check my watch at the end of the session. I can only describe the sensation inside the tank as that of dreaming but being awake at the same time, thoughts coming and going, a sense of happiness and then the most incredible stillness I've ever experience in my entire life.

Music is played at the start and again to signal the end of the session, though I must admit I nearly didn't notice and could have easily stayed in there for much longer, it's a place somewhere between the womb and home. The shower at the end was fantastic and to be honest I could hardly stand I was that relaxed.

That night I had the best sleep in years, very deep and refreshing and I found the over all sense of well-being stayed with me for many days afterwards.

I've visited on 2 subsequent occasions and I've found that each visit is different and it seems to get better with each use.

A one hour session is £35 which includes a shower at the start and one again at the end - shampoos.

Body gels and hairdryers were all free of charge - I took my own towel - but you can hire those for a pound. I also noticed that a course of three sessions can be purchased for £70 and can be shared amongst friends. They had 9 tanks there so you can visit with friends and float all at the same time - but not together - each room is private with shower, changing area and floatation tank..

Floatation tanks were originally used in the space program in the 1950's by N.A.S.A to get Astronaut's used to the effects of zero gravity - whilst they were conducting these test - they found there were many other benefits: such as: Stress Relief, Pain Control (your body releases vast quantities of beta Endorphins whilst your in the tank!) Endorphins are hormones that bind to opiate receptors and are found mainly in the brain and help to reduce the pain and also positively affect emotions making you feel very happy and in some cases euphoric!

The Epsom salts used in the float tank are also fantastic for the skin making it feel soft and silky smooth, it also helps to reduce and heal skin disorders such as Psoriasi, providing the condition isn't too severe because broken skin will be painful and sting because of the heavily salted water.

Floatation tank use is said to be extremely similar to meditation but without the huge effort and time that's usually associated with learning how to meditate. Because the buoyancy of the Epsom salts is pushing you upwards and gravity pushing down, you enter a virtual zero gravity environment - with the water heated to same temperature as your skin, it becomes difficult to tell which part of your body is in water and which part is out. Providing you are still and not thinking of too much you will find that you loose contact with your body and end up just with your "self"

The stillness and the isolation that the tank provides allows the mind to enter into the deepest state of relaxation possible. This will in turn balance the brain: by reducing the activity in the left (logical) side of the brain and increasing activity in the right (creative) side. Therefore, both sides of the brain are in total harmony. (Apparently we normally only use 11% of our total brain power, therefore a session in the tank enables you to tap into a huge, previously unavailable sources of creativity, imagination, self-visualisation and problem solving.)

You will enter a Theta brain state whilst in tank for long periods - This State is associated with reaching higher states of consciousness, deep relaxation, meditation, increased memory, focus, creativity, lucid dreaming and the hypnologic state which is an area normally associated with pre deep sleep; in this state you can experience visual imagery, so it can feel like your dreaming but you also feel as it you are conscious at the same time.

Another beneficial brain pattern you will enter whilst in is the Alpha brain wave pattern. This state is associated with; light relaxation, "super learning", and positive thinking.

You body enters many beneficial physical and mental states; with blood pressure reduced, along with oxygen intake (can lower as much as 50% due to the fantastically relaxed physical state whilst in the tank).

Having spoken to the owners of the Floatworks Float Tank centre, I have been informed that currently 1400 people attend the centre each month. Most visitors use the tanks for relaxation, stress relief and creative thinking, with most customers visiting because they enjoy being nice to themselves.

It is inadvisable for epileptics not on medication to use the tanks, and people with acute medical conditions are advised to check with their GP's before using the tanks.