The first time I floated was in 1993. I was playing professional basketball in
Israel and my parents visited me for two weeks in February. One of our tourist stops was the Dead
Sea. Winters in Israel are usually mild
with temperatures ranging from the high 60s to low 70s. During my time there, Israel experienced its
coldest winter in 100 years. Sigh. I came from Indiana expecting a mild winter
and froze my tail. I didn’t know if I
would ever make it back, so after arriving at the Ein Gedi Spa, I decided to go
all in. I donned my black polka-dot
bikini, laced up my sneakers and ran to the end of the long sidewalk to plop
myself into the Dead Sea for a few seconds.
(The spa used to be right on the shore, but the sea has shrunk over the
years.) My dad followed to take
photos. Oh yeah – I also covered myself
with Dead Sea mineral-rich mud. I ran
back to shore, rinsed off in the outdoor shower, and then ran inside to sit in
a hot tub with a bunch of older Israeli women, most of whom were naked and
about half my height. I wouldn’t be
surprised if I was still part of their local folklore – “Remember that giant
woman in the bikini who sat in the hot tub at that spa?”
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| I'm ready to go in, coach! |
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| I'm floating! |
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| From cold sea to cold shower. Brrrr |
While listening to a friend’s podcast the other week,
I learned about a new type of therapy that peaked my interest – flotation
therapy. (If you have some time, check
out Peter Shmock’s podcast at http://lifeathlete.com/podcast/
and pay special attention to #11 with Sean McCormick.)
What is flotation therapy? You float in 1,000 lbs. of Epsom salts (magnesium
sulfate) in a tub in a dark, quiet room.
The salt is supposed to relieve inflammation and pain, and help regulate
electrolytes. The actual floatation
helps your body relax and lengthen as you float with no pressure. The silence gives your brain a break from the
constant noise of life. Sounded good
enough to give it a try.
After listening to the podcast, I searched for
flotation therapy businesses in Indy. We
currently have a few, with one being close to my office – A Place To
Float. Their website offers a discounted
first-time float, so I decided to take advantage. It’s regularly $59 and their special is
$45. I quickly scheduled an appointment
online for a 60-minute float.
There are two options for floating – you can choose a
pod, which is enclosed, or you can choose a large tub. I had no idea what I was doing, so chose the
pod. When I arrived, the woman at the
front desk took one look at me and suggested I move to the tub. She didn’t think I would fit into the pod. Keep that in mind if you decide to give it a
try. Regardless of height, some people may
prefer the openness of the tub.
They gave me a quick tour of the facility – you have a
private room (the door locks from the inside) complete with corner shower,
shampoo, soap and towels. When you are
finished there are nearby bathrooms with hairdryers, so you can ready yourself
for your next stop.
In my little room I prepared for my first float. You can wear a bathing suit, but they
recommend going “commando” so as not to be annoyed by any pulling fabric. You rinse off (and remove any makeup) and
then get into the tub. There is a light
switch on the wall, which dims the room lights.
Once in the tub, there is a button on one side of the tub that you can
press to make the room completely dark.
There is also a button for you to communicate with the staff in case you
need something. Or have a stroke. I assume they can also unlock the room if you
fail to respond. That’s what I think
about when preparing to float in a tub.
The water is the temperature of your body, and room
air is warm as well. Even though you are
partially out of the water, you don’t get cold.
You don’t realize how warm it is until you get out and start sweating
while getting dressed.
A few accessories are also provided – ear plugs to
keep the water out of your ears. A thin
foam donut to serve as a pillow. I found
it difficult to keep my ears above the water while resting my head in the donut. I spent pretty much the entire time floating
for a minute, and then adjusting my head and my ear plugs. Repeat.
A state of fidgety relaxation. I
liked the floating sensation and the quiet.
I just had a hard time getting comfortable for a prolonged period of
time.
Some people fall asleep, which is safe to do since you
will float. I would think if you tried
to turn over in your sleep you’d wake yourself up.
When your time is up, soft music plays. If that doesn’t “wake you”, the tub jets turn
on after a minute more. You shower to
rinse off the salt, then get dressed. I
recommend not drinking a lot of liquids beforehand, as I had to pee really bad
once I got out.
How did I feel?
Somewhat relaxed. My skin felt
soft. I liked the overall experience. As I checked out they told me I had one week
of unlimited floats as a newbie. My
first appointment was on a Monday, so I made a second appointment for the
upcoming Friday. I might have gone more,
but didn’t want to mess with re-doing my hair.
Giving new clients a week of unlimited floats is a
great idea. If I had not gone a second
time, I probably would never have gone again.
The restlessness detracted from the relaxation. I also had a sore neck the first night from
my head being in a weird position on the foam ring. Having had neck disc and nerve issues, that
is the last thing I need.
My second float was a lot better. I asked for a second foam donut and it held
my ears above water and my head/neck in a comfortable position the entire
hour. Although I still didn’t fall
asleep, the hour flew by and I floated with no fidgeting the entire time. Much more relaxing.
I highly recommend flotation therapy. I’m glad I was given a second chance and will
definitely do it again in the future. One
day I hope to return to float in the Dead Sea again. Until then, I’m stuck with a tub in the
Midwest. Float on!
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