Imagine yourself weightlessly floating in a warm embrace.

An escape from the hustle and bustle of modern living.
A retreat from anything that needs your immediate attention.
A getaway from sensory input galore coming at you left, right and center.

A sanctuary where you get to enjoy “me, myself & I”
In a space where the outside world disappears
and amazing things start to happen!

A place where you EXPERIENCE NOTHING.

Intrigued? I was too when I came across this new spa experience from FLOATHOUSE on Social Shopper.

I’d been hearing the buzzword -> “floating” being thrown around in the health & wellness world, but

What was this floating thing all about?
and Why would it be good for me?

After perusing their website, I was completely captivated by the idea of floating:
– in 800+ lbs of Epsom salt (3x denser than the Dead Sea and with even more health benefits)
– in a lightless, soundproof chamber that is designed to completely deprive your senses from any stimulation

Their mission also piqued my interest:

But more so, I wanted to know what it felt like to Experience.Nothing!
So I took the plunge (no pun intended!) and bought the Social Shopper deal to give it a try.

The facilities are modern and welcoming, and the minute you walk in you feel a surge of calming energy.

On your very first visit, you’ll be given a short video to watch which walks you through things you need to know + what you need to do, as well as give you tips on how to enjoy your first float experience.

Then you are shown to your room, and the staff will give you extra pointers and answer any questions.

From there you are left to enjoy 90 minutes of pure bliss.

Showering before hopping into the tank is a must – to remove any make-up, oils, lotions, hair products, etc. and their unscented Prefloat body wash/shampoo helps get rid of any lingering scents that could distract your senses while in the float tank.

They give you 2 choices of ear plugs to prevent the salt water from getting into your ears and they also have a variety of props to support your head if you don’t feel comfortable going au naturel.

I found the pool noodle didn’t give me enough support, while the bath pillow strained my neck a little bit, so I opted for the halo which was just right.

Climbing into the tank and orienting yourself in the new space may take a couple minutes to get used to….but when you are ready you just lie back and FLOAT.

The water is heated to the same temperature as the surface of your skin so when the water settles and you remain relaxed and still, you actually don’t feel the water anymore. The extreme buoyancy removes all forces of gravity and floating effortlessly in a space where you don’t feel anything, or see anything, or hear anything is pretty cool.

If you are relaxed enough you can even connect with your own heartbeat, which is incredibly grounding.

The weightlessness, the temperature of the water, and the dark, quiet space of the tank also allows the brain to ease into a theta brain wave state – a trance-like state that we usually feel just before we fall asleep. A state that can trigger deep emotions, increase intuition, and spark creativity.

90 minutes sounds like a really long time to be submerged in water, but it actually goes by really quick. When the music in the tank comes on to let you know your float is over, you almost don’t want to get out.

I have floated a handful of times now, and each time is better than the last because I am able to go into relaxation deeper and quicker.

Amongst all the benefits of floating, without fail I notice these perks after EACH and every float session:

• A sense of inner calmness
• Renewed energy and better focus
• Tense shoulders significantly loosened up (I have a bad habit of carrying bricks in my purse. That combined with frequent bad posture leaves me with knots that feel like rocks and the magnesium in the epsom salts helps relax the tense muscles.)

* A little side note (which may be TMI, but I’m going to share anyways): I always need to pee after every float – which actually means that my body is flushing out built up toxins. Detox. Check!

That’s why it’s important to rehydrate post float as you reengage your senses in the lounge.

Here are my top 5 tips for your first float:

1. Dry your face completely before getting in to prevent needing to itch your face. Salt water in your eyes is not a good combo!
2. Sit in the tank and slowly lie back. Big movements can cause the water to disorient you in the tank (aka lose track of where the door is). So stretch your arms out to feel for the side of the tank until the water is calm, then explore different positions: arms by ur side, arms above ur head
3. Try not to think about anything. Be present in the moment and quietly listen to your body. Feel whatever comes up and don’t forget to BREATHE!
4. Rinse your ears out well after floating so it doesn’t crust over with salt.
5. Get in and out of the tank slowly holding on to the handle bars. The saline solution can be very slippery.

If you’ve never floated before I HIGHLY recommend trying it!! Our friends at FloatHouse are giving my special readers…yes YOU…20% off towards a float session. Just enter the promo code “recovery” when you book your “single float” session at FloatHouse.ca.

And if you’ve bathed in this mind, body & soul goodness I’d love to hear your experience, so leave me a comment below.

Happy floating!