
‘Unplugging’ is a bit of a buzzword for our generation, so often plugged in all day, every day. Ditto ‘self-care’. But there’s nothing wrong with either, and no better way to get a piece of both than by taking a float.
“A what?” you ask.
A float.
It’s as literal as it sounds – sliding into a flotation pod where your body is met with 500kg of Epsom salts in water. Defy gravity, you cannot. So your body is forced to float.
In a world where our senses are constantly engaged, often all at once, it’s nice to truly switch off, shift gears and relax at a profoundly deep level. And this is deep. There’s no light. No stimulation. No sound (unless you choose and prefer some soothing tones).
It’s serious relaxation; at a level I’m not sure you can find anywhere else (or at least I haven’t).
I walked into Rest House Float Centre at 340 South Road, Hampton East and was given a bit of an overview of how floating works:
“Flotation therapy has been around since the 1970s. It involves the use of an enclosed floatation tank, which is large enough to easily fit your body with room to position yourself, containing an Epsom-Salt water solution (500kg Magnesium Sulphate) which is heated to average skin temperature (35°C). With the water containing this much Epsom salt, it causes buoyancy of the human body, supporting and removing the effects of gravity, leaving you feeling completely weightless and allowing your entire body to relax.”
I discovered that floatation is commonly used as a tool to relieve stress and achieve deep relaxation, as well as improving creativity, mental clarity, jetlag, sleeping conditions, and it can correct magnesium deficiency, among many other benefits.
And boy is all that correct.
My first float was excellent, but I’ll admit it took me a little bit of time to settle. Mostly, to calm the chatter in my mind. But once I eased in, I relaxed in a way I hadn’t been able to. Ever. By my second session, I was much more at ease with the process. And by the third, I felt like I pro. I began to crave and look forward to my floats, and I began to notice when I really needed one.
I found my skin was a little glowier. My muscles a little less sore. My neck pain (from hovering over a computer) started to ease up. More than anything, I got clarity. The buzz in my brain calmed down little by little, after each session.
It might seem strange – paying money to strip back from everything that consumes our days – but I’ll take strange any day of the week over brain fuzz, stress and pain.
To find out more about flotation therapy, visit Rest House Float Centre.