You know we rate Epsom salt-based baths for your health and wellbeing.
But have you ever tried lying in 500kg of it?
This is what you do in a float pod (also known as float tanks or even floatation tents).
We used to own one, which is how we know how awesome they are.
They take your Epsom salt bath and take it next level. Next Level Plus!
Because it’s not just about the goodness you get from the magnesium sulphate in the water. It’s that there is so much of it in the water that it becomes super buoyant, and you actually float in it, as if you were in the Dead Sea. You can’t sink (some people worry this’ll happen if they nod off. It won’t).
You’re suspended in the water with no effort, so your muscles can totally relax. Your brain doesn’t have to work either, meaning you can completely switch off. The float pod lid closes (nothing to worry about here – you can push it open whenever you want, or leave it ever so slightly propped open with a towel, but that kind of defeats the purpose) to give you what’s known as sensory deprivation.
So as well as not being able to feel anything other than glorious weightlessness, you don’t see, hear, smell or taste* anything either. Which means complete rest for your mind and body.
* Don’t taste the water – Epsom salt is not a culinary delight 😝
People use floating for a variety of benefits such as:
Rest and relaxation
Floating is a wonderful form of whole body and mind relaxation that helps you escape the outside world.
Better sleep
One hour of deep relaxation while floating is said to be equivalent to 8 hours of sleep, and can improve your sleep that night too, as you’ve reduced the stress chemicals in your body.
Pain relief
Floatation therapy can assist in healing. It is a great treatment to complement many forms of physical rehabilitation. Floating helps release endorphins, which block the transmission of pain. And it offers you a deep relaxation of all your muscles.
Reducing feelings of anxiety
The accompanying reduced levels of cortisol offer a feeling of control and competence that leads to a positive self-concept, increased self-confidence and self-esteem.
Heightened creativity
University studies show increased skill at creatively taxing activities after floating. Problem solving and visualization skills increase.
Floating increases production of theta brain waves, the kind you get as you fall asleep or just before you waken. You know those times when you wake up and remember your dream vividly, and felt like you were almost in charge of what happened in it?
Floating can bring about this state, enabling vivid imagery and use of positive visualisation. This (and its healing benefits) are why floating is popular with high performance sports players.
Stress relief
The relaxing effect of floating provides stress relief during the session, and seems to have an accumulative effect the more often you float. Floating can be helpful for issues that are thought to be stress-related, like:
* asthma
* depression
* fertility issues
* hypertension
* migraines
* ulcers
We supply several New Zealand float centres with top quality food grade Epsom salt.
If you’d like to try a session yourself (though, and this isn’t just a sales tactic, it’s more beneficial to try at least three sessions, and have them regularly if this is something that will work for you), find out more about them here:
Float in our hometown of Whangarei
White spa Herne Bay, Auckland
Infinity float centre Auckland’s biggest float centre, Botany Downs.
Serenity float Hamilton
The floatation sanctuary New Plymouth
Float Marlborough
Floatfix Dunedin
If you ARE a float centre, or need high quality, natural, food grade Epsom salt for your at-home float pod, get in touch with us for a no-obligation quote for pallet orders.
Wishing you a very happy, floaty kind of a day!
Dionne
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