Floating is a newer practice of lying in a pod filled with water and about a 1000 pounds of Epsom salt. It is intended to help reduce stress, help with sleep issues and calm the body and mind. I have always recommended Epsom salt baths to my clients to help with muscle pain, so when I heard about floating I had to give it a try.
I was lucky enough to find a local place called Float Easy in San Juan Capistrano, CA. It was very easy to make an appointment. I chose to do it after work one night.
I showed up a few minutes early and was greeted by a nice young lady who took me into a sitting room. It was nice to sit after work in a quiet room, with soft “spa like” music playing, and to have a glass of tea while I waited to for my room to be ready. It didn’t take long for the attendant to show me back to my room. She explained that you take a shower first, then step backwards into the pod. I had a choice of music or no music and different color lights inside the pod that I could control.
My biggest concern about doing this is that I’m super claustrophobic. I let her know this, and she recommended that I keep the lights on and close the lid, because I would get cold otherwise. She informed me that I had control of the lid and could adjust it at any time.
The shower had a rain head on it, so even before getting in the pod I felt relaxed and pampered. I stepped into the pod (I chose to wear just bikini bottoms, although I had read you could either go in naked or with a bathing suit) and laid back. It took me a minute to relax and realize I didn’t have to work to float– you just float.
I had the pod for 60 minutes, and after about 10 minutes I realized I needed to open the hatch a little because of my claustrophobia. Once some fresh air was coming in, I was totally fine and could relax completely.
Afterwards you take a second shower to get all the salt off. They supplied shampoo, conditioner and body wash. I showered, put a cover up on and headed home.
As I made my way home I definitely felt more relaxed, and some of the muscle pain I had felt that day was gone. Overall I would recommend this service to my clients and others. I would use it as an addition to massage and other self care practices, not as a replacement. Just like massage, this is definitely something you should do on a regular basis to get the best results; it’s not a onetime fix.
My assessment? Floating definitely lives up to the hype, and I will do it again.