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If you’re new to floatation therapy, you may be a little unsure about what to expect and how to prepare. This guide will have you walking into your floating experience, armed with the knowledge of what to expect as a beginner.
Preparing For Your Float
To get the most out of your floatation therapy experience, avoid caffeine or any stimulants 4-6 hours ahead of your float. Stimulants can interrupt the relaxation and sensory deprivation that is, afterall, the whole reason you are embarking on this experience in the first place.
Have a bit of food on your stomach. A snack or light meal 60-90 minutes ahead of time can reduce the chances of your belly growling, which could be a loud disruption when you're in the tank.
Consider some transition time into your plan. Coming straight from a long day at work, or hurrying to make it on time through traffic may leave you feeling frazzled. We encourage people to stack their float with another service to help them relax and prepare for their float, such as our infrared sauna therapy.
It's An Adjustment
It is perfectly normal to go through an adjustment phase for the first 30 minutes. You may experience heightened awareness of your breathing and heart rate. This is perfectly alright. Allow yourself to go through the motions as you body goes from a state of wanting control, to eventually, letting go and surrending. This surrender is commonly described as:
"not knowing where your skin ends and the water begins".
Do Not Shave, Wax, or Leave Wounds Open
Most floatation therapies use about a thousand pounds of Epsom salt per tank to help therapy-goers float. The salt could irritate freshly shaved or waxed areas. Band-Aids will come off in the water, so use liquid bandages for any recent wounds. We provide single use packets of petroleum jelly that act as a liquid bandage, if needed. Do not float if you have an open wound or rash; bacteria will compromise the tank’s cleanliness and may cause disease.
Common Side Effects For Beginners
Disorientation
After your floatation pods session, you may find yourself disoriented. It will take a couple of minutes before you get a grasp of reality.
While in the float tank, you are totally unplugged – devoid of sight, sound and touch. It feels like you’re back into your mother’s womb. Thus, you have to make a little adjustment when you’re back in the real world.
So, expect to see yourself taking time to process what day it is, what time it is, what do you usually do at that time and more. It is common to lose track of time. Don’t be alarmed. This is the reason why we include back-to-life preparations to help you re-adjust to reality.
Nausea & Vomiting
Not everyone experiences this, but some beginner float pod users do. Feeling sick could be due to vertigo, motion sickness or disorientation. This may be an indication that you are carrying your stress in your stomach and holding it all in or just part of releasing your emotional stress. For individuals, it just takes adjustments. They didn’t experience the same after a couple of sessions.
Burning Sensation
This is unlikely to happen unless you have cuts, scrapes or hangnails. It is crucial that you keep you hands away from your eyes! Should you have any minor scrapes, it is recommended that you apply a thin ointment, which we can provide, on the area as a protective barrier against the salt.
Revive yourself with our floatation therapy sessions at Floatopia Wellness today! We have state of the art float tanks, salt caves, saunas, and even more to help you gain your sense of calm, focus, and relaxation.