My First Floatation Tank Experience

I’ve been hearing a lot about floatation tanks (otherwise called sensory deprivation tanks or isolation tanks) lately and have been wanting to try one. My husband and I watched the documentary Float Nation and immediately afterwards I Googled to find out the nearest float center to me which I found to be in Savannah, GA.

I jumped on Remedy Float’s website and booked an appointment online on a day when I could drive 45 minutes to and from Savannah.

I went. I floated. I’m hooked!

This is why I wanted to float: I love going inward. I believe there is a vast untapped space inside each one of us that can be explored when in meditation, flow, or prayer. I love being in that metaphysical space and anything that can help me get there is a tool that I want to know and use. Floating seemed like a good tool to try so I checked it out and am so glad I did.

You can read all about the nitty gritty float details and benefits on the Remedy Float website however the basic premise is spending 60-90 minutes floating in a private, warm, shallow, dark, and silent tank of salt water for pure joy, relaxation, and inner exploration. One thousand pounds of epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) is used in each tank which causes any body to float. The magnesium is chemically very relaxing and soothing to your system as it enters your body transdermally.

I heeded the advice not to shave my legs, underarms, etc. that morning though I did shower at home. Upon arriving at Remedy Float I was greeted by Tyler who set me up with the electronic release & sign in form and then proceeded to talk me through exactly how the 90 minute session logistics would go before walking me back to my private room.

The restroom was right across the hall from my floatation room which I was sure to use before my float session:

Since my floatation room is also my shower room, I left my shoes outside the door so that they wouldn’t get wet:

Here is the front part of the room with the shower area to the left and the floatation tank door to the right:

I took this image standing in the shower and looking back at the door to my room with hooks for my purse and clothes and a shelf for jewelry:

After using the restroom, leaving my shoes outside, going in my room and locking the door, I undressed. I showered as directed, dried my face with the provided towel as directed, and inserted the provided ear plugs as directed.

Wearing nothing but ear plugs I opened the tank door, stepped over the 2 foot edge, and entered the water which was only about 1 foot high. The tank is tall enough to stand in. I let the door behind me close as I held on to the two wall handles as directed. Easing down into the warm water, my eyes began adjusting to the pure darkness and my ears to the silence. I sat on the bottom of the tank and leaned back as directed. And just like a pool toy, I popped up to the surface effortlessly.

This is looking into the tank area (chrome wall handles on each side) with the tank door open from the shower area:

As soon as the water stopped rocking and as I adjusted to being in the tank, my mind started to do its thing. First came blobs of purple light behind my closed eyes which eventually transformed into buttery golden light and then vanished. Every now and then my toe would touch the side of the tank and I’d push off ever so slightly to center myself again in the tank space. I focused on my breath and heartbeat which amazingly were both very loud and powerful. The expansion of my ribs during breathing rocked the water softly and my heartbeat pounded, sending ripples through the water. I was amazed by how much pulse was in my head! My heart would beat and immediately my head would pulse. I kept my eyes closed the entire time.

I started in a Shavasana pose (feet slightly spread, arms along sides) with my head toward the tank door. I stayed like this and still for a long time. My mind was relaxed and comfortable but it never stopped thinking, imagining, and entertaining itself with creative and positive thoughts and images. After some time in Shavasana, perhaps an hour, I moved my hands and arms which felt so slow and heavy. I did a few spinal twists and then settled back into stillness, this time with my fingers clasped behind my head.

My head was so relaxed that it was tipping back to the point that water was reaching my eye lids. The salt burned a tiny little bit. Thanks to Tyler’s good coaching I knew not to touch my face with my salty fingers. Now with my hands behind my head it had a little more support and my eyes dried and stopped burning.

Every so often I could hear the distant rumble of a vehicle drive past the Remedy Float building. Other than that and the sounds of my heart and breath, the tank was silent. At one point during the process I felt as though the water and I were suspended from the ceiling which was a delightful sensation. It occurred to me while floating that this is good practice for dying. The sensation of separating from the world and from my body was very real and not frightening at all.

Before floating I thought that I would probably fall asleep during the float. Generally if I’m horizontal and the room is dark, chances are high I will fall asleep. But I stayed awake for the full 90 minutes. Once my time was complete, flute music piped into the tank to let me know it was time to get out. I was slow to move as my body felt so heavy and relaxed. I climbed out of the tank and immediately into the private shower. As soon as I let the tank door close, the cleaning and filtration process began. Body wash, shampoo, and conditioner were provided in the shower. I felt anew and as though I had been floating in a womb and reborn.

After showering I dried off, dressed, used the restroom, dried my hair with the provided hair dryer, and went into the lobby where Tyler was when I first arrived. He was joined by Emily the Thai massage therapist. Hot tea was available and I sat for a while and shared great conversation with Tyler and Emily as the sun shined into the crisp white interior.

The float after-glow was probably my favorite part of the entire wonderful experience. I felt so relaxed, so strong, so peaceful, and so connected. These are the feelings that I treasure and floating is a great way to secure them. I’ll definitely be back and the only thing I’d do differently is remember to bring a comb for my hair. Everything else I needed was provided, the facility was impeccably clean, and overall it was a perfect experience. Thank you Tyler, Emily, and Remedy Float!

PS – The next day when I went jogging, my sweat was very, very salty!