The tank is an oversized bath holding a shallow pool of water with enough Epsom salt dissolved in it that you float without effort. The water sits at roughly body temperature. Sessions run for 30 or 60 minutes.
Nothing closes over you. The lid stays open if you want it open and the light stays on if you want it on. Most people turn both off and spend the time in the dark with their own thoughts, and that is the whole of it: nothing to do, nothing to look at, no screen. Tell the team when you book if dark or enclosed spaces bother you, and the session can be set up differently.
The practice comes out of work by John Lilly, a neuroscientist who built the first tank in the 1950s while investigating whether the brain needs input from outside to stay conscious. He called it a sensory deprivation tank. The tanks in use now work on the same principle.
What people take from an hour in a tank differs, and it can differ between two sessions for the same person. We make no claims about it, and the clinic does not offer floating as a treatment for anything. If you are considering it because of a health problem, raise that with your doctor before you book.
Shorter introductory sessions are common at floatation centres and are a sensible way to test the environment before committing to a full hour.
Things to know
The water is a strong salt solution. It stings if it gets in your eyes, and it will find any cut or graze you had forgotten about. There is fresh water and a towel within reach for that reason. Water in the ears is common; earplugs are available if you want them.
Standing up after an hour lying still can leave you lightheaded. Take your time getting out, and sit for a moment before you shower.
When not to float
Do not float if you are unwell or have a fever, if you have been drinking, if you have open wounds or an active or infectious skin condition, or if you have recently coloured your hair or had a spray tan.
Tell us at the time of booking if you are pregnant or might be, if you have epilepsy, a kidney condition or low blood pressure, or if you are under medical care for anything. Suitability can then be discussed before you arrive. Ask your doctor if you are not sure.
To ask about a 30 or 60-minute float, or a two-person float, contact the clinic.
