It can be a little intimidating going into your first float session, since it’s such a unique experience and environment. There’s really nothing to compare it to, so naturally there are a lot of questions that come up.
First off, we’ve done our best to explain how it works to go through your first float. Plus, we’re here to happily answer any questions and address your concerns if you have any and our team will walk you through your first experience with a tour of the center and our float rooms so you feel comfortable going into it.
The best way to go into your floats is without any expectations as the experience can vary quite a bit each and every time. Even after floating for hundreds of hours, each one is unique and brings what you need at that time.
There are some basic tips that we lay out in our beginner’s guide to floating to help enhance your experience and to avoid any issues like:
Before your float
- Avoid having any caffeine before your float session
- Do not shave or wax before a float
- Eat a small meal about one and a half hours before
- Remove your contacts
During your float
- Avoid touching your face or placing your hands above your head to avoid getting salt water in your eyes (it only stings, there’s no damage done)
- Try different arm positions (above your head, by your side, etc.)
- Focus on your breathing to go into deeper states of relaxation
After your float
- Music will come on to let you know your session has ended
- Make sure to shower thoroughly to get all the salt water off
- Give yourself time to adjust back to having lots of sensory input (spend some time in the relaxation lounge before heading back out to the ‘real’ world)
Throughout those 90 minutes, a lot can happen. You may drift off into sleep or a deep state of meditation that lasts most of the session or you could drift in and out of those states. With the reduced sensory input, you will likely become much more aware of your body and any tension or pain that you have. This is also why it’s important to avoid any caffeine or stimulants, as your heart rate will be much faster, making it more difficult to relax and let go. Your mind may wander or start to focus on something specific, which is where the elevated creativity and focus from floating can help you to think through and solve problems.
You can see how there would be an endless amount of possibilities for how your float can go, but you can be sure that you’ll emerge feeling more rested, relaxed and like you’ve had a bit of a reset.
If you’re on the fence, please ask our staff any further questions and we’ll be happy to guide you through your first experience to ensure it goes smoothly.
