My Floating Experience by Frederick Barreto

I am a person who lives what can be considered a holistic lifestyle. eating healthy, meditation, exercises and general wellness, yet when it comes to floating, I was a sceptic. I heard words like isolation tank, sensory deprivation tank, flotation tank, and sensory attenuation tank being bantered around. But what does it all mean?

As a health science graduate, I help people in the mining and FIFO industry understand workplace safety, health and tools to improve their general well-being. I’ve read that flotation or restricted environmental stimulation technique (REST) could help with many modern health ailments like stress, anxiety, depression, lower blood pressure and manage pain; With my health science background, I needed proof, quantifiable information; and I found numerous talks and peer review articles; including: Dr. Justin Feinstein,  Kristoffer Jonsson, and Paul Morgan.

So why did I do it, because of stress reduction and I heard it feels good. The idea behind floating is simple. Lay in a float tank containing 500 kgs of Epsom salt. (magnesium sulphate) and water at body temperature, The float capsule is claimed to shut out light, and sounds, I later discovered this is not exactly true, the pods have minimal soundproofing it is the room containing the pod that must be built to ensure total quiet and darkness. Similar to a high quality recording studio with excellent acoustic design. When floating there is no pressure on the body free from gravity the joints can release the salt benefits includes reducing muscle soreness, healthier skin, hair and nails.

Like most first timers, my body seemed to fight the experience, while my mind sought out sound; but once I started to embrace the experience, I felt at peace. If you ever scuba dived, then you may have experienced a moment of perfect weightlessness. In the flotation tank that sensation happened almost instantly.

Compared to meditation, I achieved a mental clarity and an emotionally calm state effortlessly. My flotation experience reduced my general stress levels and improved my sense of well-being.

I choose Floatlab for my flotation therapy treatment. This is based on their knowledgeable staff friendly service, location, their price for memberships, and the three essential, the quality of their studios water, light and sound are something that you will not feel, see, or hear, that is the magic and the science of a good float.

Written by Fed Barreto, first time floater at Float Lab Wembley, Perth Western Australia, 2019.