What does floating actually feel like?
Most people describe it as the sensation of lying on nothing. Because the salt holds you up and the water matches your skin temperature, there is very little for your body to register — no pressure points, no sense of the water's edge. Once you settle, it feels closer to floating in space than to being in a pool.
The first few minutes
Almost everyone spends the first few minutes adjusting. It is common to bump gently against the sides while you find your position, and to notice how loud your own thoughts are once there is nothing else to listen to. That settles.
Finding a position
The two most common positions are arms out to your sides and arms above your head. A floatation halo is provided if your neck wants support — many people find their neck is the last thing to relax on an early float.
How you know it's over
After sixty minutes the filtration system starts up gently. That is the signal that the session has finished; there is no alarm and nobody knocks.
Good to know
- Try not to work at relaxing. Breathing slowly — in for four, out for four — does more than concentrating on it.
- Lower yourself in slowly and lie back gently so the water stays still.