Five Questions about Floating
By Mari Farthing
Want to learn more about floating? We asked Melisa W. to share her honest opinions about floating. She’s floated about 20 times over the years and recommends floating to anyone looking for relaxation.
What first interested you in floating?
I loved the idea of an hour to myself, of course, but also I thought it sounded like a fantastic way to disconnect from the whole world. At the time I worked on social media full time and the idea of shutting my phone down and entering a space where it was just me floating in the darkness for sixty whole minutes sounded like heaven to me!
Did anything surprise you about floating?
That I could actually nap--and nap well!--in the water. Some of the best naps I've ever had in my life happened in the float tank.
Have you noticed positive health benefits (physical or mental) after floating?
I was definitely more relaxed after floating, much like I feel after a massage. When I was floating semi-regularly it really helped me to feel less stressed out as well.
Describe your floating experience(s); what did you experience in the tank?
Once I got in and closed the door, I'd turn off the light and focused on my breathing for a few minutes. Then I'd work on relaxing every part of my body from my toes upward. After that I would try to clear my brain by staring into the darkness and thinking about the water, and the dark. Soon, on most floats, I would drift off into sleep and sleep for about 45 minutes! Occasionally I would wake up a little bit and if needed I repeated my breathing/relaxing process.
What are your ideal conditions? Lights on or off, door open or closed, music on or off? Lights off, door closed, music off. I love the nothingness of it all.