Here's What It's Like to Take a Bath in 1,250 Pounds of Epsom Salt
I was by myself in a dark room, floating in a pool of salt, butt naked with an MP3 on repeat.
It felt as if someone had dropped me into the middle of space—minus the planets, the comets, or stars. Just pitch-black nothingness.
It was bliss, but I wasn't floating through the galaxies with Mother Nature's Philharmonic-Symphony.
I was doing float tank therapy. Some of my friends have used it to relax, meditate, and even to help alleviate concussion symptoms. Recent studies suggest that float tank therapy can reduce stress and anxiety, promote the healing of muscle pain and illness, improve sleep, and even increase creativity. I wondered if it would work for me.
So, I checked out Chill Space NYC. There, they have two six-by-eight-foot pools, each enclosed in a private room. The water, at 96°F, is 10 inches deep and loaded with 1,250 pounds of Epsom salt. When I left the pool and rinsed off the salt, I felt more refreshed than I had all week.
How exactly does float tank therapy work?
The promises Chill Space NYC makes on its website are notably broad, yet inviting. You can stop by if you want a "soothing environment" where you can "relax, heal, and rejuvenate." Chill Space's founder, Dr. Josh Kantor, a chiropractor and clinical nutritionist, will tell you that many of their treatments are focused on reducing stress.
Under stress, our bodies operate in "fight or flight" mode. This, of course, comes in handy when we're being chased a bear or avoiding an oncoming vehicle. Problem is, most of our perceived threats are not bears or speeding cars. They're more like angry bosses, student loan debt, unsafe living spaces, relationship issues—things that are often ongoing and all-consuming. When our nervous system is always firing, the body has a hard time sustaining balance and can't focus on stuff like proper digestion or cellular repair. That's why prolonged stress can often lead to illness.
This is where a sensory deprivation tank has the potential to help, says Dr. Brent A. Bauer, the director of the Mayo Clinic Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program. Being somewhat disconnected from your external environment gives your mind a break.
"Almost anything that gets our brains 'off the grid' might be very helpful," he says. "Most of us have brains that are never 'off' so taking time to allow the brain some 'down time'—through guided imagery, tai chi, yoga, etc.—seems to be one component of helping to mitigate the negative effects of stress. So for those people who find flotation to be restorative, incorporating flotation as part of an overall wellness program may be a reasonable choice."
If you're someone who enjoys swimming—and therefore floating, it can help to calm your nervous system down, lower your heart rate, and decrease blood pressure. Dr. Mikhail Varshavski, a primary care physician at Chatham Family Medicine, said that dipping into a float tank helped him to collect his thoughts.
"I was able to have some great brainstorming done while I was inside" he says. "I am quite busy bouncing around in the hospital to each patient, so it's nice to be disconnected from ringing phones, text messages, and emails. I think the biggest benefit that we see in relation to float tanks really comes from the fact that you are able to meditate so effectively there because there are no distractions."
Of course, there's no promise that float tank therapy will cure your ailments—or even help them go away temporarily. According to Dr. Bauer, only a few studies with small sample sizes have been conducted on this treatment method, so more research needs to be done. From my experience, though, it's worth a try.
Is float tank therapy for everyone?
Dr. Kantor believes so: "If everyone floated once a week, the world would be a better place," he says. "Floating invites and reintroduces your nervous system to a place of calm that most people never allow themselves to experience or forgot how to experience."
But there are certain people who should avoid it: If you experience vertigo or have a skin disorder, floating in a pool of salt may be unpleasant.
Float tank therapy isn't covered by insurance, so it can also get expensive. A single session at Chill Space is $105.
How to find float tank therapy near you:
If you're looking to float, simply search for float tank therapy clinics in your area. Check the reviews and ratings, and ask the manager about their cleaning practices. While infections from Epsom salt pools are extremely rare, they can happen. Fortunately, Chill Space's self-cleaning pools cleanse the water after every session.
Once you find your spot, get there early so you can settle in for a good session. Go in with an open mind—and a fairly empty bladder. You won't want to pause your trip to Nirvana.
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