Last week, I did something I've wanted to do for years — try floating in a sensory deprivation tank. The experience was better than I thought it would be, and was one of those rare things that actually lived up to the hype. For years I have been trying to meditate daily, but I've never been consistent for more than a few weeks. The problem is I always feel like I have something better to do. I sit down to meditate and immediately get that nagging feeling that I should be doing something productive. I know that meditation is supposed to be the cure to this workaholic mindset, but it has never worked for me. Floating is the answer I've been looking for. When you're in the tank, you don't have a choice. You can't just reach over and pick up your phone or open your laptop, because you're floating naked in a big tank filled with salt-water. You can't hear anything, you can't feel anything, and you can't see anything. You have no choice but to accept the situation and face your thoughts, as uncomfortable as that may sound. But in reality, it's not uncomfortable at all. It was the opposite. It was the best hour of my week. Maybe it's because the lack of available distractions let me fully relax and turn from my usual "results-driven" mindset to an "enjoyment-driven" mindset. I let my mind wander, and just thought about whatever popped in my head. Some of my thoughts were deeply philosophical ("What if this is what it's like when we die? Just consciousness floating through an infinite space...") and some of it was not ("I wonder if this will relax my spine and make me taller..."). It's not an exaggeration to say that this one 60 minute float was more beneficial than 2+ years of on-an-off meditating. I came across floating the same way a lot of people do: . He has been the driving force behind its growth, but I don't see that lasting long. I'm predicting that floating will follow an identical path to meditation, where a fringe idea gets turned into the next great Wall Street performance enhancer and productivity booster. I don't think it's long before you see WSJ articles featuring the titans of Wall Street and Silicon Valley talking about the benefits of floating. And I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing, as I have fully boarded the bandwagon and recommended a few of my clients try floating ASAP. Anyways, fire away with your questions. I've also spent a fair bit of time looking into the science / research / history of floating and meditation, so feel free to ask about those topics as well. Also, if you want to dig into a few other perspectives on floating, check out these other WSO posts:
- One here from @Edmundo Braverman": http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/uncle-eddie-gets-in-the-tank
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alistair Clark is a former management consultant that runs worklifefitness.co. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
is there shrinkage?
haha I didn't check. The water is warm (same temperature as your body) so it's not like jumping in a lake / ocean / swimming pool.
The salt is just to help buoyancy?
LongandShortofit yeah, that's the main purpose, but there are also other benefits.
The main purpose of the salt is to increase the density of the water so that you float. The tanks I use contain ~800–900 lbs of epsom salt. And the goal of floating is to allow for full relaxation of the muscles and to shut down the sense of touch.
A secondary benefit of the epsom salts (MgSO4) is the absorption of the magnesium through the skin. Most people have a magnesium deficiency, so this helps solve that problem. Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, so basically it's super important. Magnesium is one of the few things I recommend supplementing with daily as well.
I actually tried this too, and was really surprised how awesome the experience was. Was super stressed out and heard this might be worth trying. Turned out to be AMAZING. So calming. Cleared my head.
@TorontoMonkey1328" How many times have you tried it? I did my second session a few days ago, and had a very different experience. The first time I was thinking constantly, but the second I spent most of the time in that weird space between awake and dreaming.
I also felt the calming effects lasted longer, leading me to believe that there is a cumulative benefit that comes from consistency (similar to meditation).
Twice (but it was like a year in between). I used to go to the one place in Toronto that had it. I try to go when I'm back, but haven't found a place in NYC yet (to be honest, haven't had a chance to look). Any recos would be much appreciated (and I'd happily give some SB's for it).
Yeah, I experienced that weird space between awake and dreaming. They said that effects of drifting in a sensory deprivation tank magnify the effects of short rests there. I thought that was BS but was pleasantly surprised.
The joe rogan podcast regarding the sensory deprivation tank is great and hilarious. There is one within 10 minutes from me--definitely going to give it a try.
Myron Gainz yeah, Rogan is a big supporter of the tank. Hope you enjoy the experience!
Just booked one as I have always wanted to do this.
Walker Texas Banker enjoy! One piece of advice the guy gave me before my first one that really helped = "Don't try and hold your head above the water... just relax."
Apparently a lot of people get neck / back pain because they unconsciously try and hold their head up. Just relax and trust that you'll float. I've been a sinker all my life, and I floated no problem.
I had this problem too. The place I used to go to in Toronto actually gave people floaty noodles for your neck. I didn't bother with it though. I prefer your advice above.
Just don't get that water in your eyes. Stings like hell.
Can't recommend this enough. I'm even thinking of opening a shop.
@Edmundo Braverman" the shop I go to opened up within the last year and is fully booked every single day. They've also done an awesome job creating an environment to enhance the experience rather than just throwing a tub and a shower in a room. As I said in the post, I think we're nearing a tipping point where popularity is going to move into the mainstream.
I have a dream of creating a company that sells kits that converts a home bathtub into a float tank experience. Buying full tanks is still prohibitively expensive and inconvenient because of the size. No idea how my idea would work, but the ability to replicate the experience at home would be huge.
if you open a shop... lol i'm right there with you. just sent you an email
As a daily meditator, I highly recommend floating. Definitely hallucinated during my first experience and would totally have a monthly membership if it wasn't so costly.
Did you pee in the tank?
No.
always wanted to try one. they aren't expensive after checking out prices online.
How much does each session run you? Is this something you see yourself doing weekly or less periodically?
@zoso471" I paid $120 for 3 sessions as part of an intro pack. The place I go to is setup for a monthly membership that costs $39 and gives you one float per month, and the option to purchase more at a discounted rate of $29.
I haven't decided how to move forward yet, but if I could make it work then I think a once per week Sunday routine would be optimal for me.
Huh, gotta try this out. Sounds sweet.
This is definitely something I want to try out. I think I remember Joe Rogan talking about the effects being similar to tripping on mushrooms - did you experience any hallucinogenic or weird sensations? Did the thoughts eventually dissipate or were you constantly thinking about stuff?
I didn't hallucinate, but you do see these weird flashes of light and colour. It's just like what happens when you shut your eyes really hard. What I actually noticed was that my brain totally disconnected from my sense of sight, so I never thought about what I was seeing. Every now and then I'd realize this and 'turn on' my sight and think 'I can't see anything', but the rest of the time I was too inside my own head to think about what I was seeing. Not sure if that makes sense. It's a bit hard to explain.
Thoughts were the same. I'd start off thinking 100 miles an hour, and then slowly my thoughts would turn off and I'd relax. But right when I was getting into a that weird dreamy space, I'd think about how I wasn't thinking and the feeling would be broken. I found in float #2 the 'breaking of the spell' happened a lot less often. I think Joe Rogan talks about this sensation a bit in this video:
Came here to troll, got my mind changed.
Sounds awesome.
Need to relax? Try a flotation / sensory deprivation tank (Originally Posted: 07/23/2013)
just had one of the more unique/relaxing times of my life - 2 hours in this oversized coffin looking thing called a "flotation tank" or "sensory deprivation" tank. you float in water that is super-saturated with salt and the water temperature is the same as your body temperature, so you feel... nothing, you just lay, float, and chill.
i can't think of a better way to spend a couple hours when you need to relax (especially on a freezing winter day in buenos aires)
i looked it up and it looks like there's a bunch in manhattan
joe rogan has a good description of the experience:
//
I've been wanting to try this for about a year now. I've heard the benefits you get are incredible both physically and mentally. How was your first experience, is it something you're willing to try again?
How expensive was it?
this.
Hopefully some are open at night haha
lol good thing i have pokegills don't need to spend money on these treatments
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