Float Your Cares Away
Float Your Cares Away
In today’s fast paced life full of hectic schedules and demands, we all want to find something that can offer us the ability to relieve stress and encourage relaxation. As a single mother of three children, I am always looking for way to recharge. I have found something fairly new to the area that is absolutely amazing called Float OKC located in Edmond at 180 W 15th St, suite 170. Float OKC is a float spa which offers something called floatation therapy, which has also been called sensory deprivation, and Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (R.E.S.T). If you haven’t heard about it, don’t worry, I’m going to tell you all about it.
Float OKC has been open since November 8th 2014. The original owners of the facility, Matt Ligon and Neal Smock said they had stumbled upon the idea while listening to a podcast and realized there was nothing in Oklahoma like it, which prompted them to want to bring it to our area, although Ligon has since decided to move on to another opportunity.
Floatation therapy actually benefits your health on three different levels. The first is on a mental level. When you give your brain a chance to rest free of light and sound, it allows it to recharge and reach a meditative state which is great for stress relief and relaxation. The second level is the benefits to the body. Soaking in the Epsom salts allows you to be in an antigravity state, which allows your bones and muscles to relax and be restored. The last level is health related. When you soak in the Epsom salts you are absorbing magnesium, which is such a vital component of the body’s health. Magnesium regulates many things in the body including muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control and blood pressure regulation. With all of that in mind, why would you not want to try it?
I did my first float two days before Christmas 2014, as a gift to myself. After seeing the Facebook Ad for the company, I thought it looked very interesting. I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but Matt and Neal were very friendly and helpful and put me at ease right away. They show you to the float room, and explain everything in great detail. First you hop into the shower and do a quick shampoo and body wash, which they provide. Then they give you ear plugs, make-up remover and A&D ointment to put on any cuts or scraps you may have, because if you don’t, the salt water is going to make them burn. There are 900 pounds of Epsom salts dissolved into each pod. They provide you with towels, washcloths and sandals to wear during the prep process. The pods allow you to fully customize your experience. You can leave the lights on inside the pod, keep the door of the pod open or closed, and even pipe music from your device into the speakers of the pod. Or you can go the full sensory deprivation route with no sound, or lights and the pod door closed. The lights inside the float room actually turn off after five minutes of inactivity in the room, making it completely pitch black. I prefer the sensory deprivation route. They turn on a timer and give you five minutes to prep before the pod filter and light shut off, which signifies that your time has started. Now the first time I went, five minutes seemed like such a short time to get ready, making me feel a little hurried and anxious to begin with. But I’ve realized after going several times, that five minutes is really sufficient time to get ready and into the pod.
It only takes me a few minutes in the complete silence and darkness to fully relax. They provide you with a pool noodle if you need it to put under your neck if you feel any tension in your shoulders, but I have never felt the need for it. The Epsom salts keep you floating right on the surface of the water, and you feel weightless and suspended in mid-air almost. The only sounds I can hear are my breathing and my heartbeat, which is very soothing and makes it very easy to meditate. During my floats I bounce back and forth between meditation, affirmations, and just letting my mind wander wherever it wants to go. When you give your brain a chance to just wander, without stimulation, it gives you a chance to think about a lot of different things. I think this gives me a much needed chance to process some of my feelings and emotions that I tend to stuff inside and not deal with, being “too busy” on a day to day basis to bother with them. The sensation of being weightless inside the pitch black pod is like floating in space, like there’s nothing around you for miles and miles, and the world has just gone away. It melts all the tension and stress away and recharges my spirit and body. The light and filter in the pod come back on to signify the end of your session and then you take another shower using the products they provide, which includes a great conditioner for after the float as well. They also provide hair dryers, straighteners, and curlers as well as various hair products, brushes and combs (which are used by one person and then put into a basket to be sanitized) spray deodorant, lotion and q-tips in the bathrooms. After you have finished with your float they invite you to come into their relaxation room, which is furnished with comfy couches and chairs and has soothing meditation music playing in it. It also has a fully stocked complimentary herbal tea bar, which has some of the most delicious teas available. They encourage you to just sit in there and come down from your float experience, as well as leave comments on their dry erase board about your visit. After a float I feel very light and at ease, very at peace and relaxed. When I have the time, I like to just sit in the relaxation room and enjoy this blissful state as long as I can before going back out into the “real world”.
Some of the quotes on the erase board include: “I felt like I was enveloped in mother ocean’s loving embrace. Had to drag myself out of my protective shell… absolutely amazing experience” from Amy, “Let your mind be free and soak up the magic of this moment, let go” by Bailey G. and “Floating is my new addiction. By far the most incredible and relaxing experience of my life.” From Hailee R. Afton F. of Moore had this to say about her first float experience, “It was amazing. One full hour of NOTHING. I felt like I was floating in space. No lights, no sounds, no nothing. I left feeling completely relaxed and ready to take on the world. It took me about five minutes to really settle down. I'm pretty sure that was a record, but I wanted to get as much of the experience as I could.”
The entire staff at Float OKC are all extremely profession and informative, which makes the experience even better. They are more than happy to answer any questions you may have, as well as just stop and chat about your experience and what you liked or didn’t like about it. They have some great information and videos about floatation therapy on their website at www.floatokc.com, and they are also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. An hour long float is $50, or you can join a monthly membership for $39 for one float and add additional hours for $30. You can use your float at any time during that month, or they roll over if you don’t use them, and you can even give them to friends or family members to use if you like. You can also purchase a 3 float package for $130. I would recommend every one trying floatation therapy out at least once. The guys said they have an almost 95% positive feedback rating from their clients, which is a pretty amazing number. So what are you waiting for? Give them a call and book an appointment today!
