SAN ANTONIO – I have to admit, before going into the session at Float, I was excited and a little nervous at the same time. I'd seen sensory deprivation tanks before on science fiction shows, like "Fringe" and "Stranger Things." I had also read things online and had seen national news reports stating that sometimes people in the float tanks "go somewhere.” For some, it was into a deep memory, and for others, it was more like a hallucination. Either way, the owner of Float, Jeremy Jacob, wanted us to experience floating. I was in.
When I first got into the tank — I was in the larger Zero G — it felt a little unusual. The Epsom salt in the water made it feel different than that of a tub or a pool. In this case, however, different is good. The solution in the tank is 1,200 pounds of Epsom salt, and the water in the tank is 10 inches deep. I was incredibly buoyant.
Recommended Videos
Once I settled in, I could feel all the weight of my body completely supported. I became relaxed and was very close to falling asleep. It was absolutely quiet after the introduction music faded. I could hear only my heartbeat and my breathing. Jacob told us that at some point during the float, people experience the feeling that their body was basically gone, and that some people experience twitches while floating. Jacob said that it's a way for your brain to remind itself that your body is still there.
I had a twitch and my ankle popped. In the silence, it sounded like a whip cracking!
Here's a tip: If you have joints that are prone to popping and cracking, like me, try and take care of that while showering off, so it doesn't scare you like it did to me.
Bonus tip: Follow the instructions given by the staff at Float, and eat a light meal 60-90 minutes before your session. I didn't get the chance to since I went right after work, and I went in hungry. A growling stomach makes a lot of noise in absolute quiet, as well. Also, how can you relax if you're hungry?
After moving around a little, I felt an interesting sensation of the water moving beneath me. The water is close to the temperature of your skin, and if you're very still, it matches the temperature exactly. The water not touching you is just a tiny bit cooler. It was not uncomfortable, just different.
I relaxed again, and focused on my breathing, and was almost immediately as relaxed as I had been before. I'm a little disappointed that my brain never took me on any kind of adventure. That said, I did leave the tank feeling incredibly relaxed and mentally rejuvenated. It was like the relaxation of a massage, but without ever feeling like I was being worked on.
I really enjoyed the experience. It wasn't only physically relaxing, but I felt like I was pressing pause on my busy, sometimes crazy, life. It's good to just lay back and decompress sometimes. I'll definitely float again. I want my wife and teenage daughter to try it too.
