If you’re anything like us, you always look for new ways to relax and de-stress. When it feels like so much is happening around us, finding the time and motivation to take a break can be challenging. And float therapy is one of the best ways to put your mind at ease.
Float therapy pools and pods are sometimes referred to as sensory deprivation. They involve lying in a shallow pool of warm salt water, allowing most external stimuli to disappear.
Floating leads to an incredibly peaceful state that helps alleviate stress and anxiety while providing a sense of mental clarity. Think of it as an hour of zen.
It’s completely normal to be weary about new things, especially when water is involved. So is it possible to drown in a float therapy tank? And what are float therapy sessions like?
Can you drown in a float therapy tank?
The truth is any water can be dangerous for humans; however, it’s nearly impossible to drown in a float tank. Your body is cushioned and supported (a.k.a. floating) in the water by the 900+ pounds of Epsom salt. Like a memory foam mattress, your body makes a slight imprint in the water without actually coming in contact with the bottom.
And if you’re worried about falling asleep and potentially turning over, don’t be!
Turning over in the float therapy tank is extremely difficult, even when trying. Because of the buoyancy, your body is cradled and prevented from turning side to side.
Believe it or not, sleeping in float tanks brings a sense of relief and relaxation. Here at Float Milwaukee, we regularly offer a service called overnight floating where clients arrive in the evening, and sleep the night away in the float tank.
While it sounds like you’ll end up like a prune with that much time in the water, your body is resistant to wrinkling because of the high salt content of the solution.
How is floating possible?
When you drop an ice cube into the water, it floats because the ice is less dense than water. In fact, a 440 million pound glacier will float in water, while a ten pound rock would sink. Epsom salt adds to the density of the water, making the liquid more dense than your body no matter how much you weigh. The salt dissolves entirely while adding enough mass to keep you afloat. So if you have a fear of water or cannot swim, floating can help put your mind at ease.
Aside from worrying about drowning, people may be concerned about feeling claustrophobic in the float tank due to its confined space and closing lid. It’s important to note that float therapy pods and pools provide ample room, enough for a person to stretch fully. The wide, carefully designed tanks ensure your comfort, as well as provide plenty of space for you to stretch, relax, and explore peace. The open pools do not have a lid that closes to help regulate temperature. Even with a closing lid, they are controlled by a hydraulic mechanism with the handle inside the pod that you can effortlessly push open with one hand. Both the pods and pools are completely secure as you enter into a private, locking room, so no one can enter your space.
What is floating like?
Floating is a one-of-a-kind experience that benefits everyone differently. While it’s often referred to as sensory deprivation, that term is technically misleading. Floating removes most stimulation and recalibrates your system. That’s why we like to describe it as sensory enhancement.
Floating reduces stress and anxiety, lowers blood pressure and heart rate, relieves aches and pains, improves sleep quality, increases creativity, and heightens awareness. Read more about the benefits of float therapy here.
Here’s how it works:
You get the option to choose a pod or pool, depending on the type of environment you’d like. For example, a pod allows you to shut yourself off from the world through a lid. Closing the lid helps maintain consistent temperature between air, water, and skin. This helps ensure a quicker and longer period of feeling like you are floating in space without the feel of water touching your skin.
On the other hand, the pool offers additional space and lower humidity. If you’re looking to stretch out and maximize your space like some of the athletes that come in, the pool is an excellent choice. Rather than a spherical pod, you’re in a circular pool without an enclosure.
And the best part? You have full control over lights and music in both. It’s a personalized experience that allows you to relax and float in your own serene environment. Both environments allow for total quiet and dark due to how the overall rooms are constructed.
From the moment you enter the water, it’s like a warm hug from the inside out. And as you adjust to the temperature, your muscles and breathing rate begin to relax — it’s truly a feeling like no other. Since everyone experiences float therapy differently, we recommend you go ahead and try your first floating experience!
Settle into serenity
Whether you’re looking for that moment of “eureka” or need an hour to escape our fast-paced world, floating is a great way to get away from everything and experience true relaxation. The tanks are designed for comfort and provide plenty of space to stretch out. And while we understand how water might be a concern, let us assure you it’s an incredibly safe and secure experience. With so many benefits, there’s no reason not to try float therapy! So go ahead, take the plunge, and experience floating for yourself.
If you’re here, it means one thing: You’re ready to save the holiday season!
No seriously. We’ve spent the last month checking out what the small business community has on offer for the holidays, so we can help you support the businesses that make a difference AND feature great holiday deals.
Located on the first level of the Pritzlaff building on the outskirts of the Third Ward and Walker’s Point, Aperitivo is a trendy, cozy, Italian-inspired restaurant with great prices and mouth-watering food. It’s the perfect place to stop by after work, or snag carry-out meals from. From now until December 31st, when you purchase a gift card for $100 or more you’ll receive 15% off. And, there’s no limit! This deal is available in person, or by calling (414) 276-4400.
A collective of five concept bars across the city (Splash Studio, Axe MKE, Nine Below, North South Club, and Head Space Trivia) Bars & Rec. blends immersive experiences with the magic of craft cocktails, local brews, and flavorful wines. They’ve modified their spaces to be safe and sanitary for small groups to enjoy, but for those who prefer playing it safe at home, take and make kits are available from Splash Studio.
Black Sheep celebrates local, inventive, and experimental flavors with a menu that pairs well with their unusual beverage fare. They work hard to source the most unique wine and beers they can for more seasoned palates. Give a digital gift card to the wine, beer, or cocktail connoisseurs in your life, because we know they’ll discover a new favorite.
While it can be fun to bake desserts that work for your dietary needs, finding bakeries that respect them can be tricky. Blooming Lotus’ goods are crafted without dairy, grains, and with your needs in mind. These vegan treats are baked without losing the complex flavors you expect from the best bakeries around. Stop by and pick up some scones, muffins, or special order a cake for your celebration.
Bounce has doubled down on being a voice for the small business community, by consistently shouting out other businesses in need that actively invest in Milwaukee. They’ve committed every sale they make during this time to the wellbeing of their employees — helping them remain paid, or fulfilling severance packages. Picking up a gift card for when they reopen ensures one more person can rest easy during the holidays… and gives you an unmatched experience when they reopen!
Bowls To Go, located next to Float, is a prepared meal service featuring healthy AND delicious food that fit your lifestyle. They offer weekly subscriptions and a la carte bowls—perfect for those post holiday indulgence. Sign up for a subscription or pre-order individual bowls Monday through 3 p.m. Friday every week for pick up, or have your order delivered, the following Tuesday. Bowls To Go focuses on both fresh (refrigerated) and frozen bowls, so that customers can enjoy a nourishing meal on their timeline.
Float Milwaukee We’ve got our own holiday gift card sale going on until the end of December 31st, for all your winter floating needs. And you know what? There’s nothing quite like slipping into a 95 degree salt water bath and floating into eternity. Float gift cards can be purchased online and delivered whenever you want. One 60-minute float for just $55 or a two-float gift card for $95! Why not stock up when you can save up to 40% on your floats?
Single origin chocolate, environmental sustainability, and no artificial preservatives make Indulgence’s confections a guilt-free choice. Their commitment to the technical craft of creating chocolate has tempered them into a local favorite. This holiday season, give the delectable experience of a the perfect season treat!
They may be closed to promote the safety of the community right now, which means now is the best time to support such an important Milwaukee institution! A gift membership to the MAM comes with some incredible benefits that should not be passed up. Plus, for a limited time these memberships come with an extra three months, and a gift voucher.
The Milwaukee Film Festival is a celebration of visual storytelling, along with the organization’s commitment to the community. In the spirit of preserving the culture, study of, and communal investment in the art of filmmaking, consider gifting a film-buff or art-lover a membership with Milwaukee Film. With eight different membership options, you can gift the perfect stocking stuffer, or show-stopping gift.
Milworks thrives as a rugged and refined men’s goods shop. They offer a curated selection of items for the holiday season with gifts under $50. When you shop with them, you’re not getting the usual department store fare, instead they source their catalog from sustainable brands that uphold quality over quantity, and care about their impact on the world.
MODA3 opened their doors in 2004, and have successfully kept up with the style curve of managing shoes, clothing, and accessories. MODA3’s is always running fantastic discounts on their sale page, but if you’re looking for a winning stocking stuffer we’ve heard rave reviews of their STANCE socks.
A modern take on an old-style general store, ModGen has been hard at work providing a shopping experience unlike any other for 20 years! They search far and wide for unique items to bring back to their shop for the ultimate “shop local” experience. Whether you’re searching for children’s books by local authors, deals on holiday items, or artisan hats, there’s a gift for everyone in your life.
All about organic, plant-based, and high-quality natural products, Nourish has YOU in mind as they source new items for their catalog — plus they take time to give back to the community whenever they can. Their holiday shopping options vary from stocking stuffers to gift sets and gift cards.
Their dedication to fresh, sustainable food is what drew in their 23,000 co-op owners, and paved the way for their four Greater Milwaukee area locations. This holiday season they’re offering gift card deals worth checking out. When you buy a gift card, you get a small gift card kickback for yourself. You can also contribute to their holiday food drive, and pick up some free holiday baking recipes.
Purple Door is a Milwaukee favorite treat (and if you don’t know who they are… you need to get over there ASAP). For the holidays, they offer several different chilly gift options. You can pick up access to their Pint Club, Bucket of Sandwiches, Holiday Pie Pints Pack, and more! Head over to their Holiday Gift Guide page to check out their other icy treats.
This organic, direct trade tea company holds fast to their commitment to sustainability and supporting those who spend their lives growing tea. And they certainly won’t leave you out to dry, because they also offer high quality teaware for casual tea drinkers and gongfu cha enthusiasts (a traditional tea ceremony). Rishi has a little something for every kind of tea lover!
Featuring an unprecedented selection of wine, whiskey, and perfect palate pairings, SCOUT is your local one-stop-shop for everything alcohol. During the holiday season, you can pick from several different gift baskets including one that features six wines across the flavor and color spectrum for under $100. Note: WI alcohol laws prohibit delivery, so all purchases must be picked up on site.
Featuring the work of independent artists and designers, and offering a place to take or lead workshops, is the beating heart of Sparrow Collective. They offer items, clothing, jewelry, and other artisan works from more than 100 different small businesses across the country. If you’re looking for an exclusive collection of items you won’t find anywhere else, check out their holiday catalog for one-of-a-kind gifts.
With diverse menu offerings and a unique dining space in Walker’s Point, this restaurant is a must try this holiday season. In terms of holiday offerings, you can pick up a few Toast gift cards, or if you need a sanitary and safe place for you to host an appropriately sized holiday party, you can schedule a private event with them.
It’s a wonderfully modern lifestyle boutique featuring a large selection of curated specialty home goods, apothecary items, jewelry, plants, stylish clothing options, and more! If you’re searching for the best way to add a pop of color to your living space, URSA’s customers rave about their selection of unusual house plants.
Found on the second floor of the Pritzlaff building, Ward4 is a coworking space featuring exposed brick walls, original wood floors, and designed for total working comfort. The space is thoroughly cleaned every day, making it a safe and spacious option to get out of the house for a workday or meeting. For a limited time you can save 10% off a one month membership, when you mention Float Milwaukee, by emailing kristen@ward4mke.com.
The Waxwing is dedicated to sharing the best local artists and artisans have to offer. This year they have a robust offering of Christmas options for customers to dive into, including ornament sets, gift sets, stockings, and more. In case you’re not looking for holiday themed items, they also offer customized gift sets featuring candles, cocoa mixes, Milwaukee merchandise, and pampering products.
Need More Ideas?
Our community needs you more than ever to speak with your wallets, by supporting local businesses. If you need more ideas of who to support, OnMilwaukee has a nice write up of more than 100 local gifts. Thank you for choosing to shop local and supporting the small businesses that invest in the city we love.
Astronauts talk about what it feels like to leave Earth’s gravity for the first time, something between euphoria and completely natural.
Given that we’re glued to the Earth’s surface, humans are hard-pressed to even understand such a weightless experience. But what if you could? Would you do it? What if such an experience was in your backyard (or just up the road)?
As it turns out, floating works like that. The increased buoyancy from the Epsom salt in the water creates a weightlessness similar to drifting in zero gravity (of course, it’s not a perfect simulation)! This helps those who float potentially reach that state of euphoria.
And when a person floats frequently, their body begins to exhibit the benefits. Some of the benefits are short term, while others serve the body for the long term.
So, if you’re ready to learn more, settle in with us because we’re going to highlight some of the biggest benefits to frequent floating.
Driving Back Chronic Pain
How does floating ease chronic pain? As it turns out, gravity is pretty hard on our bodies. When a person floats, pressure is taken off their ligaments, joints, and muscles. By reducing the pressure these parts of the body have a chance to loosen up and rest themselves. Since they don’t ask for breaks, floating is a great way to take the load off them and give your mind a chance to rest as well!
Chronic pain takes a toll on the body, as well as the mind. By choosing to float frequently both the mind and the body get to recharge.
Better Sleep
Fatigue and pain are some of the biggest reasons people lay awake at night. Since frequent floating relaxes the muscles, joints, and ligaments, sleep is more easily achieved. Floating helps your body wind-down and relax which is the perfect recipe for sleep to come easily.
What’s the reason for this wind-down effect? On top of a loosened body, floating encourages deep breathing, which prompts airways and blood vessels to open up. When the body is functioning the way it’s meant to, the natural recharging mechanisms work how they should.
Reduced Stress and Blood Pressure
The minerals in Epsom salt stimulate lower blood pressure. However, that’s not the only way it lowers stress and blood pressure. Being able to relax the mind stimulates a reduction in cortisol—the stress chemical our body creates.
Steady breathing, which lowers the heart rate + relaxation, which lowers cortisol + Epsom salt = an overall healthier body. That sounds like a pretty great deal, right?
Closing Thoughts
When you float often and consistently, you get to partake in the short term benefits like better sleep and lower stress. The long term benefits also stack up! Lower blood pressure over time, a better heart rate, and an overall more relaxed body is good for your longevity.*
Until then… we hope to see you around at Float Milwaukee!
*Floating CAN help alleviate symptoms and pain. Floating is NOT a cure for arthritis, inflammatory diseases, serious mental health disorders, heart disease, and other ailments. Make sure you see a doctor if you’re experiencing intense chronic pain, along with any abnormal symptoms or mental states.
It’s true: people love to travel. There’s just something deep inside many of us that gives us an undeniable wanderlust. Whether it’s the drive to experience new things, a desire to return someplace you’ve loved, or just the whim to pick a direction and see what’s out there, most people feel that pull sooner or later.
Still, while travel can be an amazing adventure, it sometimes carries stress along with it. One of the most insidious and dreaded forms is the phenomenon known as “jet lag.” Or, the fatigue that comes from experiencing a significant shift in time zones. But even if you’re flying straight north or south without needing to reset your watch, tiredness from travel can be a real bear to deal with.
Let’s start with the time zone pickle. Domestically, the effects of traditional jet lag can be noticeable, but mild. If it’s noon in Los Angeles, it’s only 3 p.m. in New York. Usually, a quick coffee is all you really need in that case.
But what about international travel? That same noon in LA is 8 p.m. in London. 11 p.m. in Moscow. And in Tokyo and Sydney, it’s already tomorrow. So, whether traveling for business or leisure, adjusting to a completely different schedule can really cramp your traveling style.
Even staying within the same time zone is no guarantee you won’t de-plane pretty wrung out. It takes just as much time to fly from Miami to Toronto as it does to jet from Chicago to Las Vegas. So even though you’re not necessarily messing with your perception of the hour when you land, it can still be a pretty exhausting day of travel.
There are a lot of theories as to why travel tension happens, and how to alleviate it. Some health experts have suggested that extended time spent at elevated altitudes may be partially to blame. There’s even a school of thought gaining momentum that says strolling around barefoot in the local earth may help literally ground us, and “reset” certain electrical charges in the body.
Thankfully, there’s a significant range of evidence that indicates floating can be very effective in re-orienting your internal clock to promote improved restfulness. Since some studies suggest that an hour in a float tank can be equivalent to a 5-7 hours of sleep, many travelers report some success with using floatation therapy to “reboot” their topsy-turvy sleep schedules.
So…how does it work?
Sleep may be something we all do every night, but the science of how and why we sleep still holds many mysteries. However, one thing science does seem to agree on is that we all have a personal, interior set of sleep-regulating patterns referred to as “circadian rhythms.”
These rhythms are a complex set of deep-seated brain-wave patterns that govern when we sleep and how deeply. They can be affected by many things. Stress, diet, work schedules, habits, and – of course – travel all factor in to the maintenance (and/or disruption) of the circadian cycle.
And when this happens, many jet-setters swear by floating as a means of helping to “nudge” their sleep cycles back into a workable state.
Supermodel Elle MacPherson reportedly cites floating as the ideal way to keep herself in top runway-strutting shape no matter where she travels in the world. So does her friend and fellow model Jessica Hart, who touts tank time as a means of “resetting” her baseline sleep cycle, saying, “afterwards you feel super chilled and rejuvenated.”
Actress Naomie Harris agrees, having recently told Balance Magazine, ”I’ve discovered that the only way to combat the effects of traveling is to immerse myself in a dark pod, filled with salt water and float for an hour. It’s all about sensory deprivation and works a treat. I go straight there from the airport, but my dream is to have my own tank at home.”
Still not convinced? Health coach and wellness blogger Jenny Sansouci points to floating as the best way to beat the jet lag blahs, saying that “one of the most celebrated benefits of the float tank is getting deep, deep rest.”
“When I take a long international flight, I have a little jet lag trick that I use as often as possible: I book a session in a float tank immediately when I land at my destination. If I do a 60-90 minute float upon arrival, it always makes my body feel rested and rejuvenated from the long day (or days) of travel, and significantly reduces the recovery time I need to feel like myself again.”
Still need more? CNN recently listed floating as an effective jet lag therapy, alongside melatonin supplements, and Japanese water massage. They write:
“New treatments such as Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST), also known as isolation tanks or flotation therapy, could also provide some perks for frequent travelers due to its ability to recalibrate your internal clock. In Europe, REST flotation tanks have been a popular practice since the 1980s. They are used for relaxation, encouraging creativity, and treating problems such as anxiety, swelling, insomnia and jet lag.”
Of course, none of this is to suggest that you NEED to have traveled recently in order to stop in to Float Milwaukee. Still trying to catch up on lost holiday sleep? Burning some midnight oil hours to make up for time off of work? Or are you still having a tough time adjusting to Daylight Saving Time messing with your schedule? Hey, we’ve got you covered. Just book a tank trip, and get the rest you need on a schedule.
And even if you’re headed out somewhere (as opposed to back home), we’d still suggest you find a float center upon arrival – especially if you’re traveling internationally. There are countless float centers around the world that would be more than happy to help you get your rest cycle back into shape, so you can better enjoy your trip.
And of course, the next time you step off a red-eye back home feeling a little bent up from dealing with cramped bathrooms, tight seats, and a stiff neck from fitful naps against the window, we’ll be happy to help you take a load off, and get back on your feet…fast.
Pregnancy can be a magical time, to be sure. There’s just something extraordinary about growing a whole new human. Charting the progress, counting the days, preparing space in your home and your life…there’s nothing else quite like it.
Of course, it’s not all pastels and baby showers. It’s also swollen feet, aching backs, sore joints, and intense fatigue. Expectant moms are in for a lot of intense physical changes that can really take a toll on their body in the run-up to their bouncing bundle of joy’s arrival. To make matters worse, most OB/GYNs advise against pain relievers – even aspirin – during a pregnancy.
So, what’s a soon-to-be new mom to do?
You probably won’t be surprised to hear that Float Milwaukee has a really good suggestion!
“Can I float while pregnant?” is easily one of the top three questions we get asked. And the answer isn’t just that you CAN float while expecting, but that you really SHOULD.*
Here are five big reasons why:
1.) Floating is completely natural relief.
The list of things your care team (and other moms) say you aren’t supposed to do while pregnant is pretty daunting. Don’t eat sushi. Don’t paint. Don’t change the litter box. Don’t expose yourself to secondhand smoke. Don’t wear heels. Don’t drink coffee.
Well, what CAN I do?!?
You absolutely can float. Floating is a drug-free, no-side-effect, all-natural way to relax, de-stress and relieve pain and pressure on your body and mind. Most floaters report an increased sense of calm, improved well-being, and better sleep – all things that can be tough for expectant moms to come by sometimes.
(And sure, a lot of doctors will tell you to avoid hot tubs or saunas while baby is still busy getting ready. But because our tanks are kept at a neutral body temperature, those warnings don’t apply here.)
2.) Floating is sanitary.
A lot of the recommended pregnancy “don’ts” have been passed down out of concern for cleanliness. Concerns about coming into contact with any sort of impurities in the air, water, or environment turns a lot of moms-to-be into virtual hermits. Many doctors recommend you even avoid coloring your hair because of the chemical agents present in some methods!
But floating is completely safe for you, your body, and your baby.
Reason being, all the water in the tank is purified via a variety of redundant methods. Every drop is treated with UV light, and a hydrogen peroxide solution. Additionally, there are 900 pounds of dissolved Epsom salts in each tank. So the high salinization of the water inhibits most impurities and the peroxide and UV light takes care of the rest.
In a world of finger-wagging “don’t do thats” from well-meaning people, floating is one pregnancy indulgence you can permit yourself without worry.
3.) Floating negates gravity.
Gravity affects us all. But we never feel it more than when we’re literally carrying around a whole extra body in addition to our own.
The gradual, inevitable weight gain that accompanies pregnancy can really do a number on your spine, joints, and muscles. By the third trimester, even getting out of bed can be an effort.
Thankfully, floating can make all of that go away.
Floating is the one therapy that can completely eliminate the effects of gravity. The water is warmed to a level that matches your natural body temperature, and is heavily salinated…so by simply leaning back and letting go, your body is held in something close to suspended animation. You’re held up by a substance specifically designed not to be felt at all. In fact, many floaters describe the experience as being like “drifting in outer space.”
Just imagine – nothing pulling you down. No strain, no compression…only a feeling of stimulus-free calm as your entire body is supported by an invisible, undetectable cushion.
As with many essential nutrients and minerals your body needs, magnesium levels can drop during pregnancy.
This is especially worrying since magnesium is one of the most crucial minerals needed for optimal gestation. Key medical studies have shown that supplying the body with extra magnesium during pregnancy can help prevent low birth weight, and preeclampsia.
Additionally, transdermal absorption has been shown to provide your body with greater levels of more easily usable magnesium than oral ingestion.
Which is all just a fancy technical way of saying that the half-ton of dissolved magnesium citrate Epsom salts in each of our float tanks can do more to help your baby’s health than taking a pill with your morning water.
(Oh, and if you’ve ever taken an Epsom soak before, you know how amazing your skin feels afterward. That’s really just an added bonus.)
5.) Floating promotes prenatal bonding via the “Mirror Effect.”
Your baby is floating in total darkness, surrounded by a soft, temperature-neutral bath. All he or she hears is a heartbeat. All they know is calmness and peace.
Why not join them?
Every floater’s experience is different. Still, many moms-to-be talk about how floating helps them experience the same sort of quiet sensory neutrality their baby is. This can form an even stronger bond between moms and their little ones by simulating a shared experience.
Not to mention that because baby is sharing the same biological ecosystem as Mom, any serotonin, oxytocin, and/or endorphins floating may produce for her only result beneficial effects for everyone.
***
Certainly, we recommend floating for anyone experiencing stress, anxiety, chronic pain, and/or a whole host of issues. But clinical studies and customer experiences alike have more than demonstrated to us that pregnancy in particular is an ideal time to float.
*We’d also be remiss in not advising you to always speak with your doctor when entering into any new activity during pregnancy therapeutic or otherwise, and follow the advice of your care team.
So when you’re ready to shut off the pre-birth effects of pain, gravity, and unrest, feel free to drop by. Our friendly, helpful staff is always happy to offer tours, and answer any questions you may have.
For those who haven’t experienced it, it can be hard to imagine the horrors of PTSD. And because post-traumatic stress can result from a wide variety of impactful events, the condition strikes everyone who suffers from it just a little differently.
Military veterans who have experienced the horrors of war have traditionally been some of the hardest-hit by the disorder, often suffering the ripple effects of their ordeals for years, if not even decades after their enlistment comes to an end. Anxiety, depression, insomnia, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts are all common symptoms that sufferers must find ways of dealing with.
Because of this, therapists, counselors, and medical practitioners have attempted to alleviate PTSD in a variety of ways. Some find relief via medication. Others are helped by talk therapy, or cognitive exercises.
But as floatation therapy grows in popularity, many veterans who suffer from PTSD have indicated incredibly positive results from getting in the tank for a good float. The secure feeling of the enclosure, removal of sensory input, and complete environment of calm all combine to impart levels of peace and tranquility many veterans say it’s difficult to achieve any other way.
A recent scientific floatation therapy study published by the National Institutes of Health backs up these benefits. In an attempt to gauge “psychological and physiological variables such as stress and energy, depression and anxiety, optimism, pain, stress, [and] sleep quality…” float sessions were shown to offer serious benefits to participants as opposed to the no-float control group. According to the findings, “stress, depression, anxiety, and worst pain were significantly decreased whereas optimism and sleep quality significantly increased.”
Further, a pair of 2018 studies headed by clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Justin Feinstein showed a significant link between floating and PTSD relief. The conclusion of the first round of research found, in part: “Floatation-REST generated a significant anxiolytic effect characterized by reductions in state anxiety and muscle tension. and increases in feelings of relaxation and serenity…significant blood pressure reductions were evident throughout the float session…”
Study #2 showed similar results. “…[T]he float experience induced a reduction in self-reported state anxiety that was evident across all 50 participants…Significant reductions were observed in state anxiety, stress, muscle tension, pain, depression, and negative affect. There was also a substantial improvement in mood characterized by increases in serenity, relaxation, happiness, positive affect, overall well-being, energy levels, and feeling refreshed, content and peaceful.”
Even further, a recent TIME Magazine article highlighted the case of Michael, an Australian combat veteran who served in Afghanistan. After experiencing a particularly traumatic combat event he found himself all but unable to function, suffering tremors, sleeplessness and emotional turmoil. In an attempt to find relief, he tried therapy, prescription drugs, yoga, juicing, and self-medication via alcohol and cannabis. None yielded the results he was hoping for.
Desperate, Michael’s wife researched alternative therapies online. There, she discovered many veterans had reported overwhelmingly positive results from floating.
Michael gave floating a shot, not expecting it would be any more effective than anything else he’d tried. But much to his surprise, he emerged refreshed after his first session. After three floats, his anxiety was all but gone. Three months in, he was no longer waking up in a cold sweat at night.
As Michael told TIME: “After floating, I was really mellowed out, I’m not really sure how it does it, but I do know that floating has allowed me to feel a more confident, comfortable headspace.”
Other service vets have been so impressed with floating that they’ve not only adopted tank time as a component of their personal self-care, but they’ve worked to help others do the same.
According to a recent article on Military.com, a man named Chris Hearn was so impressed with floating’s therapeutic potential that he opened a float center called Float Brothers in Florida’s Gulf Coast. His brother Trey – an Air Force vet – is his partner in the venture.
According to Chris, “People in pain, particularly chronic pain, can experience both immediate and long-term relief from floating. The water in a float tank contains almost a thousand pounds of magnesium sulfate, which makes floating effortless by eliminating gravitational pull and dispersing the body weight. For an arthritis sufferer, a pregnant woman or anyone else dealing with sore muscles and joints, a float session can be a 60- to 90-minute vacation from pain.”
A Nashville-area vet named Wesley Hernandez told Good News Network that he found float therapy through the Wounded Warriors Project, and that’s it’s really helped him. He indicated that incorporating float therapy into his routine has had “a dramatic impact on his health.”
“The last time I went, I didn’t even want to get out of the water. It’s an escape from the stress and the drama…like a deep meditation.”
Wesley’s wife and caretaker Leah echoed his sentiment, saying: “Of all the therapies gifted to us by the Wounded Warrior Project, floating has been the one that he seems to want to do over and over.”
Texas Veteran Cody Austill was diagnosed with chronic PTSD upon returning from a deployment in Afghanistan. He told his hometown TV news team that floating helped him step away from a dozen different prescriptions for depression and anti-anxiety meds in favor of a more natural approach.
“It allows me to not be distracted by everything else around me, and purely focus on what’s going on with me,” he said. “I did my first float, and it was very amazing to me. I was able to put in line three years of stuff that was trapped in my head in pretty much an hour session.”
As with most therapeutic practices, everyone has a different experience. But the best way to find out if floating can help you? Give it a try. And all through the month of November, veterans and active-duty service members can do so for FREE. No strings, no catch, no obligation, and no kidding. All month long, veterans can float up to three times at absolutely zero cost. Just call us or visit to book an appointment, and tell us you’ve served. We’ll book your session. Then, when you get here, just bring your military ID, and your first three floats are on us.
Also: if you’d like to bring a family member, they’re eligible for a deep discount – a big 60% off our regular price.
Please consider this our way of saying “thanks for your service.”
The gossip rags are right: Floating is all the rage among the celebrity set. But unlike a lot of fads that come and go at the drop of a hat, floating is here to stay. There are countless celebrities who use float tanks and they swear by the benefits of tank time.
From athletes to authors, actors to musicians, floating has proven a popular and healthy way for those in the public eye to alleviate the pressures of life under the microscope. These are people who, no matter what their field of expertise, have reached the pinnacle of performance and need to show up at their best every day. And floating helps them do it.
Around here, we maintain the privacy of our guests, especially those in the public eye. But there have been many celebrity enthusiasts who have spoken out publicly on their floating experience.
So, who’s floating? And why do they swear by it?
Glad you asked. Loads of celebrities love a good float, but we’ve organized the who’s who of floating, and the reasons they’ve given for heading into the tank:
Anthony Bourdain – Author, Celebrity Chef, World Traveler
Late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain was a devotee of floating in order to alleviate the high-pressure stress of his kitchen work, saying: “An hour in the tank and I’d come out relaxed, rested, my back feeling amazing, and in good shape to interact with normal, non-restraint people…Interestingly, I found that for a day or two after floating, my experience of colors and flavors would be much more acute and intense. Reds were redder, blues brighter, and the taste of food more explosive. Lying in the tank, I’d feel like I was moving through space, my brain speaking to itself in an unfamiliar language. I miss the tanks!”
Anthony Rizzo – MLB World Series Champion, Chicago Cubs
According to a recent ESPN piece: “Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo…spent part of his off day on Tuesday in a float pod used to ‘relax the body.’
‘It’s pitch black in there…You shut the door. Music is playing low. (Played) some John Mayer radio to chill out. You really just float. It feels really weird at first. It’s good for your body. When you get up, it’s crazy. Your body is such dead weight’.”
Carl Lawson – Professional American Football Player
Jones’ Bengals teammate Carl Lawson: “I really like the float tank because I feel like – along with massages – it gets all the soreness and stress and built-up blood from little bruises throughout your body.”
Carl Lewis – Olympic Gold Medalist
Multi-Olympic Gold Medalist Carl Lewis – often referred to as “the world’s greatest athlete,” reportedly “used in-tank visualization techniques to prepare himself for his gold medal long jump at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.”
Elle MacPherson – Icon and Supermodel
Global icon and supermodel Elle MacPherson touts floating as a way to alleviate exhaustion from the jet lag she experiences while flying all over the world for fashion events.
Emma Watson – Oscar Winning Actor
Speaking on her float experiences, “Harry Potter” star Emma Watson said: “Recently, I tried a float tank, which sounded insane to me, but I actually loved it. I go on meditation retreats and it’s great for me, but to find time on a daily basis to do it when you live in a busy city, with the phone ringing and your cat trying to crawl all over you, isn’t always the easiest. The float tank provided a specific place for meditation, which I think is really helpful.”
Graham Hancock – Bestselling Author and Journalist
Celebrity paranormalist Graham Hancock recently spoke to Joe Rogan about his first floating experience on Rogan’s podcast.
Harrison Barnes – NBA World Champion
Curry’s Golden State teammate Forward Harrison Barnes says floating helps him recover after games.
Jeff Bridges – Oscar Winning Actor
The dude abides, and the dude floats. Oscar winner Jeff Bridges was a close friend of float tank inventor John C. Lilly, and is a big proponent of the practice, saying: “The whole idea of the isolation tank is to see what happens to consciousness when you take away or eliminate the input into your senses, so you’re in a box floating in salt water – with 1,000 lbs of salt, so you’re very buoyant. You can’t see anything, your ears are underwater, and you can’t hear anything. And what does the mind do? It’s so active, and it’s constantly projecting, like a movie screen.”
Here he is on The Tonight Show, specifically calling out how floating helps him achieve this inner peace.
Jennifer Lawrence – Academy Award-Winning Actress
Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence recently visited a New York City float center, and told Vogue Magazine she “had a lovely time.”
Jessica Pimentel – American Actress and Musician
The “Orange is the New Black” star likes to relax and unwind in the calming waters of the tank in order to quiet anxiety and improve focus.
JJ Watt – 3X NFL Defensive Player of the Year
Local Wisconsin hero JJ Watt may be the star of the Houston Texans’ roster, but we don’t hold it against him. Besides, he’s a floater, so that makes up for it. Like any NFL player, JJ has suffered his share of tough injuries the last couple of years, so he looks for any advantage. To that end, JJ purchased a floatation tank and installed it in his house.
He says it changed his life. JJ reportedly floats up to 3 times a week for 90 minutes at a crack, saying, “It’s nice to be able to go somewhere you can shut it all down.”
Joe Rogan – UFC Personality, Comedian, and Podcaster
Joe Rogan, UFC personality, comedian, and podcaster extraordinaire has been one of the most vocal advocates of floating. Much credit can be given to him for the rise in popularity. In Joe’s words, “Your body gives you amazing energy. The tension release you have in your body from a couple of hours in the tank is incredible. You feel lighter. You feel like more oxygen is in your body. You feel more vibrant. And it’s because somehow you have calmed the tension.”
John Lennon – Singer, Songwriter and Peace Activist
Legendary singer/songwriter and Beatle great John Lennon swore by floating as a remedy for substance abuse. In his book “The Lives of John Lennon,” biographer Albert Goldman wrote that Lennon’s time in the tank had a profound effect on him. ”John was totally satisfied with himself mentally and physically. He was starting to make a break. It had to do with his 40th birthday. He told me: ‘I’m happy to be 40 years old. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life and I feel the best I ever felt’.”
Julian Edelman – 3x Super Bowl Champion
NFL Champion Julian Edelman was skeptical. In his own words, “When we got one, obviously I was a guy to make fun of it,” Edelman said. “Then I started using it.” Soon after it became a regular of his routine. Edelman would float three to four times per week during the season.
“You just lay back,” Edelman said to NBC Sports leading up to Super Bowl LI. “You gotta trust it. A lot of guys get anxiety for the first few times because your head doesn’t go under. But once you get comfortable with it, it feels like you’re just on a cloud or something because there’re no pressure points. For athletes, I’m 120 percent all in on it.”
Keri Russell – Golden Globe Winning Actress
Golden Globe-winning “The Americans” star Keri Russell is a fan of a good tank session, according to “The Hollywood Reporter.”
The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver credits floating with helping him recover from an ankle injury, and getting him back into playing shape.
Michael Crichton – Writer and Filmmaker
“Jurassic Park” and “Congo” Author Michael Crichton was a frequent visitor at a Beverly Hills float center, and swore by floating as a cure for his writers’ block. He eventually installed a tank in his home.
Peter Gabriel – Musician
Musician Peter Gabriel once had a float tank in his home. “It was quite useful in the sense that you could get into a dream state, and I think that did allow…different thoughts and pictures to come through. And I tend to write a lot of times from, from pictures, and it is an area I’m very interested in.”
Rachel Hunter – Model, Actress, and TV Host
Kiwi supermodel Rachel Hunter: “It was a bizarrely delightful experience, a great form of meditation. I felt calm and peaceful, yet energized…”
Rhett and Link – YouTube Sensations
Popular “Good Mythical Morning” YouTubers Rhett and Link gave floating a whirl for a recent episode, and proclaimed their experience to be “pretty cool.”
Richard Feynman – Noble Peace Prize Winning Physicist
Feynman is said to be one of the most brilliant minds in the post-World War II era. He remade the theory of the interaction between light and matter, otherwise known as quantum electrodynamics. He penned many books. In one of his most popular books “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!: Adventures of a Curious Character,” his gives a detailed outline of his floating experiences.
Robert Downy Jr. – Oscar Winning Actor
How does Iron Man himself recover after pounding Thanos into dust? “Avengers” star Robert Downey Jr. has a tank installed in his home in Hollywood.
Russell Brand – Comedian, Actor, and Radio Host
Brit rabble-rouser Brand said of his float experience: “It’s quite nice, like being in the belly of a whale…a cyber whale…it was really lovely.”
Steph Curry – NBA All-Star and 3x NBA World Champion
NBA All-Star and 3x Champion Steph Curry is such a proponent of floating as a means of relaxing his overworked muscles that he famously floated in an ad for a health care provider. ESPN also created a short film with Steph and teammate Harrison Barnes about their experience with floating. And you can read a more in depth ESPN interview with Steph about floating.
Tim Ferriss – Entrepreneur, Author, and Podcaster
Bestselling author, entrepreneur and speaker Tim Ferriss says: “Right off the bat, I found [floating] to be one of the most anxiety reducing experiences I’ve ever had…I did it as a meditative recharge.”
Tom Brady – 6x Super Bowl Champion
Perennial NFL champs the New England Patriots recently installed floatation tanks in their stadium in order to help players and coaches achieve heightened states of rest. According to NBC Sports, QB Tom Brady is such a fan, he had a tank installed in his home so he can float in the off-season, too.
Wayne Rooney – Professional Soccer Player
England’s all-time highest-scoring soccer player installed a tank in his home “following a string of injuries” in his early career. He is said to have spent up to 10 hours a week using float therapy to relieve pain during his playing years. He credits floating with having helped him get back in the game faster.
Actor and teen heartthrob Efron posted on social media about his float experience, referencing the otherworldly floating scenes on popular Netflix show “Stranger Things.”
Make no mistake – Floating is no fly-by-night celebrity trend. Some of the most talented and influential people in the arts, sciences, letters, performing arts and athletics incorporate floating as an important component of their conditioning. Floating helps them deliver their best performance by calming their nerves, sharpening their mental focus, relieving pain and recalibrating their sensory response. They have to be at their best, and so do you.
Ready for us to roll out the red carpet for your own Hollywood-style experience? Click here and book your own float today!
There’s a popular joke making the rounds online lately. The overall gist of it is this:
“What are you doing this weekend?”
“Nothing.”
“Oh, cool. So you’re free to hang out, then.”
“Sorry…I meant I’m doing NOTHING. That’s my plan. And I’m really looking forward to it.”
It’s a gag, but it makes a good point.
Let’s face it: the universe has been a tough place to live lately. Anxiety, worry, and stress are at all-time highs. Because of that, outlets for self-care are also on the rise.
But even self-care these days carries a measure of strain. We’re doing yoga. Pilates. Hiking. Heading to spas for skin treatments and manicures, and the gym for lifting and spin class. Buying low-carb meal kits and joining weight-control programs. It’s a LOT.
And sure – all of these are no doubt valuable to our well-being. But why is stress relief so stressful in and of itself? Between the pressure of yogis guiding poses, tyrannical trainers and restrictive recipes, finding relief can be an uphill climb. Especially if your mentor points toward the elliptical.
Clearly, there’s one big thing that a lot of our well-being routines are missing.
And that big thing is…nothing.
Imagine a space where you can shut out the clamor of the outside world. Completely close the door on the constant hum and buzz of life’s demands. Take time for yourself to just…be.
Now, stop imagining.
Float Milwaukee is your personal paradise; an oasis of calm in a world full of noise. At Float, you’ll enter an individual space where you can truly relax. Cast off weights and pressures of the physical, emotional, and mental variety. Take the time to focus on you with no distractions, and no expectations. You’ll have the time and space to hit the pause button on, well…everything.
The popular term may be “sensory deprivation,” but you’re not being deprived of anything. Instead, you’re being offered something truly valuable: the power of nothing. Which is really something, when you think about it.
Real talk: Anxiety is one of the most common issues America faces.
According to some estimates, more than 18% of Americans endure some form of anxiety. That’s more than 40 million people. Yet, out of that staggering number, only about one in three seeks treatment for it.
If you’re an anxiety sufferer, you know how debilitating a condition it can be. Granted, no two people stricken by anxiety experience it the same way. But regardless of the type, frequency or severity of the symptoms, we can all agree that the condition can have a real impact on our overall quality of life.
And while anxiety can stem from a variety of sources ranging from genetics to trauma, one thing is clear: the therapeutic benefits of floating have been shown to have a significant, measurable impact on the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental unrest.
All of us seek calm in our daily lives. Just waking up in the morning and anticipating the struggles we’ll face during our daily routines can sometimes have an impact on our emotional state. Jobs, family, money, responsibilities, obligations…The demands we face can often feel overwhelming even under the best of circumstances.
Now, add clinical-level anxiety into the mix. Suddenly, even the most basic tasks become impossible. Simple routines generate fear. Small inconveniences can feel like insurmountable obstacles. And even academically understanding these emotions to be baseless doesn’t help, since it can be easy-to self-talk into feeling guilty and foolish due to having stress you “don’t have to.”
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to just shut all of it out for a little while? Fall into complete relaxation, clear your mental slate of all the pressure of your responsibilities, and reset your mood to a default state?
Yeah, we thought so, too. That’s why Float Milwaukee is here.
So what can a float do for you?
Truly, no two float experiences are the same. No two floaters bring the same frame of reference to the experience, so everyone gets something different from it. That said, many floaters do describe consistent effects regardless of their reasons for coming in. The overwhelming majority tell us that they leave the float feeling calmer than when they began. More relaxed. Possessed of a sharper mental focus. Clearer.
To put a far more academic point on it, a 2018 study found that people who underwent float therapy as a means of attempting to attain relief from mental discomfort had overwhelmingly positive take-aways from the experience. All participants in the experiment reported “significant reductions in stress, muscle tension, pain [and] depression…accompanied by a significant improvement in mood characterized by increases in serenity, relaxation, happiness and overall well-being.”
Wow. What a ringing endorsement!
Many of our customers here at Float Milwaukee have described similar relief from stress and anxiety. Here’s what just a few of our valued friends had to say about their experiences at Float (reprinted with their permission):
“I often suffer from too many thoughts rushing through my mind and never just being in the moment. Floating allowed me to completely relax and clear my mind. I felt completely rejuvenated after! Thank you for the great experience!”
“I’m trying to achieve clarity and focus right now as my life is in a major transition. Float really helped me with something I always struggled with, attaining inner solace.”
“When finished, I never felt so clean and refreshed! Very purifying and transformative for those wanting to ‘let go’.”
“I had an enlightening float and can’t wait to go back! Felt relaxed and clear-headed right away, with the sense of calmness staying with me for hours afterward.”
“I was very apprehensive going in but once I settled in and consciously relaxed it was an amazing, weightless, daydream-ish experience. I left feeling energized and relaxed at the same time. I would definitely do this again!”
We’re always touched when people have a good experience, and even more so when they’re willing to share it. And obviously, any therapeutic practice works differently for different people. But floaters overwhelmingly express a sense of inner peace as a result of their experience, so we’re confident that anyone who enters the water will come out better for having done so.
When you’re ready to find out how floating can help you overcome what ails you, CLICK HERE to book your float. We look forward to helping you get the best of your stress.
Even saying it out loud makes some people uncomfortable. But given recent estimates from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one out of every five Americans will suffer from some form of mental illness during their lifetimes.
Sadly, the fluid nature of the mind coupled with a general misunderstanding of possible treatments means that mental illness doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. After all, we can splint a broken leg. Send antibiotics after a sinus infection. Even pursue specialized surgery for heart disease. But when it comes to healing the mental state? The challenge increases exponentially.
To put a finer point on it: Most hearts are basically the same, anatomically speaking. But the mind? No two have ever been alike. That’s why any course of therapy that shows promise with treating things like anxiety, depression, and bipolarity should really be given its due diligence.
Fact: there are almost as many reasons people suffer from mental illness as there are individuals who do. We may have progressed far enough to have identified certain sets of conditions that apply to general, definable maladies, yes. But nobody can really say for sure what the common underlying causes are, since everyone’s life experience is so different.
That said, we are living in a high-stress environment; one in which countless demands are placed upon our time, and energy. If we could simply enjoy our lives and didn’t have to fight every day to survive, the impact for mental illness could be a lot lower. The fact is, most of us do have a lot of responsibility. We can’t all just live a life of breezy leisure.
So the demands of a modern world require a range of contemporary solutions. In a lot of ways, we’re on our own out there…and we need to take things into our own hands. That means finding ways to practice self-care. Because if we don’t take care of ourselves, who will?
To that end, a 2018 study administered by the National Institutes of Health showed that Floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy) has significant potential when it comes to offering relief to those who experience quality-of-life affecting mental health issues.
The study’s findings were considerable, and persuasive. Participants reported a pleasant, side-effect free experience, with the abstract saying, “Overall, the procedure was well-tolerated, with no major safety concerns stemming from this single session.” The conclusion? “Floatation-REST may be a promising technique for transiently reducing the suffering in those with anxiety and depression.”
A previous study conducted in 2016 (which sought to look at the effects of floating on Generalized Anxiety Disorder) seems to corroborate these findings, indicating: “GAD symptomatology was significantly reduced for the treatment group…when comparing baseline to post-treatment scoring. Regarding clinical significant change, 37% in the treatment group reached full remission at post-treatment. Significant beneficial effects were also found for sleep difficulties, difficulties in emotional regulation, and depression…All improved outcome variables at post-treatment, except for depression, were maintained at 6-months follow. No negative effects were found.”
So, the argument can be made that the science is in. Of course, there will always be skepticism. But as always, jumping in with both feet (so to speak…please step carefully into the tanks), is typically the best way to dispel doubt.
In a recent Washington Post article, Stanford University Psychiatrist Nathaniel Morris wrote about his floating experience. He had heard from so many of his patients that floating had helped them, so he decided to experience it for himself…even though he had some reservations about the purported benefits.
Skeptic or not, Dr. Morris emerged from his session with an improved insight on the benefits of a good float.
“…[W]hat struck me most were the moments when I was lying completely still, floating without sound or sight, the feeling in my arms and legs disappearing into nothingness. My sense of time fell away and I felt at peace, as if I were lying in bed and about to fall asleep. It was a sense of tranquility that grew more profound as time passed. And then before I expected it, there were two taps on the tank, and my one hour was over.
I opened my eyes, and slowly, I sat up, my body feeling warm and heavy. It was like I had slept for days. When I think back on the experience it is a sense of deep ‘calm’ that I most recall…I spent an hour inside a dark metal box but somehow came out feeling completely at ease, not just during the moment but also for a few hours after. I think many of us — and especially some patients who have mental health issues — seek out that kind of calm in our daily lives.”
Mental health advocate and blogger Ashley Laderer experienced a similar phenomenon during her research for a piece she wrote for therapy outlet TalkSpace.
“When I finally plopped myself into the tank, I immediately floated — no effort necessary. I couldn’t help but smile. It was a phenomenon I’d never experienced before, as I can’t float in pool or salty ocean water for the life of me. I thanked the 1000 pounds of epsom salt in the tank for keeping me up. The water felt perfect — because it’s kept right around human body temperature. They say for this reason, it becomes easy to lose track of where the body ends and the water begins, adding to the sense-free experience. Tiny lights resembling colorful stars lit up the ceiling of the tank, and zen music played at the perfect volume.
With my ears submerged and earplugs in, my breath began to sound like gentle ocean waves, coming in and out of shore….”I am a mermaid,” I thought. “This is what it feels like to be a mermaid”…I felt as though I was going in and out of some sort of consciousness, like how I feel when I’m just drifting off to sleep. I even felt like I was having little snippets of dreams! No longer was I making a super-conscious effort to be relaxed — I just was.”
Psychology Today agrees with both the findings of these studies, and the experiences of floating converts.
“The characteristics of floatation therapy make it a strong fit for treating physical pain, helping the body recover from injury and pain-related illnesses, and rebound from vigorous physical exertion. Removing external stimuli from the float environment has the effect of all but eliminating the body’s internal stress response. Floating appears to take us out of ‘flight or fight’ (a chronic state of physiological being for many of us) and moves us into ‘rest and recover.’ That fight or flight stress response — with the excitatory hormones and inflammation surges that are a part of it — is a primary trigger for pain.”
Ultimately, all the studies and personal accounts in existence won’t be able to tell you if floating can help with your mental or emotional unrest; you’ll need to experience it for yourself in order to determine its efficacy.
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