Have you ever heard of floating? In the therapeutic, spa-sense?
A float session consists of lying naked (or in a swimsuit) in an individual tank of warm water that is super-saturated with Epsom salts. The door of the tank can be closed so you are in complete darkness and silence. It’s sensory deprivation.
No sound, no light, no gravity. You’re floating in blackness.
Why do people do this? Well, it’s supremely peaceful. You get to experience a feeling we rarely get to feel: weightlessness.
I’ve also read that many people fall asleep when they float.
And I’ve also read that pregnant women can prop up their heads in a certain way that allows them to float face-down. Doesn’t that sound lovely? I can’t imagine how wonderful that would feel to have all that weight lifted from your body. (From now on, I’m buying my pregnant friends float sessions as shower gifts!)
However, when I tell people about floating, they almost always have the same reaction: “I could never do that. I’d feel claustrophobic.”
So, what was my experience?
I, too, was worried about feeling trapped, but I knew I could leave the door of the tank open, so that eased my worries. And if I really hated it, well, I could just leave.
When I first got in the water, I had a hard time letting my body relax while it floated. My neck was so incredibly tense–I think because I was trying to hold my head above the water (which wasn’t necessary, since, well, I was floating!) You don’t want to get any of that water in your eyes because it would burn intensely. I finally got my neck to relax.
The water was the perfect temperature.
While floating with the door open, I could see light when I opened my eyes. I could feel a faint, cooler air on the exposed part of my legs. I got braver, so I shut the door but propped it open a few inches with a hand towel. I could still see a sliver of light, but I no longer felt the fresh air on my legs. For me, the lack of fresh air bothered me more than the darkness. (There was air pumped in near my head, but I could hardly feel it.)
Also, I wasn’t notified that the lights in the room were on a time delay. After a few minutes, I opened my eyes to see my sliver of light was GONE and I was in complete blackness. I sat up fast and felt for the door, pushed it open, and the lights came back on. Sooooo…yeah. That wasn’t great. I had to continuously sit up and wave my arms around every few minutes when the lights would turn off.
Anyway, enough complaining. Did I find inner peace? Did I have the best nap ever? Did I discover the meaning of life?
Sadly, no major realizations took place. I was just floating in a tank of water. I mean, it felt really different and interesting. My favorite thing was to super gently push off the bottom of the tank with my toes and float to the top, then push back the other way, just enjoying the feeling of water flowing through my skin and hair.
I had a difficult time allowing myself to be completely, utterly still. Anytime I approached that state, I would have to flex my calf muscles or clench my toes or fingers for a second. I would move my body in some small way. Strange–I could not let myself reach 100% sense deprivation. I had to move.
When it was over, I was ready to go. Experiment = completed. I was nowhere near feeling sleepy. I was probably thinking about writing this blog post.
I already lead quite a quiet life, so I don’t yearn to “get away from it all”. I enjoyed the feeling of floating but didn’t experience anything noteworthy. That said, even though I didn’t have a transformative experience, I would definitely recommend trying a float–why not? Especially if you are a high-sensation seeking HSP.
I love my float spots. Especially after an overstimulated trip or experience.
Yes, the first one was a challenge but the long term benefit of remembering the peacefulness of it was worth it to continue it until I could completely relax.
I am now at a point that whenever I need a peaceful feeling I just go to the memory of the experience.
It works better than a massage because when I’m overstimulated from outside sources I need to come back to myself. Plus the Epsom salt is a great detoxifier.
Blessings, Xxoo
Thanks for satisfying my curiosity, Kelly. Have you drawn any conclusions about its usefulness for HSPs?
Hi Deborah, I think doing a float is worth a try for everyone, even if only just to see how your body and mind react to a new experience….maybe we all learn a little about ourselves when all outside stimulus is removed. For HSPs who feel overwhelmed in their daily lives, I can imagine how it would feel wonderful to have the complete quiet. I’ve heard some people say that they didn’t get much out of their first float, but subsequent ones were more relaxing.
This sounds so amazing! I have so much tension in my back and hips. I think this is just what I need to unwind.