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| - I love my job, but it requires 10 sometimes 12 hours of typing at a computer per day. After a while, my poor posture and repetitive typing movements catch up. Worst problem is tennis elbow pain from inflamed nerves running from the elbow to wrist. I found years ago a somewhat regular float in Epson salt would ease and eliminate this painful condition. I just keep forgetting the lesson when the pain goes away.
The general idea of a spa was a bit too foo foo for me. Reading about the benefits of flotation tanks online was interesting though. On my first visit I was surprised that most of the customers I saw were guys. Looks like the amateur athlete crowd has discovered this place too. It helps that each pod has a ton of dissolved Epson salt (magnesium sulfate) in the water. No secrets here. Folks have known about the anti inflammation properties of Epson salt for many times longer than I have been alive.
The sensory deprivation thing is the strange part of this experience. First, you can leave the lights on, music on and lid open. But, you can also turn off the lights, music and close the lid to be surrounded by body temperature water, no pressure or air movement. It took me three trips to actually get comfortable with this. Any little movement causes you to drift into the tank wall. With time, you can learn to be still.
It is a bit weird to stop feeling hands or feet. With no pressure or temperature change to report, the nerves just get quiet. I found myself wiggling a foot or hand every now and then to be sure it was still there. This is actually the point of sensory deprivation. Give the brain a break from the huge amount of nerve input daily living produces. I actually don't care much about what the research studies on brain waves show. Floating in a quiet tank listening to your breathing and heart beat for an hour is less stressful than any part of my day.
I have this continuing thought that the staff has locked up and gone home forgetting I am still in the tank. Time gets really hard to judge.
A few tips. You shower before getting into the tank. Dry your face before getting in. While floating, if little drops of shower water run down your forehead or cheeks into your eye, and you try to wipe them away with your now extremely salty hand, well, you will only do that once. There is a spray bottle of fresh water in the tank to wash the salt water out of your eyes.
If you have any paper cuts or abrasions, you will remember them immediately after getting into the water. Vaseline is provided to coat any cuts to prevent the burn.
The lights come on and music plays at the end of the hour. Plenty of time to slowly come back to reality. If you stay too long, the rinse cycle starts. The water is filtered to 1 micron between uses. The high salinity keeps the water sterile. The whirlpool effect is not intended to be part of the experience.
You shower after getting out of the tank to get the salt off. Waterproof ear plugs are provided. If you don't use them, be sure to rinse out ears and everywhere else to avoid salt crystals from forming. Not a problem, but strange to have white crystals falling out of your ear the next day.
If you are a control freak that is in constant motion, you may not appreciate this service. It would be excellent for those type of people if they can hit pause for an hour. At best, it's really good for you. At worst it's very relaxing.
It takes a lot to separate me from my hard earned money. The no contract, cancel any time monthly membership saves quite a bit on the retail cost. They have used Groupon in the past. Groupon discounts save quite a bit for the first visit. Keep in mind that you probably won't be fully comfortable the first time. Give it two or three visits before deciding. Each time will be better.
It's a popular place so reservations are the best idea. You could luck out and find an opening by dropping by or calling. I'm usually not that lucky. You can check the reservation calendar on their web site.
Keeping me in shape to work lots of overtime is the cost effective result of several visits a month. Glad I found the True Rest float spa.
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