| When it comes to getting away from the
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| | tanks have a rubber lining which a client
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| sea of troubles most of us face in modern
| |
| | lies on. This lining is folded over the
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| life there is nothing quite like
| |
| | body and the person is then lowered down
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| floatation therapy to make us feel
| |
| | and a support is removed, leaving the
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| buoyant again. Floating on water feels so
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| | client cocooned and floating on the
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| simple, elemental, supportive and
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| | heated water below, albeit in a
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| comforting - something we can probably
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| | restricted manner. It is often combined
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| link to our beginnings in the cosseting
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| | with aromatic essential oils and
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| warmth of the womb.
| |
| | particularly body wraps, which benefit
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| Today we are spoilt for choice when it
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| | from the heat generated below. Dry
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| comes to floatation therapies, with many
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| | floatation is also an effective
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| spas offering some sort of treatment,
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| | pre-massage treatment.
|
| from small hydro baths right up to large
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| | Floatation tanks
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| pools. There are of course even
| |
| | Floatation tanks still adhere to the same
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| floatation tanks for the home, not to
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| | design principles laid down by Dr Lilly,
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| mention the biggest tank of all - the
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| | but now make the most of modern
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| sea. All we have to do is lie back and
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| | production techniques. The tanks
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| think of …nothing.
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| | typically resemble egg-shaped enclosed
|
| Beginnings
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| | bath tubs - usually made from fibreglass
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| The origins of floatation dates back to
| |
| | - with a door on top to allow access, and
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| 1954 when Dr John C Lilly, a medical
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| | are built to eliminate all outside
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| practitioner and neuro-psychiatrist,
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| | distractions and stimuli, although
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| began research into the origin of
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| | interior lights are usually provided. A
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| consciousness and its relation to the
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| | large amount of Epsom Salts is added to
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| brain. He tried many experiments with
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| | water to create a 30cm deep pool of salt
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| different kinds of float tanks in a bid
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| | water in the tank, which is heated to
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| to create a device that would deprive or
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| | body temperature. All these elements
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| restrict the number of external stimuli
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| | create an atmosphere that enhances
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| so that the brain and the individual
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| | relaxation and well-being. Tanks are not
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| could be tested in an atmosphere of
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| | just limited to floatation centres and
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| isolation. Initially these devices were
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| | spas, with models finding a place in
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| called Sensory Deprivation Chambers but
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| | homes, sports clubs, health centres and
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| in recent years this has been changed to
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| | even corporate headquarters.
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| Restricted Environmental Stimuli Therapy
| |
| | Floating in nature - The Dead Sea
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| The philosophy behind floatation therapy
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| | To experience the ultimate in natural
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| is to provide people with a way of
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| | buoyancy the place to go is most
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| improving physical, emotional or
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| | definitely Mother Nature's very own
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| psychological health. Central to this is
| |
| | floatation pool - The Dead Sea. This
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| a need for deep relaxation, which has
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| | remarkable stretch of water, described as
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| been validated by recent research showing
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| | a 'Sea of Peace' between Jordan and
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| that up to 80 - 90 per cent of people
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| | Israel (although it is actually a large
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| visiting a GP do so because of a
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| | lake), is the saltiest and most buoyant
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| psychosomatic or stress-related disorder.
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| | sea in the world, and at 400m below sea
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| How it works
| |
| | level is also the lowest point on earth.
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| The advantage of floatation therapy is
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| | The jade green water (10 times saltier
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| that it enables most individuals to
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| | than the Mediterranean) contains 150
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| experience very deep levels of relaxation
| |
| | different minerals and salts, which
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| without needing to learn any special
| |
| | imbues it with incredible curative
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| technique. The deep relaxation that
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| | powers. The high concentrations of
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| occurs in floatation slows down bodily
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| | magnesium make it particularly
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| functions, heart rate and brain activity,
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| | efficacious for sufferers of skin
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| allowing the conscious and analytical
| |
| | conditions such as psoriasis, while the
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| part of the mind to enter a state of deep
| |
| | presence of bromine has a powerful
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| rest and to be bypassed. It does this
| |
| | relaxing effect on the nervous system.
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| through the absence of stimuli such as
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| | The sea's high salinity contributes to
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| light, visual images, noise, gravity and
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| | the highly viscous and oily water, which
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| touch. Floatation also stimulates levels
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| | is so dense and supportive it makes your
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| of the natural painkiller and endorphin,
| |
| | body literally 'sit' out of the water
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| encephalon, which encourages a sense of
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| | like a cork. The haze given off by the
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| well-being and euphoria. According to Dr
| |
| | evaporating sea and high atmospheric
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| Lilly 40 minutes of floatation is
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| | pressure also filters out harmful UVB
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| equivalent to an incredible eight hours
| |
| | rays that cause sunburn, so you can enjoy
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| of sleep.
| |
| | your float without burning your belly!
|
| It is also worth bearing in mind that
| |
| | Taking a dip in normal sea can also have
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| short of becoming an astronaut and
| |
| | powerful physical and emotional benefits,
|
| blasting into space, floatation is the
| |
| | when we float in the ocean our bodies are
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| only time our body weight becomes free
| |
| | busy absorbing health-giving minerals
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| from the effects of gravity - literally
| |
| | from the marine environment while being
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| taking a load of our mind!
| |
| | supported.
|
| Forty minutes of floatation is the
| |
| | Places to float in the UK & Ireland
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| equivalent of eight hours of sleep
| |
| | Nirvana Spa, Berkshire
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| Benefits
| |
| | This award-winning day spa in leafy
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| With such a powerful form of relaxation
| |
| | Berkshire was the first in the UK to
|
| it is no surprise that floatation
| |
| | introduce large-scale floatation pools.
|
| provides the following therapeutic
| |
| | Dead Sea salts with 21 minerals are
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| benefits:
| |
| | combined with Nirvana's own pure natural
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| Mind
| |
| | source water to provide the water used in
|
| Floatation is an excellent way of
| |
| | the spa's two floatation areas. The
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| relieving stress (plus associated
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| | Celestial Room features a large circular
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| digestive tract conditions such as
| |
| | pool that can hold up to six people at a
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| Irritable Bowel Syndrome and ulcers),
| |
| | time, who can relax and gaze at the
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| depression and anxiety, as well as
| |
| | star-domed ceiling and wall murals. A
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| promoting healthy sleep. It is also
| |
| | gentle current, dimmed lighting and
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| believed that floatation stimulates and
| |
| | ambient lighting enhance the sensory
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| synchronises the left and right
| |
| | experience. The Ocean Room offers a more
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| hemispheres of the brain, enhancing
| |
| | social environment in which to relax and
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| concentration, mental clarity, memory
| |
| | take in the Dead Sea salts. Nirvana
|
| retention, self-hypnosis and facilitating
| |
| | offers float sessions and an induction
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| freedom from phobias and addictions.
| |
| | course.
|
| Body
| |
| | The Floatworks, London
|
| The decrease in heart rate means it is
| |
| | The Floatworks in Thrale Street, near
|
| ideally suited to people with cardiac
| |
| | London's South Bank, is billed as "the
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| conditions and high blood pressure. The
| |
| | leading floatation centre in the world".
|
| fact that the body is completely
| |
| | The centre has nine individual floatation
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| supported and free from gravity
| |
| | tanks, each situated in a lockable
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| encourages blood flow to the joints and
| |
| | private room and equipped with a shower.
|
| releases muscle tension, making it
| |
| | The tanks are fitted with internal lights
|
| effective for sufferers of
| |
| | for beginners and those who feel
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| musculoskeletal and rheumatic conditions
| |
| | uncomfortable in the dark. The centre has
|
| including rheumatoid arthritis and
| |
| | supplied 60,000 float sessions to 30,000
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| chronic back pain. This pain relief is
| |
| | customers during its 13 years of
|
| enhanced by the production of endorphins.
| |
| | operation.
|
| Floatation has also been used to aid
| |
| | Eden Spa at Hoar Cross Hall,
|
| recovery for those with sporting injuries
| |
| | Staffordshire
|
| right through to patients with cancer.
| |
| | It may be in the heart of landlocked
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| Skin conditions such as eczema and
| |
| | Staffordshire but guests at Eden Spa can
|
| psoriasis also react well to floatation,
| |
| | immerse themselves in its large 25m salt
|
| particularly in Dead Sea salt water
| |
| | water pool, while massage jets stimulate
|
| Floatation pools
| |
| | and invigorate different parts of the
|
| The range of floatation pools in spas has
| |
| | body. The pool also has a unique water
|
| never been greater, from single person
| |
| | volcano where the pressure of the water
|
| tubs to full size floatation pools. The
| |
| | enables swimmers to float.
|
| latter can be found at destinations such
| |
| | The Forum Spa at The Celtic Manor, Wales
|
| as Nirvana Spa in Berkshire. These pools
| |
| | The Mineral Scalp Treatment involves a
|
| contain solutions of salts (often from
| |
| | scalp massage with a conditioning mineral
|
| The Dead Sea) which are heated to body
| |
| | mud combined with the dry floatation. The
|
| temperature of 35 C, providing deep
| |
| | treatment assists realignment of body and
|
| relaxation without the restriction of an
| |
| | relaxation of mind.
|
| enclosed environment, making them ideal
| |
| | Mount Juliet, Ireland
|
| for those who find tanks too
| |
| | The Spa at Mount Juliet has a Dead Sea
|
| claustrophobic.
| |
| | Discovery Flotation room where guests can
|
| Smaller single person floatation baths by
| |
| | experience a deeply relaxing 60 minute
|
| companies such as Finders provide a more
| |
| | Dead Sea floatation treatment in Finders'
|
| intimate method of relaxation. These
| |
| | Hydrofloat.
|
| baths sometimes combine hydrotherapy jets
| |
| | Experience the Dead Sea
|
| to tackle cellulite and improve
| |
| | Jordan
|
| circulation. Hydrofloat by Finders
| |
| | The best spa destinations are based on
|
| provides the essential qualities and
| |
| | the shores of The Dead Sea at Sweimeh.
|
| benefits of traditional spa and
| |
| | The Zara Spa at Moevenpick's Dead Sea
|
| hydrotherapy, together with the
| |
| | resort combines traditional Arabic
|
| therapeutic benefits of Dead Sea salts.
| |
| | detailing with a range of floatation
|
| This neat facility, where a person floats
| |
| | experiences. This includes an outdoor
|
| in pure Dead Sea water, provides a
| |
| | heated Hydro-Pool and two interior Dead
|
| custom-made environment with the
| |
| | Sea floatation pools. The neighbouring
|
| additional control of sound, light and
| |
| | Jordan Valley Marriott Dead Sea Resort
|
| air.
| |
| | & Spa also has an excellent spa with
|
| Dry floatation
| |
| | a Dead Sea Salt Pool. Both resorts have a
|
| Dry floatation offers the feeling of
| |
| | stretch of beach, and will soon be joined
|
| weightlessness and benefits of floatation
| |
| | by the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea,
|
| without getting wet. The dry floatation
| |
| | which is due to open in May.
|