| When it comes to getting away from the
| |
| | tanks have a rubber lining which a client
|
| sea of troubles most of us face in modern
| |
| | lies on. This lining is folded over the
|
| life there is nothing quite like
| |
| | body and the person is then lowered down
|
| floatation therapy to make us feel
| |
| | and a support is removed, leaving the
|
| buoyant again. Floating on water feels so
| |
| | client cocooned and floating on the
|
| simple, elemental, supportive and
| |
| | heated water below, albeit in a
|
| comforting - something we can probably
| |
| | restricted manner. It is often combined
|
| link to our beginnings in the cosseting
| |
| | with aromatic essential oils and
|
| warmth of the womb.
| |
| | particularly body wraps, which benefit
|
| Today we are spoilt for choice when it
| |
| | from the heat generated below. Dry
|
| comes to floatation therapies, with many
| |
| | floatation is also an effective
|
| spas offering some sort of treatment,
| |
| | pre-massage treatment.
|
| from small hydro baths right up to large
| |
| | Floatation tanks
|
| pools. There are of course even
| |
| | Floatation tanks still adhere to the same
|
| floatation tanks for the home, not to
| |
| | design principles laid down by Dr Lilly,
|
| mention the biggest tank of all - the
| |
| | but now make the most of modern
|
| sea. All we have to do is lie back and
| |
| | production techniques. The tanks
|
| think of …nothing.
| |
| | typically resemble egg-shaped enclosed
|
| Beginnings
| |
| | bath tubs - usually made from fibreglass
|
| The origins of floatation dates back to
| |
| | - with a door on top to allow access, and
|
| 1954 when Dr John C Lilly, a medical
| |
| | are built to eliminate all outside
|
| practitioner and neuro-psychiatrist,
| |
| | distractions and stimuli, although
|
| began research into the origin of
| |
| | interior lights are usually provided. A
|
| consciousness and its relation to the
| |
| | large amount of Epsom Salts is added to
|
| brain. He tried many experiments with
| |
| | water to create a 30cm deep pool of salt
|
| different kinds of float tanks in a bid
| |
| | water in the tank, which is heated to
|
| to create a device that would deprive or
| |
| | body temperature. All these elements
|
| restrict the number of external stimuli
| |
| | create an atmosphere that enhances
|
| so that the brain and the individual
| |
| | relaxation and well-being. Tanks are not
|
| could be tested in an atmosphere of
| |
| | just limited to floatation centres and
|
| isolation. Initially these devices were
| |
| | spas, with models finding a place in
|
| called Sensory Deprivation Chambers but
| |
| | homes, sports clubs, health centres and
|
| in recent years this has been changed to
| |
| | even corporate headquarters.
|
| Restricted Environmental Stimuli Therapy
| |
| | Floating in nature - The Dead Sea
|
| The philosophy behind floatation therapy
| |
| | To experience the ultimate in natural
|
| is to provide people with a way of
| |
| | buoyancy the place to go is most
|
| improving physical, emotional or
| |
| | definitely Mother Nature's very own
|
| psychological health. Central to this is
| |
| | floatation pool - The Dead Sea. This
|
| a need for deep relaxation, which has
| |
| | remarkable stretch of water, described as
|
| been validated by recent research showing
| |
| | a 'Sea of Peace' between Jordan and
|
| that up to 80 - 90 per cent of people
| |
| | Israel (although it is actually a large
|
| visiting a GP do so because of a
| |
| | lake), is the saltiest and most buoyant
|
| psychosomatic or stress-related disorder.
| |
| | sea in the world, and at 400m below sea
|
| How it works
| |
| | level is also the lowest point on earth.
|
| The advantage of floatation therapy is
| |
| | The jade green water (10 times saltier
|
| that it enables most individuals to
| |
| | than the Mediterranean) contains 150
|
| experience very deep levels of relaxation
| |
| | different minerals and salts, which
|
| without needing to learn any special
| |
| | imbues it with incredible curative
|
| technique. The deep relaxation that
| |
| | powers. The high concentrations of
|
| occurs in floatation slows down bodily
| |
| | magnesium make it particularly
|
| functions, heart rate and brain activity,
| |
| | efficacious for sufferers of skin
|
| allowing the conscious and analytical
| |
| | conditions such as psoriasis, while the
|
| part of the mind to enter a state of deep
| |
| | presence of bromine has a powerful
|
| rest and to be bypassed. It does this
| |
| | relaxing effect on the nervous system.
|
| through the absence of stimuli such as
| |
| | The sea's high salinity contributes to
|
| light, visual images, noise, gravity and
| |
| | the highly viscous and oily water, which
|
| touch. Floatation also stimulates levels
| |
| | is so dense and supportive it makes your
|
| of the natural painkiller and endorphin,
| |
| | body literally 'sit' out of the water
|
| encephalon, which encourages a sense of
| |
| | like a cork. The haze given off by the
|
| well-being and euphoria. According to Dr
| |
| | evaporating sea and high atmospheric
|
| Lilly 40 minutes of floatation is
| |
| | pressure also filters out harmful UVB
|
| equivalent to an incredible eight hours
| |
| | rays that cause sunburn, so you can enjoy
|
| 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
|
| 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
|
| only time our body weight becomes free
| |
| | busy absorbing health-giving minerals
|
| from the effects of gravity - literally
| |
| | from the marine environment while being
|
| taking a load of our mind!
| |
| | supported.
|
| Forty minutes of floatation is the
| |
| | Places to float in the UK & Ireland
|
| equivalent of eight hours of sleep
| |
| | Nirvana Spa, Berkshire
|
| Benefits
| |
| | This award-winning day spa in leafy
|
| 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
|
| benefits:
| |
| | combined with Nirvana's own pure natural
|
| Mind
| |
| | source water to provide the water used in
|
| Floatation is an excellent way of
| |
| | the spa's two floatation areas. The
|
| relieving stress (plus associated
| |
| | Celestial Room features a large circular
|
| digestive tract conditions such as
| |
| | pool that can hold up to six people at a
|
| Irritable Bowel Syndrome and ulcers),
| |
| | time, who can relax and gaze at the
|
| depression and anxiety, as well as
| |
| | star-domed ceiling and wall murals. A
|
| promoting healthy sleep. It is also
| |
| | gentle current, dimmed lighting and
|
| believed that floatation stimulates and
| |
| | ambient lighting enhance the sensory
|
| synchronises the left and right
| |
| | experience. The Ocean Room offers a more
|
| hemispheres of the brain, enhancing
| |
| | social environment in which to relax and
|
| concentration, mental clarity, memory
| |
| | take in the Dead Sea salts. Nirvana
|
| retention, self-hypnosis and facilitating
| |
| | offers float sessions and an induction
|
| 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
|
| conditions and high blood pressure. The
| |
| | leading floatation centre in the world".
|
| fact that the body is completely
| |
| | The centre has nine individual floatation
|
| supported and free from gravity
| |
| | tanks, each situated in a lockable
|
| 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
|
| musculoskeletal and rheumatic conditions
| |
| | uncomfortable in the dark. The centre has
|
| including rheumatoid arthritis and
| |
| | supplied 60,000 float sessions to 30,000
|
| 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
|
| 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.
|
