The problem
It’s that time of year when we’re all balancing A LOT! The holiday parties, shopping, food prep, school events, sports etc. Why do we insist on ending each year in a flurry of chaos?! Like most busy moms, I’ve been finding myself struggling to balance all the holiday stuff, kid stuff as well as my workload! I’ve noticed tension in my shoulders, myself snapping at my kids more easily than normal and just a constant state of low-grade anxiety and overwhelm. Can you relate? Please tell me I’m not the only mom who gets grouchy when there is TOO MUCH going on!
Recently, I’ve been hearing a bunch of hype about float therapy so when I had the chance to try it for myself, I jumped at the opportunity thinking it was just what I needed right now.
The day of my float
The day of my float I started working at 6 am, took the kids to school, ran back home to do more work, enjoyed a yoga class and then headed to TrueREST in Easton for my float session. Like every day, I was cramming everything I could into a day, flitting from activity to activity stuck in ‘go-mode’ and focused on getting it all done. I walked into True REST a little intense and high-strung, carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.
From the moment I walked in I started to feel more relaxed. The atmosphere was calm and spa-like. The staff were warm and friendly. I probably felt some underlying anxiety about trying something new and not knowing how it would all go, but it was like everything was set up to put me at ease.
Since it was my first float session, I watched a 10-minute informational video that explained all the details and helped me know what to expect. Then, a staff member walked me to my room and gave me clear instructions about everything provided and the process. Next, I was left alone in my own private room to shower and wash off. Then, I climbed into the pod for my 1-hour session to literally float in water that’s been boosted with 1,000 pounds of epsom salt. The pod had different lighting and music options to continue the spa-like feel and I was given a float pad for under my head and one for under my knees to help with comfort while my body floated.
The actual float session
The first few minutes of my float I still felt some anxiety. “Am I doing this right?” I asked myself. Then I went into my default – productivity mode – and started thinking of titles for this blog post. Basically, my mind was racing with all the thoughts about everything. Realizing I was missing the whole point of the experience I tried to quiet my mind, noticing my shoulders were still tense and raised. I liken this part of my experience to a drug addict coming down from a high. As my mind and body detoxed from the constant overstimulation of noise, information, technology and my addiction to productivity, it was like my mind and body were fighting this foreign sense of quiet, stillness and solitude. I felt mildly uncomfortable on all levels. Then, somewhere around 5-10 minutes in everything changed…
First, I noticed that my shoulders weren’t tense anymore and that my body actually felt relaxed, I was enjoying it! I’ve heard it said that when great quarterbacks are in the zone they say, ‘The game slows down,” and that’s exactly how I felt in that moment. EVERYTHING slowed down. My thoughts, my breathing, my heart rate, my body. I didn’t move at all for a very long time and if I made any movement, it felt like it was slow and gentle. I was in a state of complete peace and clarity. It was the most relaxed I’ve EVER felt! I could have stayed like this all day. I was no longer preoccupied with or even cared about the to-do list that was awaiting me that evening. I was completely in the moment and completely content.
After the float
When the float was over, I showered again to wash all of the salt off of me and then went to the lobby to enjoy a cup of hot tea, the oxygen bar and some quiet time to journal and reflect on the experience before heading out into the busied world. As I sat, I noticed that I felt truly amazing! I was calm, quiet, relaxed and present. It was like I didn’t have a care in the world.
Before going in, I was aware that float therapy improves the quality of sleep and let me tell you, I had THE BEST sleep of my life that night. I normally wake up multiple times a night to roll over or change positions but after floating, I slept heavily and all night long. The next morning it wasn’t hard to wake up at all because I felt as if I had truly rested.
I was so happy with my experience that I’m already making plans to go back and bring my husband and I want to give float gift certificates to everyone I know. I’d recommend float therapy to EVERYONE as it offers so many mental and physical health benefits and really doesn’t have any downside. I mean, what mom couldn’t use an hour of silence and stillness in her life?
A little more about float therapy
Float therapy takes a 3-fold wellness approach including using water saturated with epsom salt, offering a counter-gravity stimulation and providing a tranquil meditative experience to offer benefits such as:
- Promotes circulation
- Reduces stress
- Boosts immunity
- Enhances athletic performance and recovery
- Pain management
- Improves sleep
- and MORE!
