Mind/Body Stress Relief

Imagine floating weightlessly in a darkened chamber of warm water, also known as a floatation tank. This holistic and gentle water therapy allows your body to feel utterly free, while your mind becomes progressively more relaxed.

Filled with about 170 gallons of water and 700 pounds of Epsom salts and minerals, floatation tanks are one of the most effective tools for practicing stress relief and healing athletic injuries. A session in the tank will take the weight off strained muscles, bones and joints. (Most float centers offer 50-minute sessions for beginners, although some people like to float for longer.)

Should the floater feel claustrophobic, he or she can push a button and open the door at any time. While professional sports teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles use floatation tanks for injury recovery and mental relaxation, tanks are also becoming popular with cyber-stressed workers in the United States and England.

"Work stress is a major issue for our clients, many of whom work in Bay area dot-com companies and Silicon Valley firms," says Nancy Cauthorn, spa director of The Spa at the Claremont Resort in Berkeley, Calif. "People are over-stimulated and challenged by their lives," says Cauthorn. "Floating is an effective and peaceful remedy for mind/body stress overload. You come out of that tank and your senses feel reborn."

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