The Benefits of Floatation

What is floatation all about? I had the privilege of experiencing this therapy at Js Revive Wellness Spa and I’d like to share a bit about the process and the benefits of floatation.

According to spa owner, Leah Livanos, who let me to the floatation room via a lift, it has the equivalent benefit of eight hours of sleep. Now who doesn’t need some of that?

Floatation was originally devised by neurophysiologist Professor John Lilly in 1950. He was trying to block out external sensory stimulation to examine conscious activity in the brain. He added epson salts to make the floater more boyant (just like the Dead Sea) as well as water heaters, filters and an air pump.

You can float effortlessly on the surface of the water, with total freedom and weightlessness.

According to Wikipedia, athletes such as Carl Lewis and Stephen Curry have used it.

According to this site, floatation has the following benefits:

relieving stress on joints and muscles
enabling faster recovery from muscle and joint strain
encouraging easier and deeper sleep
causing your body to release endorphins, which relieves pain and may lower blood pressure.

The mineral salts in some floatation tanks are also beneficial for the skin. This wouldn’t surprise me, as we have already seen with the Mineraline range of dead sea minerals. I’m sure it’s another extension of the advantages of the dead sea concept.

So what was the experience like?

At Js Revive Wellness Spa, the floatation pool is in a darkened room with twinkling lights that shimmer on and off in the ceiling.

They provide ear plugs and I wore a swimming cap, although my hair became wet anyway. I did not need the goggles, as I was floating, and not swimming.

It was the most amazing feeling being held up by this thickened water. In the background celestial music tinkled. I was very relaxed and almost drifted off during the half hour I was there.

My muscles were very relaxed and supported in an incredible way. I moved around a bit from time to time, stretching. And then coming back into my floating position, which was most comfortable. My face, upper arms and upper legs stuck out, while the rest of my body was submerged.

I think for me the real experience here was a bit of a spiritual one. I had a difficult issue to deal with the previous day and was carrying it around in my head. For me the water supported my body and the lights twinkled knowingly, as if God was supporting me through the challenges of life, and holding me right there, while the stars reminded me how small problems are compared to the enormity of the universe. As I was getting out (they turn the lights on to wake you up), I noticed a sign a the door and it was Psalm 91.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
¹²they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

There’s more in that Psalm but I think just knowing that God is my refuge though whatever I’m going through and that He will support me.

For me it was like I experienced support from below through the salty water and blessings from above through those twinkling stars.

After these profound thoughts it was time for a shower to get rid of all the salt. They provide shampoo and body wash as well.

Then a heavenly full body massage and blow dry for my wet hair.

I left quite revived, as the name of the place suggests.

For more information on this fabulous wellness spa or to experience a one-of-a kind treatment;

Call: 011 887-2123 / 087 353 2500

See their Facebook page: @revivewellnessspa
Follow them on Instagram: revive_wellness_spa

Js Revive Wellness Spa are running a few specials.

This one I had is a winter special:

Float
Massage (full body)
Blow wave (ie blow dry your hair)

The value of these treatments are R 1500, but for the month of June & July 2018 this will be R 1000 as a special offer to readers of this post.

It’s totally worth it. I have to say I felt totally relaxed walking out of there and even the next morning had this rested feeling, as if I was on holiday.