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My first float was something else! I entered the float tank with child like curiosity, something I had not felt for a while. I had questions running through my mind, will I fall asleep? am I going to enjoy it? how am I going to get the most out of the session? What is going to happen? I didn’t fall asleep as such but entered a deep meditative state akin to NREM sleep. I thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so that I became a member! I got the most out of the session by having no expectations, going with the flow and surrendering myself to the float. Apart from feeling totally relaxed, serene and as though a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I had an extremely animated and visual experience with my eyes closed and open. This included shapes, colours, patterns, faces and symbols. This was 8 years ago, since then I have had varying degrees of visuals whilst floating. From travelling through tunnels, hieroglyphics to colours and shapes. A number of people that have floated with us have had a range of visual experiences, this has mainly been different colours. On the rare occasion some people have seen more detailed visuals. Now this raises a few questions, which I will answer over two parts! Why do we sometimes see colours with our eyes closed during a float session? Those mysterious blobs and patterns that bedazzle the backs of your eyelids during a float are no illusion. What you see is real light and it’s coming from inside your eyes! As you settle into your float session, close your eyes and begin to enter a deeper state of meditation, you may notice the colourful light show happening inside your eyelids. The lights suddenly intensify, and bursts of bright colours appear all across your field of vision. A few seconds later, the colours settle down again. While you might appreciate the floatation entertainment, in the back of your mind you’ve probably wondered what you’re even seeing. These strange blobs you see have a name; they’re called “phosphenes,” and researchers believe that actual light may play a role. But not ordinary light — this light comes from inside your eyes. In the same way that fireflies and deep-sea creatures can glow, cells within our eyes emit biophotons, or biologically produced light particles. “We see biophotonic light inside our eyes in the same way we see photons from external light,” said István Bókkon, a Hungarian neuroscientist who works at the Vision Research Institute in Lowell, Massachusetts. Biophotons exist in your eyes because your atoms constantly emit and absorb tiny particles of light, or photons. This photon exchange is just a part of normal cellular function. Your eyes can’t tell the difference between photons from outside light and the biophotons emitted by your own atoms. Either way, your optic nerve simply relays these light signals to the brain, which must then decide if it accurately represents the real world around you, or if it’s just a phosphene. Our eyes actually produce far more biophotons than we end up seeing as phosphenes. Almost all of the biophotons you see are the ones both emitted and absorbed by atoms in the retina — the part of your eye responsible for detecting light. Inside the retina, millions of tiny cells called rods and cones collect light and convert it into electrical signals. These signals travel through the optic nerve to a part of the brain called the visual cortex. Here, the brain reconstructs an image using the information received from the eyes. When a reconstructed image looks like nonsense, the brain is quick to label the image as unreal, or a phosphene. Depending on where a phosphene originates, it can take on a variety of shapes, patterns and colours. Different atoms and molecules emit photons of different wavelengths, which is why we see different colours. A phosphene with an orderly geometric pattern like a checkerboard may have originated in a section of the retina where millions of light-collecting cells are arranged in a similarly organized pattern. Researchers have also found that different areas of the brain’s visual cortex create certain specific shapes of phosphenes. In the 1950s, the German researcher Max Knoll at the Technische Universität in Munich came up with a classification scheme for phosphene shapes. He studied phosphenes in over a thousand volunteers and came up with 15 categories, including triangles, stars, spirals, spots and amorphous blobs. Most phosphenes occur spontaneously when the atoms in our eyes exchange their biophotons. So next time you jump into a float pod, close your eyes and admire the phosphenes. Now that you can appreciate the visual effects in a whole new way, you can just lay back and enjoy the show. In part 2 I will be exploring the more detailed visuals a small number of us see during a float session.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that people experience at a particular time of year or during a particular season. It is a recognised mental health disorder. Most of us are affected by the change in seasons – it is normal to feel more cheerful and energetic when the sun is shining and the days are longer, or to find that you eat more or sleep longer in winter. However, if you experience SAD, the change in seasons will have a much greater effect on your mood and energy levels, and lead to symptoms of depression that may have a significant impact on your day-to-day life. Many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Floatation therapy can help tremendously, especially during the beginning and middle of winter when weather is harsh. What Is SAD? SAD is a disorder that strikes most often during the change of seasons. SAD causes depression, usually at the onset of fall and throughout the winter season. SAD sufferers report a decrease in energy and an increase in moodiness. Other symptoms include oversleeping or problems sleeping, trouble concentrating, change in appetite, and feelings of worthlessness. Some people are more susceptible to SAD, including women, younger people, those diagnosed with bipolar disorder or clinical depression, and anyone with a family history. People living in locations with harsh winters are also at increased risk. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, seek help. You do not have to live with depression. The most common forms of treatment are light therapy (phototherapy), medication, and psychotherapy. However, floatation therapy is showing positive results for combatting SAD. How Floatation Therapy Helps Floatation therapy diminishes SAD symptoms through Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST). Floating removes gravity, light, and sound from the user. By removing all stimuli, including the cause of depression, the mind and body are free to focus on other things. It may seem counterproductive to remove light from a person with SAD, but some researchers feel SAD is less about lack of sunlight and more about the prohibitive nature of cold weather. Brain-Generated Stimuli Without external stimuli, the brain instantly begins generating a multitude of stimuli. Shapes and patterns appear and morph in the person’s mind. The visual cortex becomes highly active. These hallucinations are not limited to visuals; many experience auditory stimulation. Sounds may drift near and far and transform into music. Essentially, the depressed brain enjoys a break from the constant influx of negative sensory stimuli experienced with the change of season. This break has many positive, lasting effects on the person’s state of mind. Transition to Creativity Another common result of floating is an increase in creative thinking. This happens because the body and mind are relaxed. It slips into a deep meditative state, encouraged to explore new ideas. Body rejuvenation and weightlessness free the mind from physical discomfort and negative stimuli. Creative thinking combats depression by boosting energy and positivity. It also improves self-esteem and motivation, which fights depression. Ruminating on creative thought patterns for a short period has long-lasting effects. Most people who use floatation therapy report how the positive effects last for a long time after they finish a session. Some individuals with extreme depression and other mental illnesses find that their conditions are resistant to conventional treatments. However, the deep relaxation, sense of timelessness, improved sleep, and feeling of wellbeing following a float are effective for treating some of these conditions, such as PTSD and anxiety disorders. Those suffering from depression and SAD should consider floatation therapy as an alternative to drugs or for use in tandem with other treatments. While every patient will likely require a unique solution, the benefits afforded by floatation therapy are undeniable. There are no negative side effects, so contact us today for information and to schedule your appointment at Floating Point Float Centre.

Many people have some fear or concern before they use the Pod for the first time. Fears such as being alone in the dark, drowning, not having enough air, claustrophobia, and others. These fears are usually the result of the thought or idea that YOU won't be in control of the situation, but in this situation you are completely in control at all times. You can go in and out of the Pod as you please. You can use the Pod with the door completely open, you can keep it partially open, or you can close it. There is an interior light. You can turn that light off or leave it on. There is no particular way to use the pod that is more correct than another. Any way you use it that is comfortable for you, is correct. If you close the door while inside the Pod, once the light is turned off it is completely dark and that may be disorienting. When you get in and before you lie down, open and close the door several times, noticing how it feels different from the other surfaces. If at any time you try to push the door and it doesn't open, it's not the door. The solution within the Pod is only 25cm deep. It is made up of 40% Epsom salt. You can't sink in the Pod, regardless of your size and fitness level. You will float effortlessly and it is 100% safe to sleep in the Pod. Since there is no pressure or hot spots anywhere on the body, you do not have the desire to toss and turn the way you do while on a mattress. If you *were* to somehow roll over while sleeping in the Pod, you would wake up the very instant the salt water touched your eyes or sinuses. The Pod is designed so that it is not airtight. You'll have plenty of air. To keep the Pod air fresher, an air circulation system brings additional air from the room. The air enters at the front of the Pod. You normally float with your head at that end. You can also brace the door open slightly if this is more comfortable for you. The Magic of Near Zero Sensory Input Of those that come to us with a phobia-based fear, we would say 90% of them settle right in to their first session without any issue. For the remaining 10%, fears and concerns are typically dissolved by the second or third session. The float Pod itself is excellent at calming the mind and any fears it may harbor within it. This is simply the nature of the zero stimulation environment. We have had a surprising number of particularly sceptical clients complete a session and say something along the lines of "I just couldn't be afraid. I even tried to think of things that normally upset me, and they had no power over me while I was in there." The float pod is actually a wonderful place to work through your phobias and anxieties. The near zero stimulation environment triggers some pretty profound physical and mental effects. There is no pressure anywhere on the body. The solution is the optimal temperature for our bodily systems. Our brains aren't constantly processing input. We are no longer struggling against the pull of gravity. As a result our blood pressure is reduced; stress hormone levels fall and endorphins are released. This creates an immensely pleasurable experience. It is downright difficult to feel anxiousness or fear once you enter that incredibly soothing physical and mental space. People might assume that time drags along while doing nothing inside the Pod, but that could not be further from the truth. Once you reach the super-relaxed theta brainwave (lucid dream/meditation) state all concept of time vanishes. The session ends in what feels like mere minutes after that. It sounds counterintuitive at first, but most claustrophobic clients find having the door closed with the light off far more comforting than leaving the light on. The online photos of our float Pods are always a bit deceiving. They don't give an accurate sense of the Pods true size and interior space. Each Pod is about the size of a car and the interior is completely open. Once you lie back into the solution, you can stretch your arms up in front of you and you will not be able to reach the ceiling of the tank. We have had clients 6'5"+ float very comfortably here. Float Pods are not new. The safety record of floatation therapy is indisputable. Hundreds of thousands of people all over the world have enjoyed the benefits floating has to offer over the last 60+ years. To date, no sober floater has ever been seriously injured during a session. Expectations Realistic expectations are essential. Floating does come with a learning curve. The float experience resembles an onion. At first you might only get one or two layers deep. Whether you suffer from a phobia or not, it is important to recognize that it takes 3-5 sessions to REALLY get a feel for floating's potential. A great number of beginners settle right in and have an incredible first float, but for a number of others the initial sessions can be challenging. In the beginning you might find some difficulty getting physically comfortable within the new environment. You might not be able to quiet your thoughts. You may experience some fleeting feelings of claustrophobia or anxiety. You may even end your initial sessions early. THIS IS ALL COMPLETELY NORMAL.These challenges WILL be overcome if you choose to stick with the practice. The Pod always wins out in the end. If a challenge arises, you must ask yourself how badly you want the benefits that floating can provide. Ask yourself if you are willing to commit to the practice and push through the possible initial discomfort. It is best to view floating as an ever evolving path to improvement, much like a healthy diet, meditation or exercise regime. The benefits of floating are real, they are yours for the taking - but they may not come effortlessly. Floating is not a one shot miracle cure, but if you stick with it miraculous changes can happen. One of the greatest gifts floating can provide is the realization that YOU are truly the master of your own thoughts.