Floatworks Review
We have seen a massive rise in well-being in the last few years, which means this year I’ve been to a lot more yoga, meditation and sound bath sessions than I have before. I’m a huge fan of all three and last month I took it to the next level and went to Floatworks to enjoy an hour long session floating.
I got a very warm welcome when I arrived at reception, if you are new to this, fear not, the staff are great at explaining everything, from instructions on putting in earplugs before you get into the tank to their personal experiences of floating. In the reception area, I met a regular floater, who lives a busy work life and he said floating in a tank, was the one place he could rest and welcome inspiration, allowing him to be more creative at work. I was intrigued to see what would happen while I floated or how enlightened I would feel after my session.
The water tank is filled with 25cm of deep water, which contains 525kg of Epsom salts. I want to mention that because that high volume of salt in the water causes your body to float. Because yes I was that person that nervously mentioned to the receptionist, I was worried about not being able to float and drowning and he reassured me it was impossible due to the high volume of salt in the water. So just to save you the embarrassment I thought I would share that nugget of information, to those who haven’t floated before.
When you get in the tank, you can choose to be in complete darkness or have some light, by keeping the lid slightly open, the music also turns off after 10 minutes. So very quickly I lay there in complete darkness and silence, with just my thoughts. At first I didn’t like it or feel comfortable and I got out and grabbed the head support. Take two with the head support and I was feeling a little more relaxed, but my head quickly became filled with a lot of thoughts… ‘what was I going to have for lunch’ to ‘how quickly would I be able to meet my deadlines’. After 20 minutes, my mind started to relax and I really enjoyed it and at that point I fell asleep. I woke up to the sound of music after my hour session and I remember the feeling of being in complete relaxation, I felt rested and my mind was calm.
I showered and then headed upstairs to the relaxation room to have a peek inside, there were comfy chairs and books for those that wanted to enjoy some peace and quiet after the session. It certainly looked appealing but alas I had a full day of errands ahead of me, so I headed on down to reception, had a chat about how I was feeling and started my day. It certainly was the best way I could have started my Sunday, I felt focused and charged up, ready for the day ahead of me.
There has been research done on floating and they have found that floating significantly reduces activity in the part of the brain known as the amygdala, which controls our innate fight or flight response to real or perceived threats. Which helps to reduce the production of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone – high levels of which have been linked to a range of health issues, including weight gain, heart attacks and depression.
These guys are open all week and close at 10pm, so you have ample time to book in that session after work. I can certainly see why people become regular floaters, and I doubt this will be my first and last floating session.
If you would like to try a float session it costs £50 or you could book yourself the Intro 3 x floats package which is £105, which is just £35 per float!
Website: www.floatworks.com
Address: Floatworks, 17b St George Wharf, Vauxhall, SW8 2LE
Written by Nyla S.
