Cryotherapy of the Pines, known previously only as a place to get an ice pack for your whole body, has expanded its offerings to include a float tank.
Float tanks have been used for isolation and sensory deprivation since the 1950s, but they’ve become increasingly popular as a way for everyday people to de-stress and re-connect with their inner selves. There are entire books about people who made serious life changes after a float tank experience.
The body-temperature water, combined with enough salt to achieve zero gravity, is designed to bring you to a state of total relaxation by letting your mind let go of your body — if you can handle it.
Cryotherapy of the Pines added its tank on Jan. 21. This one features 10 inches of water and more than 1,000 pounds of salt. Outside, you’ll find a shower, as you have to wash off any oils on your hair and skin that might mess with the float tank’s filtration system.
Inside the tank, it is pitch black. You can keep it that way, or turn on a colorful light underneath the water or a “starry sky” above. You can also keep it silent, or choose to pump in Cryo’s surprisingly pleasant mix of meditative spa music.
For us (and keep in mind, we’re children), the “star” lights really push the ambiance of this tank to a magical level. The reflection of the lights on the water and the shiny sides of the tank (which you can’t really see in the photo) gave the illusion that we were stepping straight into another world.
The stars also eased us into trying the tank in complete darkness, which is where things get weird. Lying suspended in space, your body becomes an afterthought, leaving your mind to wonder on its own accord. The lines between asleep and awake blur. Depending on who you are, this may or may not be a good thing.
We have yet to have any sort of mental breakthrough in any float tank — but after this one we felt as if we’d just taken a long, relaxing bath, and that was enough.
Oh and don’t be alarmed by the sign — there’s literally no way you can accidentally drown in water that’s safe to sleep in. If you tend to drift off in baths, don’t worry; the staff will wake you up.
Book an experience on their website here.
Have a float tank experience to share? Send it to hello@itsthesway.com
