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Stressed out? Now you can float away in Milton Keynes

Send stress packing with a trip to Floatation Life

Imagine blocking out all the stresses and strains of the daily grind, the feeling of complete tranquillity and escapism. Imagine floating on a cloud - that’s the experience you get at Floatation Life. The new family owned business in Crownhill launches this Friday and is set to bring a new dimension of relaxation to people in Milton Keynes.

The Mayor and Mayoress on their visit to Floatation Life

It is the latest trend in alternative therapy through sensory deprivation that allows people to disconnect from the intense digital lifestyle. Floatation Life has two of the most advanced floatation tanks in the world.

 

Each tank is filled to just 10-inches in depth of water containing 25% solution of Epsom salts (Magnesium Sulphate) – more than the Dead Sea –allowing the body to float and reach a sense of complete relaxation.

 

“There is no experience like it,” says Natalie Welham, Centre Manager of Floatation Life. “The tanks are extremely large and, once inside, you lay back, relax and simply float. This sensation removes any pressure points on the body and gives nearly the same sensation as being gravity free.

 

“Technology today means that we’re constantly on the go, always reachable and can hardly ever escape from the pressures of modern life. The need to disconnect is more important than ever and the Floatation Life experience from start to finish gives just that.” On arrival, customers are invited to remove their shoes as the journey begins. The private floatation rooms can be found at the end of a softly lit corridor where guests can change and get into their tank. The one hour float begins.

From: http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/health/stressed-out-now-you-can-float-away-in-milton-keynes-1-771....





Family launches region’s first floatation centre

By

MK Pulse Magazine  www.mkpulse.co.uk/family-launches-regions-first-flotation-centre

8th January 2017

New floatation centre will leave you floating on a cloud

Imagine blocking out all the stresses and strains of the daily grind, the feeling of complete tranquillity and escapism. Imagine floating on a cloud – that’s the experience you get at Floatation Life.

The new family owned business in Crownhill launched in December and is set to bring a new dimension of relaxation to people in Milton Keynes. The Mayor and Mayoress of Milton Keynes were invited to be the first to see the new venture.

Floatation Life is one of just a few floatation therapy centres in the UK – the latest trend in alternative therapy through sensory deprivation that allows people to disconnect from the intense digital lifestyle.

Floatation Life has two of the most advanced floatation tanks in the world. Each tank is filled to just 10-inches in depth of water containing 25% solution of Epsom salts (Magnesium Sulphate) – more than the Dead Sea –allowing the body to float and reach a sense of complete relaxation.

“There is no experience like it,” says Natalie Welham, Centre Manager of Floatation Life. She adds: “The tanks are extremely large and, once inside, you lay back, relax and simply float. This sensation removes any pressure points on the body and gives nearly the same sensation as being gravity free.

“Technology today means that we’re constantly on the go, always reachable and can hardly ever escape from the pressures of modern life. The need to disconnect is more important than ever and the Floatation Life experience from start to finish gives just that.”

On arrival, customers are invited to remove their shoes as the journey begins. The private floatation rooms can be found at the end of a softly lit corridor where guests can change and get into their tank. The one hour float begins.

“Some people fall asleep and others just rest and let their mind wonder,” Natalie adds. “We have already take dozens of bookings even before we’re officially open and the support in Milton Keynes has been fantastic. We can wait to fully showcase Floatation Life.”

After the experience, guests have their own private shower and changing facilities as well as a vanity room with hairdryers and mirrors. The journey ends in the post-float relaxation room, where guests can rehydrate on massage chairs, listen the relaxation music and even pick up a colouring book.  

The Floatation experience lasts 1 hour 30 minutes for new customers. Visit www.floatation.life for more details or call the team on 01908 969470.


What are the benefits of Floatation therapy?

Well-Being;

The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. Feelings of contentment, enjoyment, confidence and engagement with the world are all a part of mental wellbeing and floatation has been linked to help users achieve many of these through regular floatation.

Lying in a pod, isolated from all external stimuli such as sound and light helps, in theory, turns off the sympathetic nervous system (the part of the brain which keeps us alert and on guard) and allows the parasympathetic nervous system (the part of the brain which helps us relax and be creative) to take charge allowing you to:-.

  • Feel deep relaxation and calm

  • Alleviate both physical and mental stress

  • Feel rejuvenated and refreshed

  • Improve your sleep pattern

  • Encourages the production of endorphins (the feel-good factor)

Mental Health;

Our constantly “switched on”, 24/7 lifestyles give us little time to truly relax and reflect. With many of us dealing with pressures and commitments such as balancing work, family and social lives, we have become numb to our feelings and senses, living in an almost automated state.

This can cause numerous issues such as unnecessary stress, feelings of unease and lack of focus on the more important things in life. The sensory deprivation that occurs during floatation can help rest the mind and aid clearer thought processes, allowing us to deal with life just that little bit better and to enjoy the good moments more.

Benefits.

  • Helps improve concentration and clarity of thought

  • Increases creativity

  • Improves problem solving abilities

  • Helps with stress relief

  • Aids deeper levels of meditation

  • Relieves overactive minds and mind-sets

 

Physical Health;

 

Physical health is critical for overall well-being and is the most visible sign, our bodies can show, that all is not well. Modern life often makes us push our bodies further and further, from the general everyday tasks such as working to the more extreme ones such as exercise. Having the energy available to start with is one thing, but it is important to be able to recover from what we put ourselves through so we are ready to go again.

Floatation is a very effective way to help our bodies rest and recover. The effect of floating in near weightlessness and absolute comfort, plus our body’s absorption of the essential nutrients from the high concentration of Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom Salts) is the ideal environment to help muscles relax and improve our blood circulation, relieving the symptoms of pain and helping the process of recovery.

 

Benefits.

  • Aids the rehabilitation and recovery of the body

  • Reduces headaches and chronic pains, such as arthritis

  • Improves blood circulation

  • Decreases blood pressure and heart rate

  • Can aid physical performance

  • Enhances the immune system

  • Flotation can aid the following conditions;

  • Severe and chronic headaches and migraines

  • Lower back pain

  • Stress disorders

  • Depression and anxiety

  • Arthritis

  • High blood pressure (hypertension)


Float My Boat

We asked personal trainer and health guru Duncan O’Brien, to dive in and then write up his floatation tank experience

                                                                                                                          ‘It’s a little bit like trying to tell someone about an awesome movie without spoiling the ending’

I'm the first person to put my hand up to try out something new, especially if it involves relaxing in water. We first heard about this rather unusual way of relaxing a few years ago when a young, insightful entrepreneur called Lee dropped some exploratory questionnaires into the gym, asking if we would speak to our clients about their potential interest in using a floatation tank.

It was certainly something we would want to encourage our clients to do as a way to balance out busy working days. In fact, I don’t think I’ve met a person in the North East who wouldn’t benefit from some deep rest, relaxation and regeneration.


As it turns out Lee only had his first float in 2013. He was so inspired and energised by the experience that he wanted more, and he wanted it locally. Unfortunately, the specialised tanks are expensive to privately own and there were none in Newcastle.

We didn’t hear much more for a while but thankfully, behind closed doors, he was grafting away and in mid-2016 launched the Driftwood Float Spa. Today I had my first float and it was well worth the wait.

While showering after my one hour in cocooning darkness I was contemplating how I would share my experience, and even if I should at all.

It’s a little bit like trying to tell someone about an awesome movie without spoiling the ending. But actually I’ve been unable to resist telling everyone about it, there were some who immediately went for it, but I have heard a few doubters so let’s get the excuses out of the way first...

Scared of the Dark? Leave the mood lighting on. Can’t swim? You float – it’s so salty it does all the work for you. Zero effort.

What if I fall asleep and drown? You’d have to try pretty hard to turn over and would soon wake up with the salty water in your mouth.

Isn’t it claustrophobic? You can leave the lid open and it spacious in there.

I don’t like water? That’s a shame as your body is made of the stuff, but really it feels more like the most amazing mattress than being in water especially with it being around body temperature.

I don't have time? How many box sets, beers or comfort food sessions do you sit down to in the name of relaxation? This is true relaxation, a break from the normal not more of the same.

After being shown to the float suite someone explained how it all works (then he left). It runs like this: seven minutes for toilet, undressing and showering. Enter the floatation tank, close the doors yourself (with the option of internal light on or off). Float for 30 minutes with music and 30 minutes of silence. Music returns to signify the end, shower, get dressed, cuppa and a relaxed conversation about the experience.

I won’t lie, it took about 40 minutes for my thoughts to calm down. I didn’t stop myself from splashing around when I first got in. I tried turning onto my front, closing my eyes and holding my nose to avoid salt intake. I experimented with a variety of arm positions and finally settled on the starfish.

Once I finally let go it was expanding bliss, somewhere between floating in the most amazing bath (without the bubble) and pure weightlessness at the height of a trampoline bounce. At the magic moment just before returning to earth someone pressed pause and I was gently held in total peace. Neither hot nor cold, just still and at ease.

Afterwards my muscles felt great and my skin smooth. I did have a hair do more bouffant than usual – but it was well worth it.

So ask yourself this ... when was the last time life felt effortless? If you enjoy yoga, massage, meditation, pilates, stretching, Alexander technique or Bowen this is already right up your street.

If you love/endure intense exercise and working out this can bring you back into balance as the magnesium works its way in, helping you to recover. It is a bit of an alien environment, but I’ll be encouraging everyone to have their first float.

Amazingly, the night before going to Driftwood my wife had a scan, and we saw our baby floating effortlessly, free from gravity – a perfect environment to grow and explore.

Driftwood Float Spa, Heaton
0191 209 6298
www.driftwoodfloatspa.co.uk

Published in: December 2016                                                             http://www.livingnorth.com/northeast/health-beauty/float-my-boat



I tried out a floatation tank to help my anxiety

Hattie GladwellSaturday 10 Feb 2018 1:06 pm

 

 

For anyone not in the know, a floatation tank is basically a giant pod filled with water and Epsom salts, which allow you to float.

I experienced my first session in a floatation tank at Floatation Life, a family run business in Milton Keynes.

Their tanks are filled with 400-450kg of Epsom salts, also known as magnesium sulphate, which allows you to float unaided.

The tanks are said to have many mental and physical health benefits, and are used for all kinds of reasons.

Some people use them to soothe sore muscles, while others use them as a form of therapy, as they offer a deep sense of relaxation.

How do floatation tanks work?

Your body absorbs the magnesium through the skin. It’s required in more than 300 enzyme reactions within the For anyone not in the know, a floatation tank is basically a giant pod filled with water and Epsom salts, which allow you to float.

I experienced my first session in a floatation tank at Floatation Life, a family run business in Milton Keynes.

Their tanks are filled with 400-450kg of Epsom salts, also known as magnesium sulphate, which allows you to float unaided.

The tanks are said to have many mental and physical health benefits, and are used for all kinds of reasons.

Some people use them to soothe sore muscles, while others use them as a form of therapy, as they offer a deep sense of relaxation.

How do floatation tanks work?


·       Your body absorbs the magnesium through the skin. It’s required in more than 300 enzyme reactions within the body.

·       Your body is evenly supported by the water with no pressure points and no discomfort, causing your blood pressure to drop slightly.

·       The tanks offer a sense of relaxation. As they’re completely isolated, you’re given the ultimate ‘me time’.

·       You are in total isolation, with nothing to see, hear, or feel. In this state your conscious mind will switch off and your brain will easily reach the ‘Alpha State’ (relaxed, calm, lucid, not thinking).

·       Some experienced floatees have had their brainwaves measured while floating and it was found that they had reached the ‘Theta State’, a very deep state of relaxation, similar to those a Tibetan Monk trains for years to achieve.

·       This works better than your average spa – as you’re filled with nothing but silence. There’s nobody to disturb you, meaning you can focus solely on relaxing your mind.


I tried the floatation tank for anxiety. I’ve struggled with it recently, my mind constantly racing a mile a minute. I’ve been desperate to quiet my anxious thoughts.

When I first planned to undergo a session of floatation, I was skeptical. I imagined myself simply floating in the water, struggling to switch off my brain. But it worked a treat.

I arrived at Floatation life in the afternoon, and the journey to relaxation started almost immediately.

Firstly, I had my shoes taken off me in replacement for some crocs. Sure, they’re not that fashionable, but they were much comfier than the boots I’d arrived in.

I was told to sit down into a massage chair to start the first part of the relaxation process.

 body.

Your body is evenly supported by the water with no pressure points and no discomfort, causing your blood pressure to drop slightly.

The tanks offer a sense of relaxation. As they’re completely isolated, you’re given the ultimate ‘me time’.

You are in total isolation, with nothing to see, hear, or feel. In this state your conscious mind will switch off and your brain will easily reach the ‘Alpha State’ (relaxed, calm, lucid, not thinking).

Some experienced floatees have had their brainwaves measured while floating and it was found that they had reached the ‘Theta State’, a very deep state of relaxation, similar to those a Tibetan Monk trains for years to achieve.

This works better than your average spa – as you’re filled with nothing but silence. There’s nobody to disturb you, meaning you can focus solely on relaxing your mind.

I tried the floatation tank for anxiety. I’ve struggled with it recently, my mind constantly racing a mile a minute. I’ve been desperate to quiet my anxious thoughts.

When I first planned to undergo a session of floatation, I was skeptical. I imagined myself simply floating in the water, struggling to switch off my brain. But it worked a treat.

I arrived at Floatation life in the afternoon, and the journey to relaxation started almost immediately.

Firstly, I had my shoes taken off me in replacement for some crocs. Sure, they’re not that fashionable, but they were much comfier than the boots I’d arrived in.

I was told to sit down into a massage chair to start the first part of the relaxation process.

 

 

I sat back in the massage chair, and was given a remote so that I could control its functions. I was then given a pair of headphones which played calming music, so that I was able to block off the rest of the outside world for ten minutes.

As I was listening to the music, I was told to watch a screen, which played videos of calming surroundings – at the time, the video played a field of sunflowers slowly drifting in the breeze.

Then I was taken through to the floatation tank.

The floatation tank sat in its own private room, which also had a shower and a table of things such as earplugs – which must be worn in the tanks to ensure no water goes into your ears. There was also some Vaseline, which is to be put on any open wounds so that the salt doesn’t sting them. If, like me, you suffer with dry hands in the winter, you’re going to want to absolutely smother them in Vaseline.

I was told to shower thoroughly and to wash my hair with shampoo to make sure I was getting into the tank totally clean.

The tanks are large, like an oversized sunbed. They have a swinging door, and the roof of the tank is adjustable. So, if you’re at all claustrophobic, you can decide how much you want to close the lid – if at all.

 

 

The lights in the room are operated with sensors. As soon as you get into the tank the outside lights go off, so you’re surrounded by utter darkness.

When I first stepped into the tank, the water felt incredibly silky because of the salts. I closed the door behind me and decided to leave the roof open a little. Even so, the outside lights still went off.

I laid down in the water, and my body began to float.

It was a strange sensation, I can’t describe it as any more than becoming totally at one with the water. It’s not like having a bath or floating in a pool. You’re able to lay your head back, with the water coming up to your cheeks, and you just float.

As I floated, the outside lights went off. At the start of the float, some music played from the tank to tell me that my session was starting. After around three minutes, I was in silence.

At first, it was hard to switch my mind off. I think this was because I was a little anxious. I began to think about my day, and what I had to do after my session was over. This meant the first ten minutes of the session weren’t that satisfying.

 

Eventually, as the session went on, my mind switched off. I was left floating in the water, my body becoming numb as I embarked on total relaxation.

Apparently, some people get so relaxed that they fall asleep – which is totally safe; your body will continue to float and there’s no way you can sink or drown.

I didn’t fall asleep. But this didn’t mean I wasn’t in a state of relaxation.

My session lasted an hour. Though I was wide awake, it went so quickly. It’s amazing how much you lose your sense of time when you’re floating.

As my session continued, I felt the built up anxiety lingering in my mind slowly drift away. For the first time in weeks, my brain was silent.

I was focusing on nothing but my body and the water. Staring up at the tank lid which reflected my body, I stopped thinking, and just focused on my body feeling light in the water.

 

When my session was finally over, the music played again. I was sure my session couldn’t be over – it felt as though I’d only been floating for twenty minutes. But when I got out of the tank, ready to shower the salt off me, the time proved that I’d been in there for an hour.

I couldn’t believe it.

After showering, I felt at total ease. Floating had completely relaxed my mind. In fact, I felt a little tired – not groggy at all – but I was so relaxed that I could haveeasily gone to bed and napped.

Apparently, because of the state of relaxation you can get into floating, it’s not a good idea to simply head off and go about your day. You need time to adjust back to your surroundings.

To do this, you’re walked into another relaxation room.

The room features two large massage chairs – again with a functioning remote – a screen displaying soothing scenarios, bottles of water and some adult colouring books for those who want to relax back in the chair and doodle.

 

I opted to sit in the chair and close my eyes for a little while. It felt like the ultimate pamper session, except I wasn’t having to interact with anyone else – it was brilliant.

For the first time in a long time, I was focusing on just enjoying myself. I wasn’t having to talk to anyone or worry about what someone else was doing. I didn’t have to think about my life or any day-to-day things. I just had peace, quiet, and the satisfaction of floating.

 

I’d really recommend floating to anyone yet to try it. Especially if like me, you struggle with anxiety. While talking therapies are brilliant, this is a kind of therapy where you’re able to not think about everything. You switch your mind off and just focus on relaxing – it’s great.

Even if you don’t have a mental illness, floating is a relaxing therapy perfect for anyone who just wants to indulge in a bit of me-time – which everyone should treat themselves to.

My whole experience was incredibly positive – and I’d be happy to book in again and do it on the regular – which some people actually do.

While it didn’t cure my anxiety – and while I have other means of help including a psychiatrist and some medication – floating just gives you a break from life.

And we all need that once in a while.

 


In Belgium, 10 th March 2018