The high concentration of Epsom salts in the water allows people to stay buoyant - like in the dead sea. Photo / Supplied
The high concentration of Epsom salts in the water allows people to stay buoyant - like in the dead sea. Photo / Supplied
When dealing with the stresses of modern day life, a health and lifestyle tool growing in popularity is one that has been around for decades and used for pain relief and to help relax the mind and body - floatation tanks.
Also known as isolation or sensory deprivation tanks, they are being used more frequently at places like health spas and at physiotherapy clinics.
Modern floatation tanks look like an egg-shaped hot tub with a lid. The completely dark and soundproof tank is filled with body temperature warm water that contains 500kg of Epsom salts allowing people to stay buoyant in the water.
As the water temperature is similar to that of the body, it makes it almost impossible to know what part of the body is in or out of the water. The first tank was developed in 1954 by American neuro-psychiatrist John C Lilly.
In Hamilton, assistant physio for the Gallagher Chiefs rugby team and director at Lifestyle Physiotherapy, Teresa Te Tamaki says that spending an hour in this kind of sensory deprivation is, relaxation wise, equivalent to four to six hours of sleep.
"It minimises activity in the brain, meaning areas of the brain which are normally overloaded with light and noise during the day, are not processing as much information. It is a way of distracting the brain which helps to switch off allowing mind and body to fully relax."
Spending between 45 minutes to an hour in a float pod can allow mind and body to fully relax. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
Floating is often used as pain relief and for better sleep, but also for its benefits for mental health. "Floating can bring heaps of relief. It can help with stress, anxiety, insomnia and chronic pain as well as increasing mental clarity and reducing pain and stiffness," she says.
Teresa has been involved in rugby, as a player and physio, for a long time and heard of floating for the first time through the women's rugby sevens. "Two of the girls had a bad knee injury and posted a photo of them in a floatation tank on Instagram with the hashtag #rehab as they used the float as one part of their recovery. I was curious because I hadn't heard of it before, so I started looking into it."
Through her research, she realised floating is not only for athletes, but it would be good for everyone. And she started giving it a go herself. "I was studying in Auckland then. It was a very stressful time for me with sports, work and uni, so I started floating - and I had the most awesome sleeps afterwards."
Teresa now has her own physiotherapy clinics in Hamilton and Ngāruawāhia and in 2017, the Hamilton clinic received its own float pod. The pod alone can cost up to $35,000.
Assistant Physio for the Rugby Chiefs and Director at Lifestyle Physiotherapy Teresa Te Tamaki floats herself. Photo / Supplied
"We often get asked whether we change the water between customers, but that is not possible. We only do a complete water change once a year. It is still hygienic, because we have a filtration system that includes UV light, a micron bag which is 100 times smaller than a human hair and hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine."
The Epsom salts also naturally inhibit microbial growth and reproduction. Through this system, the water is filtered at least three times between sessions and overnight.
Teresa's float customers come from the most different backgrounds. "Athletes use it pre- or post tournament. But we also have an air hostess, kids and guys in their mid-30s with high-stress jobs coming in. Everyone can do it, even the people who struggle to float in a swimming pool as it is impossible not to float due to the high concentration of salt."
Lifestyle Physiotherapy receptionist Jade Sutherland says she also sees lots of pregnant women coming in. "They mostly do it for their pelvic and lower back pain and tummy aches. They say in the float, they can't feel their belly and it's pretty much the only time they are pain-free."
However, Jade says when floating for the first time, it would take the body a little while to get used to it. "The first 20 minutes or so, you usually spend trying to figure out what you are comfortable with."
Teresa says some people struggle to relax during the first float. "It can take a bit to be able to totally switch off. But it is really different and also depends on why that person floats. Once you floated a couple of times, you get a feel for it and you can estimate when it can help you - you don't have to do it every week."
Jade says that some customers swear on it and would come and get an acupuncture afterwards. "We have some regular floaters coming in every two weeks, but also some who float every month."
One customer floating for the first time when Waikato Herald spoke to Jade and Teresa, is Matthew James, 25. He suffers from insomnia, stress and chronic pain in his back and left leg after a motorcycle crash five years ago.
The float pod is very safe, even for people with claustrophobia - there are no locks on the tank and you don't have to close the lid. Photo / Supplied
"I tried a lot of pain relief methods, but nothing really helped so far. Then, I heard of floating and thought I would give it a go. I was excited, but also a bit nervous because I'm not used to doing nothing for such a long time."
After his first float, Matthew agrees with Jade and Teresa. "It took me a while to relax, and at first it was a bit uncomfortable. But as soon as I set my mind to it, it was great! I couldn't even feel my bad leg, and after some time I even forgot I was in water. It felt like being on a cloud."
Teresa says that most of the feedback she receives is positive. "Some customers use it as a treat, a bit like a massage that is good every once in a while, but not on a regular basis."
All in all, she says the float isn't as busy as it could be.
"It is big in the US, but still quite alternative here. There are so many people out there who don't know about it, so we want to educate and raise awareness for it. Especially because stress and anxiety pops up so much more these days due to the constant availability thanks to our phones."
Float therapy is not covered by the Accident Compensation Corporation as a standard part of an individual's rehabilitation. However, there is work under way to get floating more formally recognised and Teresa is currently looking into ways of helping to get some of her clients funded.
