Sensory Deprivation: the Ultimate Savasana

We live in a world where sensory overload is the norm. We are constantly connected, constantly available. It is a rare instance that we get to unplug from everything. Not just phones: literally everything.

I got Josh a float in a sensory deprivation tank for Christmas, and we finally got around to redeeming it. He'd been wanting to try it for a long time (or at least since watching Stranger Things), but I wanted nothing to do with it. I didn't want to be left to my own thoughts with nothing to distract me. My meditation practice has been shaky at best and non-existent at worst (and most commonly). But for some reason, I suddenly felt the calling to give it a shot myself. We went to AniccA Float Club in Naperville where we were greeted by lovely staff and the smell of some amazing blend of essential oils. They took us to our respective rooms and explained the process.

Each tank has 1,600 LBS of salt- that comes out to you floating on 41% salt. When you enter the room, you strip down, shower, and get into the 10 inches of 94 degree salt water that will support you during your hour inside the tank. The door closes behind you, the lights shut off, and you're left with just yourself and your thoughts.

What Happened?

Deep muscle relaxation

After two yoga sessions yesterday, I was feeeeeling my shoulders and back. It takes a little getting used to the tank, to fully surrender to the water and to trust that you won't sink. Inherently, you hold on to your muscles because you're just not used to...not (shout out to our neck muscles by the way for holding up our big ol’ heads day after day). After some adjusting I was finally able to relax, and I started noticing the discomfort in my back less and less. By the time the float was over, I felt nothing at all, and continued feeling weightless for hours afterwards.

Mental Release

As I mentioned, meditating has never been my forte. I've gotten better at letting my mind go during savasana, but my practice builds up to it and makes it more attainable for me. Beyond that, however, I let my surroundings distract me to the point of no return. It’s been a struggle. In the tank, there are no distractions. There’s literally just you. And it’s not as scary as I thought it would be. As I let my physical being relax, my mind slowly started to follow. Once you’ve let your mind surrender to itself, it’s truly an incredible feeling. The first place I felt my mind go was back to my Mercado Ttio, the little market by my house in Cusco, Peru two years ago. I could envision it as clear as day: the individual stands set up by sellers, the little woman from whom I bought an avocado every day, even the exact order of the fruits and vegetables for sale. I envisioned the walk from the mercado back to my house, through the little blue gate which led to the garden, under the pepper tree that we harvested a few times during my time there. Never have I been able to recall a memory with such depth as I did in the tank with nothing else to interfere.

Body Awareness

It’s strange; I didn’t know it was possible to have such a hyper-awareness of my body, yet simultaneously almost forgetting I have a body at all. While my physical body enjoyed the weightlessness of the 1,600 lbs of salt beneath me, the minutia of what keeps me alive were the only sounds to surround me. My deep and even breathing, my heartbeat in my chest, the light pulse in my neck, the soft crackling of my sinuses behind my ears. At one point, my body released completely and my lower back popped - it felt amazing, but the resulting sound seemed astronomical in the soundless-ness. But I digress: it was an indescribable sensation to feel so in-tune with my own body’s inner workings, while the float kept me from feeling anything else.

Ending the Float

The float ended with some light music coming on inside the tank, followed by the light coming back on. Stepping out of the tank, I felt 17 lbs heavier (whether it was because of feeling gravity for the first time in an hour or 17 lbs of salt on my skin, we’ll never know) but it quickly subsided when I rinsed off the salt and got my landlegs back. Back in the delicious-smelling front room, we were given tea of our choosing from a long list (chamomile all the way) and we could relax in our “post-float glow” as they called it for as long as we wanted. We debriefed what we’d experienced and how we felt. It was super cool to see how our experiences differed, but we both felt incredible both physically and mentally. My skin was softer than it’s ever been, my hair was shiny, my achy muscles had calmed down, and I felt a sense of general tranquility that I don’t always get to enjoy.

Overall, I’d say I’m certainly glad I decided to give it a try. It was nothing like I expected it to be, and in a good way! We so rarely get to take time to ourselves, and having a whole hour of uninterrupted self-reflection left me feeling wonderful. Final recommendation: 10/10 would float on a regular basis for my mental well-being. Would recommend to any and all friends.

Has anyone else tried sensory deprivation? What was your experience like?