If you haven’t heard of it before, don’t worry, I never knew what it was until my friend got it for me as a birthday present. It’s called “floatation”, or REST (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique). Float On is the first “sensory deprivation centre” to open in Hong Kong, launched just three months ago (July/August 2015) on Caine Road in Mid-Levels, Central. Since then (September 2015), another has opened in Happy Valley (See Zero Gravity Floatation SPA).
What exactly is “floating”?
Basically you have to get inside a “Dreampod”, naked or in a swimming suit, alone. The Dreampods are filled with 500 kilograms of epsom salt and magnesium in water. The salt keeps you from sinking and your skin from pruning up. Magnesium, meanwhile, is a mineral crucial to our bodies, which studies have shown we don’t get enough of in our diets.
Magnesium helps keep blood pressure normal, bones strong, and the heart rhythm steady (WebMD).
So according to Dave (the facilitator at Float On), floating is meant to provide your body with essential magnesium via absorption through the skin.
Why float?
I accidentally slept through the afternoon before my evening appointment at Float On. Big mistake. The best time to go is when you’re stressed, or when your body needs to recover from strenuous physical activity. I was neither stressed, nor pregnant, nor working out big time. Which made me restless in the pod. But the main reasons why people float would be:
- Athletic Recovery – Floating can be incorporated as a form of pain relief and recovery for athletes, migraines, back pain, neck pain and arthritis.
- Sleep Management – One hour of floating can stimulate four hours of sleep)
- Magnesium Absorption – Floating encourages magnesium absorption which decreases incidences of coronary heart disease, lowersblood pressure, increases quality of sleep, improves cholestorol levels, and reduces stress, etc.)
- Pregnancy Pains – Floating relieves aches and pains through buoyancy, while the epsom salt solution decreases inflammation
Other benefits include deep meditation, slower brain waves, vision (helping your creative process) and increased problem solving ability.
So once inside, you have the option of opening or closing your pod, however you like. You can also open or close the lights, but apparently total blackout is the best. I guess it’s because the point is to remove all forms of stimuli to clear your mind completely.
Inside, your body becomes weightless and every muscle begins to relax. I was a bit scared at first so had the lights on for half of it, and was able to ease into total darkness for the latter part. But I definitely have/had a problem focusing and meditating, my mind was hyperactive after sleeping all afternoon.
Would I recommend it?
It really depends on the kind of person you are. Everyone has their own experience in the Dreampod – some just sleep for the whole hour, some can do four hours inside, some compose music, some meditate, hallucinate, brainstorm… I have only done it once so far, so I think I’ll have to do it a few more times before I can really tell how it is beneficial to my particular case.
How much is it?
Pricey. But I guess you’re paying for the machine investment, the renovation of the place, rental of the space, etc…
Introductory 3 Float Pack (60 minutes each) – HK$1,350
They have different pricing and packages for 60-minute float sessions, 90-minute sessions, and 45-Minute Floats from Monday to Friday during lunch breaks.
Float On HK
Basement (Door Beside 7-11), 89 Caine Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong S.A.R
MONDAY-FRIDAY 7:00 am – 11:30 pm
SATURDAY- SUNDAY 9 am – 11:30 pm
+852 2548 2844 / info@floatonHK.com / www.floatonhk.com
Morena Travels 
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