Visit Iceland and it won’t be long before you experience the Nordic country’s favorite pastime: floating. A veritable hotbed of geothermal activity, the country has more than its fair share of naturally hot water, perfect for soaking in the steam. In fact, daily public bathing is so popular that Iceland's more than 120 public swimming pools - located in every town, no matter how small - become de facto centers of community life and wellness, from swimming and relaxing to socializing, Even political campaigns, everything. . (Mayors also enjoy a dip.)
Most recently, the famous Blue Lagoon (Iceland's most iconic pool, founded as a spa in 1992) has introduced true floatation therapy into its aquatic offerings. Of course, this is slightly different from the more traditional method of floating, which involves lying (floating) in the water inside an enclosed pod. But the idea is the same: When you lie weightless in lukewarm water, you enter a meditative state and gain similar benefits to regular meditation.
Since I happened to be in Iceland, I thought why not try a wellness approach in an outstanding destination like the Blue Lagoon? Next, we’ll detail the benefits of flotation therapy and what it’s like to experience it in such stunning and nutrient-rich waters.
What is floatation therapy?
Flotation therapy is not new and is actually becoming more common. In 2011, there were 85 flotation centers in the United States; today, you'll find more than 550. In traditional therapy, a person floats independently in pitch-black silence, usually in a room or pod filled with Epsom salt water.
“Float pods offer a unique experience that includes zero sound, zero light and zero gravity,” said Mandy Rowe, President of True REST Float Spa. "Every floatation therapy experience is different, but for most people, after the first 60-minute session, they experience deep relaxation and some often fall asleep," Luo said. If you continue to do this regularly, the results will increase with deep relaxation and stress relief. And all you have to do is... lay there.
Benefits of Floatation Therapy
By cutting out outside stimulation and creating sensory deprivation, the idea is to encourage individuals to enter a state of deep relaxation or even trance, reducing stress, anxiety and depression while improving sleep and optimism – a bit like intense meditation in which your hair will Become healthier. wet.
As Rowe explains, this cold state gives your brain a chance to recover (you know, from everything that happened in your life that caused it to speed up). "This affects mental health and physical health," she said. While being completely immersed in a dark pod may sound stressful, Rowe emphasizes that everyone can control their own experience. "This means they can create the environment that is most relaxing for them," she said. "For example, the float pod doors can be opened or closed. They can turn lights on or off, or listen to music, guided meditation or binaural beats, creating the perfect environment for flotation sessions."
Risks of treatment
Generally speaking, flotation therapy is safe for everyone, and side effects are rare. That said, anyone with a contagious disease or open wound should also avoid flotation tanks, as well as those with a serious fear of small, enclosed spaces. Some people may feel nauseous after the first treatment, but this is unlikely.
Floatation therapy at the Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon's flotation therapy brand takes a different approach to trendy therapies. Rather than leaving guests to their own devices, the spa pairs guests with a trained "floating therapist" who guides them throughout their treatment and performs personalized body massages — such as stretching, pulling and Gentle massage. Here, the focus is on body and mind, as the experience is designed to improve muscle recovery while reducing anxiety and stress—all in the mineral-rich waters of the Blue Lagoon. (The lagoon’s unique geothermal seawater is rich in silica, algae and minerals, bioactive elements with rejuvenating and nourishing properties.)
"Because of the weightless state of floating, all muscle groups can relax simultaneously and the joints are freed from all tension," says Chad Keilen, a massage therapist who oversees quality and product development for Blue Lagoon wellness products. "This causes increased blood flow throughout the body and any affected areas, and releases endorphins, which block pain signals in the body, causing it to create a deeper sense of relaxation." Beautiful scenery doesn't hurt either. harm.
my experience
Admittedly, when I first went to experience float therapy at the Retreat Spa at the Blue Lagoon in April, I was skeptical. (How soothing would it be to be held in a bassinet like a baby for 45 minutes?) After putting on my specially designed Flothetta hat and stand (they help you float easily and comfortably in the lagoon), I was ready. My therapist covered my eyes with an eye patch, and the eye patch blocked out most of the noise—so even though I wasn't in the tank, my senses were noticeably numb. During the treatment, I could vaguely feel what Karen calls "stimulation techniques" - which reminded me of someone wearing exfoliating gloves on my legs - and a stronger wiggling motion for release. Tightness in the spine is called "free spine."
There are unique benefits to getting help from a massage therapist while floating. "Because the client is floating face up on the water, the therapist has a distinct positional advantage and is able to effortlessly support the client's head and sacrum from underwater," says Karen. "The therapist is then able to release and lengthen the spine in gentle back-and-forth wave-like motions." In a more traditional pod, your body floats in whatever position you find most comfortable.
Except for the moments when I was gently guided through stretches, the Blue Lagoon-branded floatation therapy felt very slow and hypnotic—I think of it as the ASMR of spa treatments, leaving me with a relaxing and pleasant tingling sensation. The only hard part? When it's all over, step away from the warm geothermal waters and expose yourself to the cold Icelandic air.
Research references:
Feinstein, J. S. (2018). Examining the short-term anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of flotation rest. PLoS One. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5796691/
Kellgren, A. (2014). Beneficial effects of sensory isolation therapy in flotation tanks as a preventive health intervention—a randomized controlled pilot trial. BMC Complement Alternative Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4219027/
Loose, L. (2021). Randomized clinical trial of flotation-restricted environmental stimulation for the treatment of chronic pain. Complementary and alternative medicine. JAMA Network Open. 2021;4(5):e219627. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.9627
