Floating and Float Therapy:
At first impression the idea of “float therapy” and “floating” might seem strange, I know it did to me! However, I am always interested in finding new ways to relax and be present. Therefore, I was curious to see what this therapy that seems to be gaining so much attention was all about.
What it is
First let me explain what float therapy is. Float therapy uses 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt, 10 inches of water, and a “float pod” a bath you lay in, all to help you experience weightlessness. Floating in the pod feels similar to floating on your back in the ocean. However, the higher concentrate of salt makes your body feel even lighter and there are no waves to crash on your face! Something I found interesting about the float pods is that the water is heated to the same temperature as your skin. What’s crazy about it is that it makes it so you cannot feel where the water starts and your skin begins!
My experience
I had my first floating experience at the Freeze & Float spa in Chicago and it was pretty amazing. It was like nothing I had ever done before, and that I want to recommend to others. (If you mention my name, Ziba, you can actually get 10 dollars off!) I felt better in so many ways after leaving the building, and after doing more research I now understand why. Float therapy has a ton of physical and mental benefits that I didn’t even realize going in.
The Benefits
Float therapy has a lot of physical benefits. It increases blood flow by helping your body and joints relax, strengthens your immune system, and finally the Epsom salts help speed up the recovery time your body needs after intense workouts/training. Being a dancer myself, I was really excited to hear about the physical benefits of float therapy. I am often sore after my classes at Mazi Dance Fitness, and I think float therapy would be a useful tool to ease my muscles! Floating is also great for helping you fall asleep better at night. My sister even told me that she thought she slept better than her own baby the night after our floating experience! All in all, I can confidently say that it was a welcome escape where it was impossible to hold a phone😊
Cryotherapy:
What it is
Another type of therapy that is becoming increasingly popular and I think is worth talking about is whole body Cryotherapy. Whole body Cryotherapy is a treatment where you go into a tank (Cryrosauna) for 3 to 5 minutes that uses liquid nitrogen to reach temperatures from f -90 Celsius (-130F) to -120 Celsius (-184F) to cool your body. Cryosaunas are great for inflammation and are similar to how athletes use ice baths to heal!
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to experience whole body cryotherapy during our day at Freeze & Float spa. I had just gotten over being sick and was worried my immune system wouldn’t be able to handle the cold. After finding out the exact temperatures of the Cryosauna I realized it was probably a good choice!
The Benefits
Preliminary research shows that Cryotherapy has many physical benefits. It alleviates muscle and joint pain, helps with athletic training recovery, promotes weight loss, and reduces signs of aging. A fun bonus is the cryosaunas are pretty cool looking too:) While I’m not sure whole body cryotherapy is for me it is definitely something to look into!
Infrared Therapy:
What it is
On the complete other side of the spectrum you have Infrared therapy that uses heat instead of the cold! An infrared sauna is a type of sauna that uses light to create heat. Infrared saunas are similar to normal saunas in a lot of ways. They produce the same results such as increased heart rate, sweating, and the release of toxins. They do all that, but at lower temperatures than regular saunas by heating your body directly instead of heating the air around you. Infrared saunas are actually a more effective detox than regular saunas as well. Apparently in traditional saunas you sweat about 3% toxins, but in infrared saunas you sweat around 20%! This is because they produce a different type of sweat. The best analogy I can think of is feeling like you are sweating in a desert versus a rain forest.
My Experience
These types of saunas are more accessible to people like me who can’t stand the heat from the stifling steam and humidity of a regular sauna!:) You feel the infrared sauna heat your body in a different kind of way. However, I still decided to do 30 minutes in the sauna instead of the regular hour. My chiropractor and friend recommended that if I were to do the infrared saunas on a more regular basis (a couple times a month) that I do the infrared chair instead. With the chair your head is out so it is not exposed to the heat. It is pretty intense so I would recommend the same to anyone interesting in making it part of their routine!
The Benefits
Infrared saunas have other benefits such as helping you de-stress, relieve sore muscles, improve skin complexion, and burn calories. Sauna lovers and non-sauna lovers alike, this might be an experience you’ll want to try out!
Make sure to check out this and this for more wellness tips! XO, Z
