Imagine being immersed in a near–zero gravity sensory deprivation chamber or a peaceful soak in a warm salt bath—floating combines both. An isolation tank is filled with up to 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate), so guests are buoyant in a near–gravity free environment, as if swimming in the Dead Sea. At most float spas, the water temperature is set around 94 degrees, about the temperature of your skin, which blurs the sensation where your body and the water touch. Float spas encourage a completely dark room and the use of earplugs for total sensory deprivation. Among the benefits: reducing stress, alleviating pain, and quieting the constant buzz of modern life.
The trend is growing locally, with four float centers opening in the past two years and another on the way in early August. Here's a look at the latest:
Father and daughter psychiatrists Drs. V.J. and Zinia Thomas are about to open a new take on the floating business model. After treating hundreds of children with such disorders as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD, Zinia turned to natural treatment alternatives. Radiance Float + Wellness offers a menu of alternative healing services and detox tools, including cryotherapy, salt therapy, whole-body vibration, IV nutrient therapy, an infrared sauna, and an oxygen bar. Radiance Float + Wellness is slated to open in late July. 1760 S. Brentwood.
After opening its first location in midtown, in 2015, F.LO.A.T. STL expanded west with a second location in Maryland Heights. It places special emphasis on the interior experience of floating, addressing how floating offers the opportunity to observe and quiet one’s mental chatter. With Bali-style décor, a staff draped in Mala beads, and hot tea offerings, the experience extends beyond the tank, with a reverence for floating as a spiritual practice. F.LO.A.T. STL offers customized spaces for floating. 3027 Locust, 127 B Weldon Parkway.
Serving the St. Charles region, Serenity Now touts the medical benefits of floating. Serenity claims that floating reduces gravitational pull by 80 percent, freeing the body to do deep repair and healing work, including the decompression of joints and the spinal column. Its website also outlines benefits for those experiencing such aliments as fibromyalgia, back and neck pain, and arthritis. The float center offers a variety of floating experiences and packages, as well as far-infrared sauna sessions. 7760 Winghaven.
Presence Float Center & Spa STL
“Your floating experience comes from within you,” notes Presence Float Center's website. The spa emphasizes that achieving personal wellness can be difficult in a world of constant distraction, and floating offers an antidote. The facility has freestanding pods (with the option to leave the pod door open and the lights on for those who struggle with claustrophobia). 233 Lamp & Lantern Village.
