The promise
To restore balance, soothe aches and pains, add energy to the body and instil a sense of calm through flotation therapy.
The experience
Flotation therapy is widely accepted in the alternative medicine community as a restorative and rejuvenating treatment, so we decide to visit the Point Zero Floatation Center to find out how it all works.
The therapy centre has an almost space-age look when you walk through the corridor, and the blue lighting and white colour scheme immediately make us feel relaxed.
Our therapist guides us to the private room that we will be using for the therapy. She explains the steps of the treatment to us: there is an enclosed flotation ‘cabin’, which is a large bath with lighting and music. There are controls in the chamber to operate the music and lighting, as well as an alarm button to signal the staff.
We are required to shower before the treatment, then get into the chamber and float for one hour before having another shower. The bath is filled with a mix of Epsom salts and magnesium, which help to soothe pained muscles, ease breathing and promote relaxation.
The rooms are equipped with everything one could need – the dials within the cabin, the shower, a bath robe, slippers, a face cloth and spray to use if you get the salts on your face – and all in the privacy of the treatment room.
As we recline into the water, we easily float. At first we feel a little strange in an oversized bath tub floating around, but we quickly realise that it’s soothing to have no pressure on any part of our body and we enjoy the feeling of weightlessness.
After a few minutes, when we are used to the sensation, we fiddle with the lighting and music. The lights can change colour, but we hold it down and switch them off… which we decide instantly isn’t a great idea, so we switch the lights back on and bob around in the water, trying to quiet our buzzing mind.
We lull off into a peaceful sleep before we gradually awaken because our time is up – the music fades and the lights gently blink to signify the end of the session, before the water begins to drain.
We then have a shower to wash away the salts, and this also gives us a bit of a jolt back to life.
The results
We feel serene and calm, like we have just had a massage. We are slightly dizzy afterwards, however this stabilises within 10 minutes. For days after, we do feel more physically and mentally balanced.
The pros
It’s very relaxing, our circulation is improved and we feel calm. The peace and quiet helps us unwind and brings on a meditative state.
The cons
If you get the water in your eyes, it burns. Luckily we are given a cloth and water spray to quickly wipe it away. It can also take a little while to quiet the mind in the water, but once you do it’s blissful.
4/5
Dhs350 for 60 minutes. Point Zero Floatation Center, 12th Street, Khalifa City A (opposite Al Forsan International Sports Resort), www.pointzerofloatation.com (02 445 5775).
