Isolation tanks were first developed by Dr. John C. Lilly in 1954.
During his training in psychoanalysis at the US National Institute of Mental Health, he experimented with sensory deprivation in an attempt to remove all sensory input from the mind. Today’s float tanks are marketed towards relaxation and in many cases, they’re big tubs in small rooms.
However, back in the day, the tanks looked straight out of a horror movie. Also, because the tanks weren’t big, they required special machines to supply air. Other scientists had said that sensory deprivation tanks would induce a comatose state and cause hallucinations. But on the contrary, Lilly found his experience relaxing and rejuvenating.
Below is an excerpt from the website floatcalm.com, that summarizes very well the origins of sensory deprivation tanks:
“While the military was studying “Sensory Deprivation” as a way to control the mind, Lilly was studying it as a way to free the mind. Without input into our nervous system from the outside world, scientists didn’t know how our consciousnesses would be affected. Some people even thought that if stimulus coming into your nervous system is reduced, you would immediately fall asleep, go in to a coma or even die! Lilly didn’t believe any of that so he took an old navy diving tank, heated the water to what he called “skin receptor neutral”, blacked out a diving bell and used himself as the guinea pig. Initially he thought he was going to panic or go mad, but much to his surprise he found that he actually felt very relaxed, even euphoric and started giggling to himself. This wasn’t at all what was “supposed” to happen. Puzzled by his findings, he started further research on what came to be known as R.E.S.T. or Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique.”
The very first float tank center was opened in Beverly Hills in 1973 — which sparked a high demand for float tanks. A few celebrities that jumped on the float tank bandwagon train were Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams. In 1980, the float tank industry came to a halt with the rise of AIDS. The general public was concerned over sharing water in pools and spas, which caused a shortage of clients in the float industry.
In the early 2000s, float tanks made a comeback in the wellness community, but they still weren’t widely used. In the 2020s, they’re being more recognized. We’re constantly inundated by the media to do self-care for our body and minds with practices like yoga and meditation. But if you want to take it up a notch, sensory deprivation is a must-try. As of today, although most people know what a sensory deprivation tank is, not many have actually experienced it.
Here’s a really cool picture of various illustrations of Float Tanks on the market
As a first timer, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was very excited to try it! The tanks are filled with Epsom salt and magnesium, and the tank is set at skin temperature (about 95 F).
Some get anxious at the thought of floating in the dark. But most of the tanks today, as opposed to the ones that were first developed, are actually very spacious rooms with tubs inside and high ceilings. You won’t feel claustrophobic! And if you don’t want to float in the dark, all the tanks are equipped with underwater LED lights and a starlight ceiling. Additionally, they all play calming music throughout the session to help you deepen your state of relaxation.
What are the benefits of floatation therapy?
Here are a few:
Increases relaxation
Improves sleep
Boosts physical performance (Sensory deprivation tanks are used by many athletes for recovery)
Reduces anxiety
Promotes cardiovascular health
In popular culture
Floatation tanks have been featured on The Simpsons in the Episode “Make Room For Lisa” (1999), and Season 1, Episode 7 of Stranger Things (2016).
Legendary singer John Lennon swore by float tanks because it aided his heroin addiction.
How to prepare for your float session?
It is advised to not shave 48 hours before your session because the water contains about a thousand pounds of Epsom salt. Keep this in mind if you have any cuts!
When you lie down, avoid splashing water in your eyes and be careful when sitting up or getting out. If you accidentally get water in your eyes, all the tubs have a sprayer with saline solution. I wore my hair down, but looking back, a swim cap would have been better. My head weighed so much when I tried getting up, so I had to gently lift it with both of my hands.
If you don’t want to use a swim cap, make sure you don’t use any products on your hair to avoid disturbing the PH of the water.
In all the sensory deprivation pictures you can find online, people are obviously wearing bathing suits. But the best way to maximize your results is by wearing NOTHING! If you’re floating and you’re wearing a bathing suit, your brain will feel the physical contact. The point here is to transcend the body.
At all the places I listed, there are showers. Make sure you rinse well before and after! Especially after. When I left Quantum Clinic, most of my face was white because of the salt! You will see the white cast after you’re dry – so rinse thoroughly.
All places offer a neck rest. Since our heads are not used to floating, your neck may feel uncomfortable at first. I personally had a lot of tension in my upper back, so I used the neck rest during the first half of the session at Quantum Clinic. But the more time I spent in the tank, the less uncomfortable it became, and at one point, I put it back outside the tank. That’s the magnesium doing its wonders!
All the tanks have controls where you can light up the ceiling in different colors. I personally like to float in the dark. There is always a hint of light in the tank anyway so when I got up, it wasn’t like I didn’t know where the controls were.
Wear the ear plugs they give you to avoid getting water deep in your ear canal.
If you’re worried about the cleanliness of the water, after your session the water is drained and replenished.
In conclusion, the only way to know how it feels is to experience it for yourself!
I want to give special thanks to Kristin from Quantum Clinic, Artha Spa and Into Me Sea for offering me complimentary sessions in exchange for my reviews.
Quantum Clinic
2828 Newell St Suite 6, Los Angeles, CA 90039 (Frogtown)
Quantum Clinic was the first place I stopped at, and I couldn’t be any happier! I really enjoyed my experience as a first-timer there.
Quantum Clinic prides itself on offering cutting-edge healing practices. The clinic opened in 2023 in Frogtown, one of my favorite neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
I love how calm and peaceful it is! You’re right by the LA river path and the clinic is surrounded by gorgeous greenery where you can hear the chirping birds. Inside, the design is very aesthetically pleasing and it brought me a sense of relaxation.
Besides floatation tanks, you’ll also find a type of frequency therapy called Scalar Upgrade, which is done by laying on a waterbed listening to a different set of frequencies. It’s like dry floatation therapy. In addition, Quantum Clinic also hosts wellness events.
Before your session, you will have a guided meditation. This is what the girl who walked me through the space said:
“We’ll walk you through the room first to lower any anxiety. We also do a meditation with a body-scan for 5 minutes to ground you before you go back. The clinicians that do this are all clinically trained to help you do this.
You’re going to listen to the frequencies while you’re there. It gives a hum vibration to lower stress levels. There are speakers under the water. You can turn the frequencies off if you choose to, but if you keep them on it’s better.”
My experience
Once I shut the tank door, a female voice welcomed me to my experience. I felt like I was in a Black Mirror episode!
Imagine if you left your body and only your brain was able to function. That’s how we operate all the time, always thinking, always onto the next thing. The best way I could describe my experience would be like watching a movie through my brain. I was the observer. Mental pictures kept popping up. I couldn’t stop them. It’s impossible to shut off your brain because we’re always thinking. You always hear in meditation classes that you’re the observer. But here, I had a more acute sense of this given the fact that I lost the sense of gravity. Do you know that feeling when you can’t sleep and it’s all pitch black? It was the same, but I didn’t feel my body. Sometimes, my body would come in contact with the pod, and that’s when I briefly snapped out of my trance state. Other times, I would realize that I had drifted to the other side of the pod. Unlike what is typically depicted in the media, I did not hallucinate or see weird figures like Lisa Simpson did.
When I came out of the trance state, I felt a little disoriented, which is completely normal. “Where am I?” I thought when I came back from my trance, but this only lasted for a few seconds before I came back to my senses. Just try not to panic or splash water. Remember that you’re in a safe space.
After
After my session, I felt an immense amount of drowsiness. Do you know when you spend a whole day at the beach? Swimming and lying under the sun? You’re tired and covered in sea salt. That’s exactly how I felt! I was so tired and all I wanted to do was sleep. Philip from Into Me Sea (another place on this list), said that it’s because of the magnesium. “Float tanks are great for people that have insomnia because it knocks them out,” he said. I read about magnesium and all the amazing benefits it has, but I didn’t know that it is a natural muscle relaxer. My body definitely felt it after being in a tank for 45 minutes! Surprisingly, this extreme tiredness did not happen in my other two following sessions. But if you’re a first timer, I would suggest booking your float session at night.
When your session is over, the same female voice that welcomed you in the beginning will let you know.
After I was done, the girl that walked me through the meditation asked me about my experience and mentioned that some people fall asleep. When you’re done, you’re more than welcome to lounge in their arts lounge, which is a communal room where you can drink tea and try out some arts and crafts to stimulate your mind.
Note: If you’re familiar with mindfulness meditation, or you meditate on a regular basis, the experience should be peaceful and relaxing. If, on the other hand, you’ve never meditated before and you’re easily anxious or claustrophobic but you still want to give it a try, I would recommend this place if you want someone to guide you every step of the way.
If you have your float therapy session in the morning, after you relax in the lounge room, I encourage you to take a walk along the LA River Path, and perhaps if you’re in the mood to grab a bite, stop by my favorite vegan bakery in LA, Just What I Kneaded!
Quantum Clinic: Website and Instagram
Into Me Sea
1812 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404
This was the second place on the list that I went to. I had been there before to write about my experience using their infrared sauna. The space is so welcoming and you’ll feel a deep sense of relaxation when you walk in.
Philip, my guide, was from a city near Paris and had been living in LA for 10 years. We chit-chatted while my room was being set up. He talked to me about his personal experience using the tank and the great benefits of it. Before your session, they’ll hand you an iPad that will play a video on what to expect.
As opposed to the other float places in LA, at Into Me Sea, the rooms, besides having the floatation tank, also have a small infrared sauna box and a cold plunge! In order to reap the maximum benefits, it is advised to use the three of them, but not mandatory. I still have yet to work my way up to the cold plunges!
After my initial rinse, I sat in the sauna for a few minutes before going into the tank. As opposed to Quantum Clinic, my mind was already used to being in a confined space, and it didn’t take that long for me to get into a meditative state.
Into Me Sea: Website and Instagram
Artha
8873 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
12169 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604 (recently opened)
For a few years, Artha has been an invitation-only wellness club on the Sunset Strip: infrared saunas, cryotherapy, floatation therapy, yoga and meditation classes. With an upcoming location in Studio City, Artha now offers memberships to the public. I went to the Sunset location on a Sunday morning.
Out of all the places I’ve been, the atmosphere was the least inviting and warm. I read on an article that Artha’s dark aesthetic is meant to soothe and promote serenity, but I didn’t feel it. I’m not saying you won’t have a great session! At the other places, there’s a lot of light that radiates through the space, and that certainly had a different effect on me prior to going to the tank.
At Artha, the reception area wasn’t that big and there were only a few chairs for people to wait.
After my session, the girl gave me a tour of the space. There are two float tank rooms, and they were only a few feet away from the reception area. Most people that walked in went either to the classes, cryotherapy or infrared saunas.
The infrared sauna rooms, of which there are many more, are in a more secluded area. Then, the yoga room is further in the back.
Just like Quantum Clinic and Into Me Sea, inside the tanks you’ll find a light control switch and the female voice will welcome you to your experience.
Overall, I enjoyed my session, but the center is catered more towards infrared saunas, cryotherapy and classes. When I checked in at the reception, the rundown of the float tanks was very brief. It was nice, but I wouldn’t recommend it to a first-timer. I’ll definitely go back for their infrared saunas, though!
Pause
Multiple locations (West Hollywood, Venice, Brentwood, South Bay)
I’ve been to Pause a few times for their amazing infrared saunas. If you’ve never been to Pause before, you should know that they take their aesthetic really seriously! The design is beautiful, modern and inviting. The rooms are very spacious, designed to deepen your relaxation to the next level and encapsulate your experience. It truly is a wellness sanctuary!
The tanks at Pause are oval shaped pods with a very modern design. In all the videos I’ve seen, the sleek pods look extremely inviting with the underwater LED lights. This is a very modern twist on the original tanks.
Pause is one of the most famous spas in LA. They’re so high-end that they even use Le Labo products in their showers!
Just Float (Pasadena)
76 N Hudson Ave #120, Pasadena, CA 91101
Just Float Pasadena has been open since 2016. It is currently temporarily closed, but I thought I’d add it on the list since it’s one of the very few specialized float tank centers in LA.
Just Float: Website and Instagram
Floatspace (Long Beach)
415 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802
The only specialized float tank business in Long Beach, Floatspace, opened in 2020. The space is only dedicated to sensory deprivation tanks, which is even better!
FloatSpace: Website and Instagram
There are more places in LA that offer float therapy sessions, but I looked at some of them and the atmosphere seemed very uninviting and, dare I say, a little scary, with bright fluorescent lights that looked like you were in a hospital.
It’s so important to choose a place with a pleasant atmosphere!
Here concludes my post! I hope you enjoyed reading it and hopefully, it encouraged you to try float therapy. If it’s done on a regular basis, the benefits of float therapy will do wonders for your mental and physical health. However, one session is enough to feel the difference!