Floatation Therapy

• TYSONS CORNER ONLY •

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Floatation therapy is a powerful tool for wellness, relaxation, pain relief, lack of sleep, jet lag and intense workouts. Floating is extremely effective in calming the mind, which greatly accelerates the body's ability to heal itself from the rigors of modern life.

Our Float Rooms

Ninotch Tysons Corner has two private float rooms, each with an open pool. The pools are designed for both an individual or a couples float. Each pool contains over a thousand pounds of premium-grade Epsom salts dissolved in just under a foot of water maintained at 94°. A warm float in our pools facilitates the absorption of minerals into your skin, not only replenishing the lost magnesium in the body from stress but also produces increased serotonin (the "Happy Hormone") in the brain.

Our float rooms are insulated from the noise of the outside world, yet let the client control their floating environment. We offer variable lighting and sound options that range from near total darkness and silence to a spectrum of underwater lighting for chromatherapy and underwater music to sooth a floater into sleep. The combination of these elements creates an environment unique to the flotation goals of each client.

The temperature of the water is maintained at approximately 94° to match the average external temperature of the human body. This temperature is known as skin-receptor neutral, meaning the water creates no cues for the skin to report as stimulation.

After each float session the entire volume of the float pools cycles through the powerful UV and micron filtration system a minimum of 3 times each for at least 6 total filtrations. For comparison, the standard for public pool sanitation is a single water turnover every 6 hours! And since our sanitation uses non-toxic, food-grade additives in addition to the filtration system, after a float in our pools, your body will feel clean and soft.

The Benefits of Floating

Our float rooms are designed to encourage your body to take a gigantic mental and physical sigh of relief. As the float calms the body and mind, the production of stress-related hormones drop to almost nothing, our brainwaves lower in frequency to a state associated with mental relaxation and free-thinking, and there is a natural increase in the neurochemicals that correspond with joy. These effects are physiological and may linger for many days after your float.

The Epsom salts themselves (Magnesium Sulfate) are used primarily in the pools to actually make people float, but also come with added benefits that include softening skin and alleviating stress and pain patterns. A float in our pools creates a weightless environment, suspending the body at the water's surface while helping address chronic and acute muscular and joint pain, improve circulation, increase mobility, combat inflammation, aid with insomnia and de-stress the entire body and mind. It is common during a float to have subtle and profound physical releases from tension patterns that have taken root in our bodies and floating after a massage or chiropractic adjustment can be a very pleasant and effective combination.

There are exciting new avenues of research on the benefits of floating including fibromyalgia relief and, according to some recent studies, as a supplement to counseling to help with addiction and trauma. Currently, the Laureate Institute for Brain Research in Oklahoma, is finding floatation therapy to be instrumental in bringing about harmonious changes in problematic brain patterns associated with addiction and anxiety.

Decades of research on meditation has shown the beneficial effect that meditation has on the health of the brain. Our float pools can be set up to create an environment that supports deep meditation in both experienced and beginner meditation practitioners. Interestingly, brain patterns of Zen monks with 30+ years of meditation, deep in practice, have been shown to be comparable to an average person in a good float.

And finally, for our athletes, flotation therapy can improve clarity of mind, quicken reaction time, and aid in recovery in many modern physical training regimens. The New England Patriots, Chicago Cubs and Stephen Curry are just a few of many organizations and athletes utilizing floatation therapy as part of their training programs.

While floatation therapy is not a panacea, it is a powerful addition to almost any healing focus and synergistic with many of our other services.

NINOTCH FLOATING ESSENTIALS

Floating is best on a light stomach, with no caffeine or other stimulants. Everyone is different, but generally we recommend a light meal one hour or so prior to floating. Why? One of the goals during a float is to let go and sink into the experience, thus encouraging the body to stop scanning the environment. This leaves the body with more resources available for internal processing and healing. The full benefits of floating may not be realized if this time is used for the body to process a big meal right before a float.

We recommend not shaving or waxing before floating. The salts dissolved in the water can sting irritated skin for a good portion of the float.

Try not to drink a lot of fluids just before coming in for a float. Please don't de-hydrate yourself, but, instead, think of it like a long car ride during which you don't want to have to pull over and go to the bathroom.

Although you should wear what you find comfortable, you do not need a swimsuit in our pools. Bathing suits are unnecessary in the private float rooms and clothing can get in the way of a good float.

NINOTCH FLOATING RULES

We want you to have an amazing and safe experience floating at Ninotch and request that you acknowledge and agree to the following information and policies.

No drugs or alchohol before or during your float. We also ask that all clients abstain from smoking for at least 2 hours before floating. We reserve the right to deny access to our float rooms based on our assessment of a person's physical state and ability to safely use our float rooms.

No floating with infectious diseases or with open skin wounds. While infectious diseases cannot survive and propagate in the float pools, the restriction is to protect the environment around the pools and to maintain an exceptionally clean facility.

A shower with soap is required in the float room prior to entering the float pool.

Clients with prior history of seizures must disclose their condition to us, be on medication, have a note from their doctor saying they are safe to float and float with a companion monitoring their float.

Individuals under the age of 18 must have a legal guardian present to float.

For the ladies, your know your body best. If it is your moon time and you are at risk of the release of menstrual fluids, we ask that you please reschedule with no cancellation fee.

We have a $2,500 cleaning fee for our each of float pools. Voluntary or involuntary release of bodily fluids, communicable or infectious diseases, oils, creams, and hair dyes in the float solution that require the complete draining of the pool and complete salt replenishment will trigger the cleaning fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this sanitary?

Yes. For many reasons. We start with premium grade, locally sourced Epsom Salt. Approximately 1100 pounds of salt in just under a foot of water depth creates "the high salt effect," to inhibit the growth of most pathogenic organisms right away. The float environment also receives very little artificial light and zero sunlight, which discourages many other organisms from growing. Also, since we require a shower with soap before the float, the amount of impurities coming into the pool is kept to a minimum. On top of those natural safeguards, we have installed a rigorous sanitation and filtration process. In between each float session every ounce of the float pool passes through the powerful UV system and micron-sized filter 3 times each for a total of 6 filtrations! By comparison, the standard for pool filtration is a single turnover every 6 hours. Finally, we also keep a residual of hydrogen peroxide in the pools while maintaining very strict standards on the chemistry of the water and the conditions of the filters. Our water is crystal clear, smells great and when you come out of your float you may notice how clean you feel. Epsom salt is amazing stuff, and human bodies tend to love it.

What if I am claustrophobic?

We designed our open float rooms with this in mind. While float tanks or pods offer some distinct benefits, our open float rooms offer a different experience. In our float rooms, you have full control over the environment, including for music and lights and you float in an open room. We invite everyone to come in and see what our float rooms look like if they are concerned about being claustrophobic.

Every time I try to float in a pool or at the beach I sink. Will I sink in the float pools?

You will float in our float pools! If not, then you are not human and we offer to submit your body to research. In all seriousness, the 1000+ pounds of Epsom salt dissolved in our pools make the water close to 10 times more salinated than the ocean. Your body is pushed to the surface like a cork. Your eyes, nose, and mouth remain above the water level while your ears are underwater. For your ears, we provide earplugs as part of the float.

How long should I float?

Over time, you will develop your own relationship with floating. While 60 or 90 minutes may sound too long to some, you may find that it takes some time to really relax and get into the sweet spot. Some floats are perfect after half an hour. Sometimes 2 hours is just barely enough. You are not trapped inside and are free to get out early if you find it necessary. We find the most benefit is gained by getting into the pools and letting go as quickly and as deeply as possible. Don't worry about falling asleep - that is encouraged. And don't worry about not waking up in time. Lighting and sounds cues will gently wake you to signfiy the end of the session.

How often do you float?

One of the most remedial and enjoyable aspects of floating is that your brain gets to let go of constantly scanning the environment for change, danger, social triggers, balance adjustments, and so much more. During your first float, however, you are in a whole new environment your body has not experienced since fetal life and your mind may take some time to assess the surroundings and let go. This is why we recommend that those new to floating give it at a few tries to "get it". Research has shown that the benefits of floating increase with frequency. One float a month may work for you, for others, once a week is great, and some choose to float a couple of hours every week.

Can pregnant women float?

Absolutely! As Momma's body gets heavier, floating is a great relief from the changes to the body and the pull of gravity. Also, we have heard from expecting mothers a feeling a greater connection to the baby during and after floating. We do suggest that pregnant women inform their physicians and/or midwives and get their opinion prior to floating. And please be extra careful getting in and out of the float pool.

MORE INFORMATION ON FLOATING WHILE PREGNANT:

A short blog on floating through all stages of pregnancy. Written by Des Moines' Fadeaway Floatation Center owner Talia Chaffee.

Visual explanations of some popular body positions for pregnant floats. Written by Leah Pellegrini for Float Tank Solutions.