FLOAT TANK ADELAIDE

A comforting and relaxing practice, Floatation Therapy (FT) involves lying in a private, spacious pod designed for suspension in 30 centimetres of water accurately warmed to body temperature. There is 580kg of pharmaceutical-grade magnesium sulfate dissolved in the water, allowing you to suspend freely in full relaxation. The result is a feeling of calm weightlessness, as the sensation of your skin against the water becomes unnoticeable.
White float tank at Fast Twitch's Recovery Suite in Adelaide
 

WHY FLOAT? THE SCIENCE

Although the term "Sensory Deprivation" may seem frightening, it actually refers to the absence of excessive stimuli and distractions. In today's world, we are bombarded with constant information and activity from various sources, which can be overwhelming.

This continuous exposure to sound, light, touch, electronics, appointments, and responsibilities disrupts our natural sleep-wake cycle. It causes our stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, to fluctuate unnaturally.

  • This results in chronic stress that if unaddressed causes damage to brain regions responsible for; learning and memory, emotional regulation, attention, executive functioning and higher order processing - aka the “CEO” of your brain. Neuroscientists are considering this addiction to hyper-connectivity to be harmful in many ways. The foremost reasons being; constant attention shifting uses up the fuel required to maintain focus, splitting attention during study recruits new data to be kept in incorrect and inconvenient places in the brain - meaning that later recall becomes difficult and inefficient and the system of reward/pleasure chemicals become reliant on ever increasing stimulation as each hit of dopamine we receive becomes less satisfactory over time. In short, we inherently suck at multitasking in a world that rewards and encourages it and we are becoming increasingly unhealthy - physically, mentally and emotionally - because of it.

    Sensory deprivation has been shown to lower these damaging cortisol levels. In a recent study, people who floated eight times in two weeks saw their cortisol decrease by 21.6 percent. They also showed a 50.5 percent decrease in cortisol spikes during stressful situations.

    Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body and is necessary for energy, to utilise glucose within the body, for muscle contraction, nervous system function, protein synthesis, bone development, the balance of ions within cells and for nearly all hormonal reactions.

    The Australian Bureau of Statistics suggests that 1 in 3 people do not meet the minimum daily magnesium requirements.

    Prolonged soaking in Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) has been shown to effectively increase blood magnesium concentrations. Transdermal magnesium, meaning absorption through the skin, is the preferred method of increasing magnesium stores as edible variations of the mineral can cause digestive discomfort. High doses of magnesium from oral supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhoea. In addition, the magnesium in oral supplement form can interact with some types of antibiotics and other medicines.

    Magnesium works to successfully calm the body and mind by inhibiting ACTH (the hormone released by the pituitary gland that tells the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol) [8] and it also works to fight insomnia by increasing sleep efficiency, sleep time, sleep onset latency and enhancing early morning awakening.

    For athletes looking to increase performance or those looking for better muscular adaptations to exercise, studies have shown the more active you are, the more magnesium you need.

    There have been demonstrated positive associations between magnesium levels and grip strength, lower-leg power, knee extension torque, ankle extension strength, maximal isometric trunk flexion, rotation, and jumping performance. Another way magnesium benefits athletic performance is through reducing/delaying lactate accumulation in the muscle. This suggests benefit to the growth of muscular endurance as well as faster post-exercise recovery rate.

Float Tank Adelaide

Preparing For Your Float Tank Therapy Session

Perfect preparation is definitely not something to be neglected. Continue reading our top tips for a perfect float tank therapy experience below.

  • Arrive at least 10 minutes before your appointment time to avoid feeling rushed. You’re here to relax and unwind!

  • We suggest you avoid shaving for at least 12 hours before your float session.

  • Avoid eating a heavy meal, drinking diuretic beverages or stimulants like coffee or tea.

    • Arrive at least 10 minutes before your appointment time to avoid feeling rushed. You’re here to relax and unwind!

    • We suggest you avoid shaving for at least 12 hours before your float session.

    • Avoid eating a heavy meal, drinking diuretic beverages or stimulants like coffee or tea.

    • Note that wearing a bathing suit is not required in the pod. Wearing a bathing cap isn’t recommended because the saline solution will still permeate regardless and washing your hair will be necessary with or without.

    • If your hair is very long or thick, you may choose to use a complimentary hairnet so your focus can remain on the float.

    • Complimentary earplugs are also offered. These are reusable, so please keep them clean and safe for future float use. Stay hydrated before and after your appointment

    • Try not to schedule anything arduous for the next few hours following your appointment - it is highly likely you will leave feeling very euphoric and relaxed.

    • We even encourage following up this precious time post-float with a blissful BrainTap session immediately after in the float lounge to capitalise on your open and mindful nature during this time.

PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF FLOAT TANK THERAPY

  • Improved blood sugar regulation

  • Lowered blood pressure

  • Decreased muscle soreness

  • Enhanced sleep quality

  • Enhanced recovery from training and competition

  • Lowered stress hormones

  • Regulation of electrolytes

  • Improved circulation

  • Increased endorphin release, nature’s pain killers!

  • Reported improvements in symptoms related to ADHD, arthritis, PTSD, addiction, asthma, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines and more!

 
Man floating in a Fast Twitch float tank in Adelaide.

We help busy and stressed workers find stillness, so they feel more balanced

Discover a more peaceful you

  1. Book A Float - allow for 90 minutes

  2. Read pre-float instructions we send you

  3. Float laying still

  4. Enjoy a peaceful post-float glow for the days following

Woman listening to calming music in earphones.

MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF FLOAT TANK THERAPY

  • Increased levels of dopamine and serotonin production (your brain’s feel good chemicals)

  • Reduced anxiety, depression, stress and symptoms related to burnout

  • Enhanced learning and memory capabilities

  • Improvement in mood Increased focus and concentration

  • Increased creativity and enhanced feeling of euphoria

  • Used in studies successfully as treatment for poor self-image, smoking cessation, food addiction and phobias 

  • Relief from sensory overstimulation

  • Reported subjective experience of increased optimism, energy and positive affectivity

 

Local Clients Experience With Float Tank Therapy in Adelaide

"Had another float at Fast Twitch today; I've gone there several times since I adore it!" It was definitely what I needed to unwind after a long week at work.

Every float becomes better and better; the more I do them, the easier it is to turn off and drift away into the most soothing mental state. I'm never sure if I'm awake or dreaming... it's the strangest sensation.

I recommend Fast Twitch over any other float experience in Adelaide to any new or experienced floaters considering it."

- Margaret Bailey

ADELAIDE FLOAT TANK PRICING & PACKAGES

To really unwind and explore what the practice can do for you, it is critical to commit to a minimum of 3 floats to begin, as each will build upon the last. We recommend you book them relatively close to each other as well (no longer than a week apart). Firstly, you will come to know what to expect of a session and your body and mind with practice will learn to release quicker without much effort on your part as you become more accustomed to floating and begin to crave the after effects.

Membership Type Price
 Casual Float Tank Therapy Session $45
10 x Float Tank Therapy Sessions $400
Weekly Float Tank Membership - $35 p/wk $35

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR FLOAT TANK THERAPY IN ADELAIDE

FREQUENTLY ASKED FLOAT TANK THERAPY QUESTIONS

  • Yes! Pregnant women specifically can benefit greatly from floating - though we do request that you wait until past your first trimester. We recommend checking with your Doctor before booking.

    As you progress in your pregnancy, the float tank can relieve the muscle strain and constant feeling of pressure by creating a buoyant environment where you can finally escape many of the discomforts of pregnancy. In fact, floating may also lead to a reduction in cramps, constipation and oedema. There is even some evidence to suggest that symptoms of anxiety, depression, fatigue and poor sleep postpartum can be eased with continual visits.

    Lastly, there is a cut off at 37 weeks, as there is caution not to induce labour whilst in the pod.

  • Nope! Your pod is completely private and the experience of floating in perfectly temperature controlled water is enhanced by being in the buff. As this environment feels like zero-gravity, any clothing at all can feel heavy and distracts from the experience. However, if you’d still like to wear swimmers, you may.

  • Absolutely. Prior to your session you will be shown how to control your entire experience. This alone often helps to calm anxieties around a first float. Your experience is yours and yours alone - the door itself is easily open/shut from the inside and you can choose to keep it open or closed. There is also an internal call alarm and light within the pod and you can control whether you’d like to float with the lights on or without. You may get out of the tank at any time, at your leisure.

  • The high saline content of the water makes people so buoyant it is extremely unlikely to sink below the surface of the water. Even after getting settled, it takes a large amount of effort to touch the bottom of the float tank. Please be aware some discomfort may occur if the salt water gets into your eyes. If sedative medication or drugs/alcohol are taken prior to or during the float, this can increase the likelihood of drowning and is therefore strictly prohibited.

  • There is some evidence that magnesium can affect blood glucose. It is important if you are diabetic to talk to your GP. Please see our list of other contraindications prior to booking to ensure your float is the very best experience you deserve.

  • Yes! You have complete control over the cover. You are in full control of your experience at all times.

  • You don’t want to be starving, or too full, when you have your session, as your stomach’s noises will distract from the experience. A light meal two or so hours before your session is fine, just be sure not to drink anything but water - no energy drinks, alcohol or caffeine.

  • It depends! People find that different times of the day produce different floats. You might go deeper late at night, or during mid-afternoon (“snooze time”), or if you want to stay a little more alert, you might avoid those times. It’s good to explore different times to see what works best for you.

  • Absolutely this is possible - however, as a brand new experience, you may have a little trepidation that could translate to your first float not being as blissfully relaxing as it could be that comes with future trust and experience. For the greatest change to your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing, we recommend making floating a habit. Just like visiting the gym! Evidence suggests that the beneficial effects of floating are cumulative, meaning the more you float, the better you are going to feel over time. The values obtained from studies suggest that most people would find maximal benefit for ailments by bathing 2 times per week.

  • Generally this is no problem. Some people, though, do come out of the tank in a very trance-y, sleepy altered state, and need some time to come back to normal before being ready to drive. We encourage you not to be in a hurry to get out the door after your float.

  • To really unwind and explore what the practice can do for you, it is critical to commit to a minimum of 3 floats to begin, as each will build upon the last. We recommend you book them relatively close to each other as well (no longer than a week apart). Firstly, you will come to know what to expect of a session and your body and mind with practice will learn to release quicker without much effort on your part as you become more accustomed to floating and begin to crave the after effects.

  • It goes without saying - no bodily fluids in the tank. No urination, defecation, mucus, spitting or anything else. Failure to comply will cost the negligent floater $1500 - which is the cost to drain the tank, sanitise and fill with new salt, and more than a day of cancelled appointments it will take to dissolve and warm the fresh solution.

  • Yes, but you're not submerged in water, you don’t eat small ritualistic mushrooms, and only a small percentage of floats turn into proto-human monkeys.

  • Absolutely. You can’t float together in the same tank., but you can book floats one after the other.

  • Yes! You can definitely enjoy a well-deserved float if you are breastfeeding. However, we recommend feeding or expressing as close to your session time as possible.

  • The high salt levels in the float water protect the tank environment from harmful bacteria. The float water is also filtered using both a hydrogen treatment and a hospital grade ultraviolet light system designed to filter the water of a 65,000L swimming pool. The pod will run the filtration cycle three times automatically between each session. In addition, floaters are asked to shower before and after their float every visit, without exception.

  • The only recommendation is to avoid shaving 12 hours before your float. The salt water of the float tanks can be very irritating to newly shaved skin. We do offer a beeswax ointment as a barrier cream for customers to cover any small scrapes or cuts. Best practice is also to avoid any stimulants (ie. coffee) prior to your float, so you can easily unwind and reach the deepest state of relaxation possible.

  • It is suggested you remove your contact lenses, as it might be unpleasant if salt water gets into your eyes. It's always a good idea to bring your lens case and solution.

  • The water in the float tank will come up past your ears. We recommend using ear plugs, which are provided free of charge. Cotton swabs are also provided in case you get water in your ears.

  • The water is warm but not hot. We keep it as close as we can to skin temperature, 34.3°C. That allows you to float as long as you like without getting chilled or overheated, and it’s neutral for your skin temperature receptors so you won’t even really feel it’s there.

    Some people come expecting the water to be hot like a bath or a jacuzzi, and it’s not. If you take a very hot shower before entering the tank, it can even feel cool. To ease your transition into the tank we suggest you try showering a little cooler than usual. If you do get chilled in the tank, or you’re worried you might, let us know. Not everyone runs at exactly the same body temperature, and there are adjustments we can make to adjust this.

  • Sure! Just book two (or more) floats back to back. We’ll leave you undisturbed to float right through. You’ll get the extra half hour of what’s normally cleaning time between sessions as a bonus, so a double float is 3½ hours, and a triple is 5½ hours.

  • There is some indication that magnesium (from the salted water) can affect your blood glucose. If you are diabetic, please consult your doctor before floating. We’ve prepared a fact sheet about floating to help health care providers make decisions: Talking about floating with your doctor.

  • The air inside the tank is warm (low 30s) and quite humid. Some people’s lungs may not be comfortable with that, while others find it actually beneficial to their breathing. You may know what your lungs prefer – please try if you like. If you’re unsure, let us know, and if it doesn’t work out we’ll be glad to reschedule or refund you.

  • No, your skin doesn’t even prune up! You will even emerge with softer skin than you had before hand.

  • There is no wrong. You’re alone in a private room and no one can judge you. Just do what’s comfortable and let your body relax.

  • Floating has been around since 1954 and is backed up by hundreds of published research studies—no woo-woo here.

  • Yes, the minimum age to float is 18 years of age.

  • Nope. Some people fall asleep, but the water is so buoyant you stay afloat. The worst that can happen is getting woken up by a bit of salt water in your eyes.

 

 Read more about the benefits of float tank therapy at Fast Twitch.