Lifestyle

June 8, 2018

Just Ask Jaime: Should I Try a Sensory Deprivation Tank?

Jaime Schmidt answers your questions about a natural lifestyle

Pitch black. No sound. No smell. Not really anything except you, a tub of water, 800 pounds of epsom salt, and the depths of your mind. Those are the basics of a sensory deprivation tank session (also known as isolation tanks and float tanks). Often described as an experience of “intense relaxation”, float tanks are a therapeutic exercise in re-setting your mind and body. Said to help relieve you from a variety of symptoms like muscle aches or restlessness, floaters tend to seek out sensory deprivation for a boost in creative thinking or just to lay still for 60 to 90 minutes during their often “too busy” lives.

Having recently ventured into a float tank for the third time, we asked Schmidt’s Founder Jaime Schmidt what her experiences have been like to see what the wellness hype is all about.

Woman looking back at camera with the words Just Ask Jaime written out

What was the impetus behind wanting to try your first float tank?

Everything I had read and heard about float tanks was so intriguing. Any opportunity to let go of the outside world and be fully present inside myself is an experience that I’ll welcome with open arms, any time. I was so curious what it might feel like to be void of all sensory stimulation. Even with traditional meditation techniques you’re still subject to smells, sounds, lights, and temperature fluctuations. With the float tank, all of that is gone. I imagine it to be the closest thing to an out-of-body experience. It’s hard for me to understand why someone wouldn’t want to try it!

What’s in a float room?

The room that holds the tank doesn’t have much more than a shower – you’ll definitely want to wash off the layer of salt after the float. There are also some float “accessories” like ear plugs, as some people find the water in the ears very uncomfortable. You might also find a pillow to bring into the tank to support your neck while floating. Keep in mind there are different types of tanks. Not all are enclosed spaceship-type vessels, which is the only style I’ve experienced. Some are actually larger open spaces, more like pools.

How long are you in there for?

All the floats I’ve done have been 90 minutes. I have zero concept of time while in the tank. The place where I go also has a 2 1/2 hour late night float, which I always think would feel so weird to come out of. For me, I’m on a completely different level after the float, and it’s almost difficult to drive. Emerging from the tank in the wee hours of the morning would be nuts.

(left) Sensory deprivation tank at Float On in Portland, OR; (right) Just *some* of the 800lbs salt used to fill each float tank

Photos courtesy of Jaime Schmidt

What’s it feel like when you’re in the tank?

At first you are very aware of the situation. Like, I’m in a tank of water in the pitch dark and I’ll be here for the next hour and a half. It’s kind of fun to be literally floating on water. I usually bounce around for a bit at first. Beware the saltwater in your eyes or nose, as it STINGS! (just don’t touch your orifices.) It doesn’t take long before you start to lose yourself.

What do you even think about for 90 minutes?

The beginning part of the float feels kind of like you feel when you’re laying down to bed for the night, but you’re not really tired. For a minute you wonder if you’re going to get bored. But as you lie there and allow yourself to relax, something magical begins to happen. Deeper into the float I’ll have fleeting moments of remembering where I am and I’ll feel like hell yes, this is AMAZING. I couldn’t feel more relaxed. Some people experience revelations or insights or sparks of creativity. For me, it is more of an incredible release of all things mental and physical.

Were there ever moments of panic?

Yes. During my first float I was very conscious of where the door was. I would push it open with my foot to make sure I knew how to escape if needed. Imagine a space that barely fits the length and width of your body with outstretched arms…kinda like an oversized coffin. Sometimes your body will turn a little, which I found kind of freaky since I needed the door to be exactly where I remembered it being. With more experience, the panic factor definitely goes down.

How does it feel when you get out?

At the end of the float, music begins to play to help “wake” you gently. The first thought is, oh jeez, I don’t want to move. Then you have to figure out how to shower, get dressed, and emerge into reality. The ambiance at the place I float is really chill, and the employees don’t try to talk to you when you’re done, so you can slip out unnoticed. And you pay ahead of time, so there’s no awkward transaction happening when you’re in your post-float zone.

Within 24 hours, did you notice any physical or emotional changes?

I tend to slip back into normalcy pretty quickly. I think if I made floating more of regular practice, I could get a more measurable benefit from it. But, I definitely do have moments of craving that solitude and feeling of surrender I’ve only experienced in the float tank.

Jaime Schmidt, founder of Schmidt’s Naturals, is not-so-secretly a health guru. Whenever we ask questions — from what does ashwagandha even taste like?, to what’s the best seat to pick on a long flight?—group consensus is always to“just ask Jaime.” And answers she has. We thought, if Jaime has the solutions to our questions, maybe she could answer yours, too. Submit your questions for Jaime in the comments, or tweet @TheNaturalMag (Opens in a new window) with #JustAskJaime.

The Natural

Just Ask Jaime: Should I Try a Sensory Deprivation Tank?

Jaime Schmidt answers your questions about a natural lifestyle

What was the impetus behind wanting to try your first float tank?

What’s in a float room?

How long are you in there for?

What’s it feel like when you’re in the tank?

What do you even think about for 90 minutes?

Were there ever moments of panic?

How does it feel when you get out?

Within 24 hours, did you notice any physical or emotional changes?

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Just Ask Jaime: Should I Try a Sensory Deprivation Tank?

Jaime Schmidt answers your questions about a natural lifestyle

What was the impetus behind wanting to try your first float tank?

What’s in a float room?

How long are you in there for?

What’s it feel like when you’re in the tank?

What do you even think about for 90 minutes?

Were there ever moments of panic?

How does it feel when you get out?

Within 24 hours, did you notice any physical or emotional changes?

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Change the way you think about natural deodorant.

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