Let me preface this post by sharing that I am terrible at floating in big bodies of water. I tend to tense up and don’t find it calming in the slightest. When Immerse Spa opened, the person in me who loves trying new health trends loved this concept and the other person in me who panics in deep water was not really down. I was conflicted. But the more I read about the health benefits, the more intrigued I was to give it a try.

If you haven’t heard of Immerse Spa (located on Gardiners road) yet, let me share a few details with you. First, it’s locally owned (#supportlocal), and the concept is that an hour floating in the 7 x 4 foot epsom salt bath dome will rejuvenate you to the equivalent of a 4-6 hour sleep and help melt away stress. It also helps detoxify the body, increases blood circulation and helps manage chronic pain, among other benefits. Sounds pretty good, right? I decided to take advantage of an opportunity to give it a try. Here, I share my experience with you.I arrive about 10 minutes before my float time to get the play-by-play. Julia shows me to my room and explains that I should take a full shower before getting into what looks like a water-filled dome that belongs in outer space. After a quick introduction, I am left to float. I take a shower (a line of peppermint body and hair wash products are supplied – nice touch) and hop in. The water is a perfect temperature – not too hot or cold – just right. I slip in, close the dome and try to calm down. It’s actually impossible not to float so I am pleasantly surprised by the ease of my weightlessness. Over the next hour a series of events happen in my mind, I am at first very relaxed by the sound of my breathing and heartbeat. And then I start to think, “Wow, you’re great at relaxing. Good one, Tianna.” And then I think, “If you’re consciously able to comment on your ability to relax, are you even relaxed?” that’s when I realize that my shoulders are not relaxed in the slightest and try to do my best savasana aka my favourite yoga pose. For a little while I let my mind float away and almost fall into a sleep. Out of the blue I decide there’s no way I haven’t been in here an entire lifetime. Surely the jets that are meant to lull me out of my zone are delayed. So I cheat and get out early when I check my phone I see I only have four minutes left. Safe to say, relaxing can be hard. I emerge from my room ready to try step two of the process — the oxygen bar. Julia hooks me up with nasal tubes and there are three scents as well as one non-scent to choose from that pump air in through my nostrils. The oxygen bar does a nice job of perking me up and is meant to refresh the blood stream and eliminate toxins.

I can share that I did feel quite relaxed the rest day and had a solid sleep that night. I think for people who have hectic schedules, can’t find time to relax or suffer from anxiety, this is a great way to shutdown for an hour and have quality “me time.” I also think relaxation is a trained skill that takes practice and will likely take more than one trip to perfect. If you’re not one to float, don’t worry, if I can do it so can you.

Keep up with Immerse  Spa:  Follow Immerse on Facebook, Follow Immerse on Instagram, Follow Immerse on Twitter