About Time: You Floated Yourself HappyBy Lallie Fraser

Do you ever feel completely overwhelmed in London by the sheer speed at which everyone and everything seems to operate. There is constantly a hundred things to be doing and feelings of anxiety can creep up very quickly and easily. How nice it would be to be able to find a little haven somewhere in the middle of London, just to switch off, even for a little bit?

Here’s another question. Have you ever wondered what it felt like to go back to the womb? (bear with us on this one). A feeling of complete comfort, warmth, with no fear of the outside world because you’re cocooned in a warm, safe place.

If you answered yes to one or both of the above, then you need to know about float tanks, currently being championed in London by Floatworks. A phenomenon that was started in the 50’s by an eccentric American neurophysiologist, float tanks are undergoing a bit of a revival in the UK, as their wellbeing effects are being hailed for all sorts of reasons…. Stress, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, athletes are using them to help cure injuries and everyday people are using them to help with meditation and general wellbeing.

The aim of the game is complete sensory deprivation, while floating in Epsom salt waters. Despite the initial tendency to want to hold your head up and strain your neck, once you close yourself into the tank, there is an amazing sensation of melting into the water, so salty that all you can do is float. I was so relaxed, I even fell asleep. Scary in a normal bath, utterly blissful in a float tank because it means you’ve really switched off and relaxed.

For all you millennial readers out there, we’ve been proven to be one of the most stressed out and anxious generations, but we are also more likely to be more open to try new methods to change that status quo. Floating for an hour regularly has been proven to decrease stress levels and improve general happiness. Just saying.

Floatworks is based 1 minute away from Vauxhall tube station and has just launched Christmas Gift Cards, for a quirky present for a friend of family member:

• Single Float Gift Card, £40 (20% off usually £50)
• 3 x Float Gift Card, £100 (25% off usually £135)
• 5 x Float Gift Card, £140 (30% off usually £200)

To purchase a Floatworks Christmas Gift card, go online here. Otherwise, check out their website here.