Do you know about floating?

Introduction to Floating

Dogfish Moon will be the first float therapy business in Kitsap County, so maybe you’re not familiar with floating! Maybe you’ve heard of it, or seen the float pods that are commonly used both privately and in other float centers.

We are excited to be offering the more spacious and beautifully crafted, open-air Ocean Float Rooms.

What is a float room?

A float is a tub with saturated solution of Epsom salt, kept at skin temperature, and provides a light and sound reduced environment. This allows a person to float effortlessly without external stimuli for many purposes, including meditation, exploration, relaxation, mental restoration, physical therapy, and athletic recovery. Unlike self-contained pods and tanks, Ocean Float Rooms are completely open, with private changing and shower space, and are built into the structure of the building itself. They are well heated, ventilated, cleaned, and filtered, with adjustable lights, sounds, and communication for the user.

Health & Safety:

Floating has been around commercially for over 40 years, and as of 2016 there were over 1,000,000 floats run every year in North America. 

Even with such a large sample size, there has never been a reported case of illness linked to float tank use. 

This is due to a combination of factors. A powerful, quiet magnetic-drive pump with high capacity filtration system drains, filters, and refills the salt solution a minimum of 4 times between users. Sterilization is automatic. The salt itself also makes the solution a hostile environment for most micro-organisms, and studies have shown that common pathogens don’t seem to thrive in the solution, with many naturally lowering over time. In addition, users don’t interact with the solution as they would with the water in a pool or hot tub.

As a result, floating itself is a very low-risk activity:

there is a very predictable bather load, people shower before and after each float, children don’t normally use float tanks, and, perhaps most importantly, users don’t swallow the solution, eliminating a very large source of aquatic health risk.

Why float?

Floating is one of the original motivations of our co-founder Frances. She was inspired to bring floating to our community after experiencing its benefits and tiring of traveling to Seattle to float regularly. She says,

“People ask my why I float.”

The first reason is that it is self care, and time to myself that I know supports my overall health and wellbeing. After a float, my body is suffused with relaxation. It’s similar to the effect one feels after a sauna and a massage, or a sauna steam combo: total muscle relaxation. 

But I also know that my brain has had an opportunity to rest, with exposure to beneficial theta waves, so my ability to pay attention at work, my mental clarity and creativity are also deeply enhanced.

When I get to float weekly, after about three weeks I notice that my joints - and their constant reminder of my age - are silently at ease. I wake in the mornings with energy and a wonderful absence of distress in my body. It’s a powerful and accessible therapy that supports me in body, mind, and spirit.