FAQs

Flotation Therapy

  • We understand that life is crazy!

    Please arrive at least 15 minutes early* if this is a First Float Session and you haven’t filled out the waivers necessary. There is “paperwork” for each brand new session at Sonder but once you have filled it out, you are done!

    If this is not your first time and/or you completed the waivers ahead of time, then arriving 5 to 10 minutes early* is best just so you are able to take a few minutes to wind down before your session begins. You can use the restroom, read, do some deep breathing, recite a mantra, or simply close your eyes. All members may use the lounge before and after their sessions.

    Entering your float room in a relaxed state will maximize your float experience. After your 60 minutes of bliss, it can be jolting to jump right back into the chaos of your day. After exiting your private float room, take time to soak in the experience that you just had: journal, ponder any thoughts that may have come up during your session, or simply bask in the amazing post-float afterglow.

    *If you are late, that time will be deducted from your float session.

  • We have allotted shower time after enjoying your full 60 minutes in the float tank. We expect you will emerge 10 to 15 minutes after your session has ended. We have mirrors, blow dryers*, hair, and beauty products located outside the float rooms so you can finish getting ready outside. This allows us to reset the rooms for the next float sessions.

    If you are unable to exit the float room in a timely manner and we cannot reset the room for the next client, we will have to charge you for the next float.

    *Please provide your own hairbrush/comb

  • We recommend having a light meal or snack a few hours before the float so you won’t be interrupted by a grumbling stomach or won’t be needing to use the bathroom in the middle of your session. Also, avoid caffeine a few hours prior to entering the pod.

  • Nothing! All you need to bring is yourself (though you may want to bring a water bottle to stay hydrated)! You can bring a swimsuit; however, most prefer to float in the nude as material on the body stimulates the senses. You are in your own private room with a private shower and we provide everything you need for your float: towels, earplugs, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. If you need a tampon or an individual make-up wipe just ask!

    For guests enjoying multiple services, we will have a robe, slippers, and tote for you to wear in between your services so you won’t have to get dressed to get undressed again.

  • People with claustrophobia consistently report no problems with floating. Our staff does a very thorough walkthrough with clients: feel free to let them know if you have any concerns or more questions.

    You can float with lights on or off, and music on or off – buttons for these are right by your side. You can also simply keep the pod/door open should you feel the need, and can get out anytime.

    A lot of people who believe they are claustrophobic feel very strongly about not being able to float in the float pod (versus the float room); however, 85% of diagnostically claustrophobic clients feel more comfortable in the womb-like pod because it is not as expansive or “limitless” as the room.

  • It’s totally safe, happens all the time, and will likely be one of the best naps of your life! You won’t miss anything since your body is soaking up all those physical benefits while you rest. Also, we won’t forget about you! A woman’s voice comes on to let you know when your float session is over and when the water starts moving, you definitely know it is over. Studies have proven that one hour of sleep in a float tank is worth four hours of sleep outside of one!

  • Yep. Just use the same protocol you’d use for a swimming pool, if you are comfortable with your flow. If you are not comfortable, we completely understand and we will reschedule your float for another day. It happens to the best of us.

  • Yes: it’s amazing! Pregnancy is probably the craziest, most stressful period of a person’s life. Pregnant women have used floating to relieve the stress on their bodies for decades. If you’re in your first trimester or have any concerns, please consult with your doctor before booking a float. Let your doctor know that the water temperature is around your outside body temperature, so never above 95°F.

  • don’t float while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

    don’t float if you have recently dyed your hair: schedule your session when your hair color has set (typically one week after your coloring)

    don’t float if you have any large open cuts or sores (the Epsom salt will burn it)!

    don’t float if you have a cold or the flu, incontinence, flatulence or hemorrhoids, any infectious diseases, infected skin rashes, are seizure prone or are suicidal.

    don’t float if you are under 16 years of age without a guardian present to sign the waiver

    don’t float if you are postnatal (if you are uncertain, always consult your physician).

    If you have scheduled an appointment and need to cancel with us, please let us know that you are cancelling due to illness.

    If you feel like you cannot physically get in or out of the tanks, you may ask for assistance. We meet ADA requirements; however, the nature of the water and tank design can make it difficult to get in and out.

  • Be without expectations!

    The beauty of Sonder Mind and Body is the services we offer are not only for physical, therapeutic healing and recovery but also for mental relaxation. Floating can allow your mind to go wherever it wants to go with no constraints. Forcing expectations upon the experience will inhibit the natural journey that your mind wants to take.

    Floating is a distinctive experience. Your body is in an environment it probably hasn’t been in since birth. So it may take some getting used to. We tell clients to stretch in the water, try different positions, or push off the sides of the tank in a relaxing rhythmic way.

  • It’s magic.

    Magnesium sulfate is a mineral which has been shown to help detoxify the body, strengthen the immune system, trigger the release of endorphins (happy chemicals), and provide relief from physical, mental, and emotional stress and fatigue.

    Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate and is nontoxic. It can help to soothe your muscles by breaking down the lactic acid that makes muscles sore. It actually softens your skin and may even reduce the look of wrinkles.

    Magnesium is important in that it helps keep enzyme activity regular in your body, and it helps about 312 of your bodily functions to run smoothly. More than half of all Americans have a magnesium deficiency, which is believed to be a factor in a variety of health problems.

    Sulfate also plays an important role in the way in which your body works: It has a role in the formation of brain tissue and joint proteins, and it can strengthen the walls of the digestive tract [Epsom Salt Council].

  • After each float, all the saltwater in the tank is cycled through an advanced filtering process 3-4 times. These filters are fully effective to one micron, which is 100 times smaller than a human hair. In addition, the 1,500 lbs of epsom salt that are dissolved into the water acts as a natural disinfectant. We also maintain a safe level (100 ppm) of hydrogen peroxide, a powerful disinfectant.

    Water sanitation is extremely important to us, so we continually test and monitor it to make sure it is perfectly clean and safe, so you can relax knowing the environment is completely sterile. The rooms are thoroughly cleaned, dried, disinfected, and inspected before each float session. We are all about the details and we know a clean environment makes relaxing and letting go that much easier.

  • Everyone’s First Float Session at Sonder Mind and Body starts with a first float walkthrough by a Sonder staff member, after which you will quickly rinse off in your private room, then float for 1 hour/60 minutes in the water.

    Once the hour is up you will need to fully shower. We ask that you are mindful that there will be other clients waiting for their appointment. After showering and getting dressed, you can finish getting ready in the restroom area then bask in your post-float glow.

    After a First Float Session, the Pure Float sessions are also 60 minutes; however, we do offer 90-minute float sessions as a $20.00 upgrade. If you become a float member, and we hope you do, you can upgrade to a 90-minute float for free. If you want to float any longer, just let us know and we can work something out.

    Fun Fact: Your skin will not get wrinkly! Epsom salt will inhibit the water from saturating your skin.

  • We are partial to both. Try each type and see if you have a preference. First-time floaters may appreciate the high ceilings in the Ocean Float Room to “get their feet wet,” so to speak.

    The Evolution Pod is the tank of choice for XLIX Super Bowl Champions the New England Patriots, who installed one in their training room at the start of the 2014-2015 season.

  • We say it takes about three floats to really find your floating style. Part of that is discovering your perferences (float room or pod?) and getting used to the process (avoiding water into your eyes, how to keep your mind from attaching to that stupid thing that happened in 7th grade…)

    Magnesium is absorbed through your skin. The first float is an amazing experience but it gets better the more you do it. Our packages are the best way for you to experience several floats; then, if you are hooked, we would love for you to become a member. You are investing in us and we want to invest in you so you get lots of perks with a membership.

    We wouldn’t recommend over-committing and saying you are going to float once a week. Membership is recommended for a couple, family, or avid athlete. However, we do have a handful of dedicated members that will experiment and float everyday for a week.

    A month can slip away from us so quickly: we believe that one float a month is the perfect tool to add to your self-care routine.