Sensory Deprivation Tank Therapy is designed to remove distractions and any inputs into our lives, if only for a short while, as we float on saltwater, cocooned in a safe and dark space letting go of our consciousness…and relax. The initial tank was developed in 1954 by John C. Lilly, an American physician and neuroscientist, whose research focus was on the easing of pain and the increasing of pleasure pathways between the brain and the body.
Today, such tanks are no longer only found in science labs, and have become very popular around the world with those who use them for a multitude of purposes, whether to simply relax, or for therapy. Float Chiang Mai has been providing this service to a growing number of curious seekers and regulars for a few years now and if you haven’t tried, we can’t recommend it enough. Like entering a spa, you are greeted, then taken to your private room which is well decked out with a shower, towels an all amenities. The staff will answer all questions and give you all the information for you to feel safe and secure before leaving you to disrobe and enter the pod. There is a water spray and towel, should salt get into your eyes and a clearly marked emergency button should you require help. Session tend to run between 60-90 minutes, and as you float in water which contains 600 kgs of Epsom salt – think the Dead Sea, but without all the tourists – with temperatures adjusted to match your body temperature, it takes mere moments for you to slip away from consciousness and simply be.
There is no counter gravity and your body feels cocooned in an enveloping and reassuring warmth which is, frankly, sensational. No social media, no one to make any demands on you, no need to do anything and eventually no thoughts in your head. The muscles relax completely and the mind is relieved of any pressure. You don’t even have to worry about the passage of time as it is all set on a timer, and as your session nears completion, the music and lights slowly return. “How Tank Therapy differs from both massages and yoga is that the therapy removes all distraction, no touch, no noise, no body, so that you are fully immersed in an amazingly exclusive space which is there just for you alone,” said Panurug Ohaigagamongleal, a staff at Float Chiang Mai. “Not all of us cope well with our stressful society, and this tank enables people to escape and heal. We operate two pods here at Float Chiang Mai and are able to help many people to relax and calm and destress, finding peace, if just for one important hour at a time.”
