More people are looking for ways to reduce their stress and anxiety, quieten their mind and alleviate physical pains and injuries. And now one Aberdeen wellness space is offering a unique solution.
The Urban Wellness Hub in Bridge of Don opened their brand new float room in the summer and already customers are swearing by the sessions.
Co-founder of the Hub, Emma Ross, explained: “I had experienced the benefits of floats myself – I’d had a sports injury and during my research into how to rehab my knee I found out that Wayne Rooney and a number of other elite athletes had floated as part of their treatments.
“I gave it a go and it turned out to be a great way to alleviate the pain because it took the strain off my joints from the first float.
“But it also became a way for me to quieten my mind – I was always on the go and even the first time I floated I didn’t feel like I’d switched off – I actually felt bored – but experts state you sometimes need up to three floats to get your body and mind used to relaxing.
“Our room is designed so there are no interruptions or distractions, which is hard to imagine in this day and age.”
The float room, the only one in the north-east of Scotland, is a modern take on the sensory deprivation tanks and pods that were popular in the 1970s and 80s.
Clients float in a pool filled with 10 inches of water and saturated with Epsom salts and float for up to an hour. The salt has a similar effect to the salt in the Dead Sea – users simply lie back and float without fear of sinking.
Proponents of floating include celebrities like Joe Rogan and many athletes such as the GB Olympics team and professional footballers. Local elite swimmer Hannah Miley has even popped into the Urban Wellness Hub for a float!
At the Urban Wellness Hub, Emma and the team have seen clients benefit in a number of ways.
“We get people falling asleep as they float – that’s how relaxed they can become!
“But because the salt keeps you floating, the pressure is taken off the musculoskeletal system and that, plus the sheer volume of magnesium Epsom salts, can give the body pain relief and time to heal.
“The gravity free effect releases tension that you don’t even get when you are sleeping, because your body is pressing down onto the bed. After about 40 minutes, the body goes into its rest and repair state, which is how it is so effective.”
Studies have claimed that floating regularly can lower blood pressure, improve sleep, lessen the impact of some mental health issues and increase energy.
To find out more about the Urban Wellness Hub’s float room, and the benefits it can make to your life, visit their website.
