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Floatation Suite

Float effortlessly in our airy pool of lovely warm water and Epsom salts. Relax completely, enjoy the health benefits and relieve stresses, aches and pains.

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What is floating?

Floating is simply lying still in warm, body temperature water, with your head on a pillow or the water. A high concentration of Epsom salts means you float effortlessly, about a third of your body above the water line. The room is bathed in candlelight or soft, coloured lighting and most people listen to tranquil music or meditations.

It’s as near as you can get to experiencing zero gravity on Earth in a state of deep relaxation.

Floating provides peace and tranquillity. It shields you from the normal sensory demands on your vision, hearing and touch, and from the usual constant pull of gravity on your organs, muscles and joints, with wonderful physical and mental health benefits. An hour of floatation can be magic. A series of regular floats can have a much deeper effect that lasts long after the end of the programme.

What happens in a float session?

After undressing and showering, you step into a fibreglass pool containing 26cm deep, skin temperature water (heated constantly) and 300 kgs of Epsom salts which nourish and soften your skin without wrinkling it like sea salt does. The high concentration of salts allows your body to float effortlessly. You simply sit down and slowly lie back until your head is either touching the pillow (if you choose to use one) or the water. As you lie back, your body gradually lifts to the water’s surface.

How do I float?

You don’t actually ‘do’ anything in the pool. The Epsom salt ensures your buoyancy, with no effort from you. For a wonderful, tranquil hour, you just let your mind wander as your body enjoys the experience and the benefits.

Sharing

Unlike flotation tanks, our pool is open, airy and wide. It is a double-width pool which you may enjoy alone or with plenty of room for two to share, whether your companion is a partner, friend, relative or carer.

Accessibility

The pool is on the ground floor, close to our wide, wheelchair-friendly, step-free entrance leading from our disabled parking space. As it’s a double-width pool, there’s ample room for a carer if you need a little extra support in the pool. We also have a hoist and adult changing bed, should you require these. Please just call us and let us know how we can tailor your visit to your specific needs. And do please tell us if you need us to reserve the disabled parking space, as we cannot otherwise ensure its availability.

Very friendly, relaxed atmosphere, beautiful building. Had a gorgeous flotation session. Big, open flotation pool, lovely warm room with a high ceiling, all spotlessly clean. Highly recommended.” Rachelle Metcalfe (thank you, Rachelle)

Benefits of floating

Floating in a pool of warm water into which the Epsom salts have been dissolved, allows your body to totally relax. As every muscle in your body is 100% relieved from all tension, you can quickly go into a state of deep relaxation.

Floating has many benefits: it relieves stress, nervousness, anxiety, jet lag, insomnia and muscular aches and pains.

There are many medical conditions which have been shown to benefit from floatation therapy such as anxiety, depression, complete physical & mental de-stressing, relieves aches & pains, deep muscular relaxation and arthritis, back pain, pre-menstrual tension, post natal depression, asthma, migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular conditions, osteoporosis and synovitis to name a few.

You will feel the benefits for a few days after your float session. However, most people can only fully appreciate all the benefits of floating after having experienced 3 float sessions and so encourage all first time floaters to try floating at least 3 times.

A float session is a deeply meditative experience particularly before a massage or after a yoga class.

The science behind floatation

We recently conducted a thorough study (science researchers call it a literature review) of the scientific evidence for the health benefits of floatation, centred on mainstream, published, peer-reviewed research studies. The work conclusively demonstrates the significant benefits offered by floatation therapy in managing or alleviating conditions including anxiety and depression, stress, pain (particularly stress-related muscular pain), hypertension and chronic tension headaches. It reduces blood pressure and levels of stress-related hormones and offers improved sleep (and improved ease in falling asleep) and heightened feelings of optimism, serenity, relaxation and wellbeing, with increased energy and performance.

Floatation can also play a significant part in the care, symptom management and rehabilitation of Long Covid patients.

If you’d like to read it, our study is here, as a PDF.

This was an amazing therapeutic experience. I felt I experienced something entirely new, a way and level of relaxation that is rare. Being held by water was womblike and other worldly. It felt like a detox for my skin too. Lovely space.” Kirat R (thank you, Kirat)

Booking a floatation experience

All floats are in our lovely, open (no cover) and spacious double-width float pool. Our 75 minute sessions give you plenty of time to relax and rejuvenate.

You can book a float session for one (with the suite to yourself) or for two together (perhaps you’re a couple, two friends, relatives, parent and child or an individual with a carer)*, with plenty of room for both.

Float session for one£60
Float session for two – £80

Each float session provides a full 60 minutes for your floatation plus 15 minutes for showering, changing and unwinding in our beautiful, bespoke floatation therapy suite.

Towels
For your own comfort and the sake of the environment, please bring your own towel to use after your shower.

Age
Minimum age is 12. 12–16-year-olds must be accompanied by their legally responsible parent or guardian.

Makeup, hair and tanning products

Please never enter the pool wearing makeup or any products capable of colouring or tainting the pool water, including non-permanent or recently applied hair colouring or tints, or tanning products. It’s best to arrive without makeup on, rather than try to clean it off in the floatation suite. This is important as any of these products can contaminate the water, requiring the pool to be closed, drained, cleaned and refilled: an expensive, time-consuming process that can cost up to £1,000!

Alcohol or drugs

You should never use the floatation pool under the influence of alcohol or drugs with a sedative effect.

NB all Summer Sizzle purchases bought in July/August 2023 must be used/redeemed before the end of Saturday 16 September 2023. After then, any unused Summer Sizzle purchases will be treated as credit towards their full-price equivalents, with the balance to be paid in full.

Floatation packages

Float+sauna duo

A perfect pair

  • A private session in our wonderful, open floatation pool (75 minute session)
    followed by
  • A private session, just for you, in our infrared sauna (45 minute session)

Buy your float+sauna package:

Float+sauna for two people together: £99

Float+sauna for one person: £75

After purchase, please contact us on 01273 778400 (or pop in if you prefer) to arrange the day and time of your experience.

Important: please scroll up for essential information about towels, age, make, hair and tanning products, and drugs and alcohol.

NB all Summer Sizzle purchases bought in July/August 2023 must be used/redeemed before the end of Saturday 16 September 2023. After then, any unused Summer Sizzle purchases will be treated as credit towards their full-price equivalents, with the balance to be paid in full.

More spa experience packages

Fancy a massage, facial or sauna after your float? Booking them together as a package can provide a wonderfully deep and lasting experience, and save a little money. We have a wide range of packages, from two hours to full spa days, to be enjoyed together or solo.

Concessions

Concessionary pass holders can receive a number of benefits at The Unity Centre, including concessionary floatation prices.

Float session for one – £54
Float session for two – £72

Inclusivity and concessions info here

Frequently asked questions

For more information about our float pool, please contact our Holistic Spa Manager