5 Mistakes Rookies Make

Floating is an art just as much as it is a science. Which means, you often aren’t going to become a pro at it right away. Even if you have floated 1, 2, 3, or 10 times, there are still mistakes that you might be making in a float tank. Here are the most common mistakes that we find rookies make while floating:

Eating or Drinking Too Much Beforehand

It’s a common mistake, especially if you plan a float for later in the day, to drink caffeine in some form beforehand. Try to avoid coffee, tea, or soda at all costs–and stick to water or juice if you can.  The same thing goes for eating before a float. We recommend eating at least an hour before or waiting until afterwards. Eating or drinking too closely to the time of your float could cause you discomfort inside the tank, it creates the urge to need to use the bathroom in the middle of your session as well as the inability to fully shut off your mind. 

Touching Your Face

I swear, as many times as you can tell someone “DO NOT touch your eyes or face” during your float session, there is always going to be someone who fails to listen. This often happens at about twenty minutes into your session. You swear you NEED to scratch your nose or something. So what do you do? You use your hands to scratch your noise and then, BAM! Salt everywhere–in your eyes and on your face–it stings massively and now your whole float session is ruined.

Most float centers provide towels that you can use in case you get any salt water in your eyes or on your face. If you’re floating at home, we recommend keeping some small wash cloths close or hung up inside of your tank so if this happens, you’re prepared and can get right back to your float.

Over-Thinking

You know when you tell your mind to not think? And then you realize, that’s still a thought, and it causes you to keep thinking. It’s a never ending process!

Instead of telling your mind not to think, focus on your breathing or counting down from 100. You’ll usually lose track of your thoughts well before you count down too far.

Not Fully Relaxing

Relaxing while laying in water is actually a little harder than it sounds.  The most common mistake people make is trying too hard to float. Don’t do this! You will float. Seriously, it’s pretty much impossible to drown in a float tank because of all the buoyancy from the epsom salt.

The most common area of tension is in your neck and upper back. Try floating with your arms above your head to ease tension on your spine and back. Also, some people like to use an inflatable float pillow while they are in the tank. Sometimes a slight change of positioning is all your body needs to help your body relax into an even deeper state. 

Floating Without A Purpose

Some people float simply to meditate and calm their minds. However, it’s also common to float for mental aspects such as increasing focus or personal optimization. If you desire to achieve these types of results, its important to set an intention for your float. 

Before you hop in the tank, decide is today’s float session going to be for relaxation, or boosting creativity or visualizing an upcoming event that you are preparing for.  It’s a simple act of saying to yourself, “I’m floating today to help me with _______” but it will make all the difference each time you float.

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