Professional athletes have used floating therapy—the process of being weightlessly suspended in a ton of Epsom salt water—to heal themselves for years. Studies show the floating practice accelerates the speed of recovery from sports related injuries. It also helps athletes experience significant reduction from pain and muscle aches. In addition, athletes receive substantial mental and physiological benefits from floating. How is this possible? The list of contributing factors to athlete recovery and the science behind it is listed here:
GETTING YOUR MIND RIGHT BEFORE THE GAME
The ability to think clearly and quickly is crucial to professional athletes. Athletes need to focus and stay calm before and during a big game. Floating reduces the production of lactate levels in the blood stream, which allows for heightened mental clarity and increased strategic thinking. When athletes float before a game, they are able to reach a deep meditative theta state. In the theta state, the brain has the ability to visualize past training routines enabling the athlete to mentally simulate the perfect game scenario, which increases actual game performance.
GET YOUR MUSCLES READY FOR GAME TIME
More sports injuries occur from muscle tension or pulled muscles than from direct physical contact. The best way for athletes to avoid injury is to loosen their muscles properly before a game. With float therapy, all of the pressure of body weight and gravity are removed and any build up of adrenaline, cortisol, and lactate is flushed out. In addition, red blood cells increase and blood circulates through the body more efficiently. The result is full-body relaxation. Relaxed muscles means fewer sports injuries.
Had a nice and friendly staff member help us out! A great first experience and I hope to be back soon! Unfortunately the power went out towards the end but that is beyond their control as blackouts occur quite frequently in Vietnam
Great experience! It was my first time there and the staff member/ owner took his time to explain to us the benefits and walked us through the process. Unfortunately there was a power trip towards the end of my session, but the staff member/ owner were witty calm about it and brought it a huge speaker to wake us up (just in case we hadn’t got up).
This is an absolutley amazing find in Hanoi. I always tell people that floating is the perfect practice if your looking to improve your health, inner peace, and general wellbeing - and that is certainly the case at 'float Hanoi' as well! I have been floating regularly for a few years in the US, and I can say that the tanks and facilities here are truly top of the line. Also Minh, one of the owners, was incredibly welcoming and helpful - he even took me to find an ATM machine after my float so i could pay him! Then followed by showing me a gas station so I could fill up my motorbike (Ive only been here two days). 🙂 Float Hanoi exemplifies what selfless service is all about - I feel at home in Hanoi already just from my first experience here (Of course im also relaxed and rejuvinated from the float itself). I bought a package of 5 "one hour" floats, and when those are up, I will be buying a package of 5 "ninety minute" floats. All that said, just do yourself a big favor and give this place a real shot! You wont be at all dossapointed. ????
The last time I floated was back in Bangkok in 2019. My husband and I were regulars at the facility there. The Hanoi float center feels much more “homemade” than the one in Bangkok. Not saying that neither is better than the other; the setting feels very different, which is something to keep in mind. Otherwise, the tanks work the same - the only difference would be that you have the option to pry the tank’s cover open slightly with the ones in BKK but here, it’s either fully close or open, which can be uncomfortable for first-time floaters. Also, if you haven’t meditated for a long time, it can be pretty challenging during the first few sessions as your mind WILL keep wandering. We did the couple floating session for 60 minutes, and we didn’t regret giving it a try. It was nice, dark, and quiet (something you don’t get much from living in Hanoi). The staff understands and speaks English very well. The online reservation was hassle free, and the team will contact you a day before by phone to reconfirm. Note that they are not really responsive on Facebook messenger, so it’s better to call. It’s a straight forward experience, you go in, pay, rinse a bit, float, get out, rinse again, dress up and leave. Nothing to complain about and would personally return.
Quietest place in HCMC*. I've been floating for over four years and was so happy to find this place in Vietnam. The set up is very professional and sanitary. Owners are knowledgeable and extremely helpful. The prices do seem a bit high and geared towards tourists. I'll will return, but not as frequently as I'd like. *I would not suggest you float if there's going to be rain. During my float it started to pour and the noise was to the point you can not tune it out. I had to cut my float short as a result. No offer of offset cost or float time in the future, disappointing.
AFTER THE GAME
Athletes are unable to reach optimal performance when their muscles are strained or overworked. Exerting the body when it’s overworked leads to pain, muscle stiffness and fatigue. However, when you float, these problems are greatly reduced and sometimes removed completely. This is because the non-gravity atmosphere of the float tank gives all of your joints and muscles a break. This promotes healing of muscle strain and injury, but it also prevents more serious injuries to athletes in the future. The high levels of magnesium sulfate in your float tank relaxes sore muscles and builds protein in your joints, which helps to accelerate recovery time so you become game ready faster.
Floating is a practice. The more you do it, the more you will benefit mentally and physically. The research of neurosurgeon Dr. John Turner and psychologist Thomas H. Fine shows that floating significantly reduces pain, and in some cases produces euphoric states. Their work indicates that your body releases endorphins and natural opiates during a float session that activates the pleasure centers of your brain. Dr. Fine reported, “practically all patients suffering from chronic pain claimed that they had forgotten their pain while floating.”
Float therapy helps athletes prepare their muscles and joints before a game, exponentially improve performance during a game and recover faster after a game. You’re going to play anyway, have your team schedule a session at your nearest float center so they play at their maximum level.